Welcome to Tuesday of Holy Week. Have a small item that fits in your hand when you close your hand.
Reading: John 12:31-50
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+12%3A31-50&version=GNT
Reflection:
There is much in this passage that we could reflect on. We could debate theological doctrine, predestination, imagery of light and dark, lifted up and death, belief and unbelief, and although they will feature in our reflection - it is the person of Jesus I wanted to focus on. What really struck me in the reading for today, which obviously we have been building up to in these past weeks is what Jesus did. Not what he said - important as it is, but what he did.
‘After Jesus said this, he went off and hid himself from them.’
Ponder for yourself for a moment why did Jesus hide himself away. Look at the item in your hand and close your hand around it and take a few moments to pause and consider for yourself why Jesus hid himself from the people.
What did you come up with? Don’t worry if you didn’t think of something or if you thought of something I haven’t even considered. What is important is the time we spend truly getting to know God through his word.
Many of you have heard the expression or indeed used it - I wish I could stop the world and get off for a while. The problem is even when we are grieving or going through significant life changes the world keeps turning, our responsibilities as a family member, a colleague, a friend, a church or charity participant, indeed the needs of our physical bodies just keep coming at us. We might not be able to stop the world (if you know how please let me know!) but we can learn from Jesus and hid ourselves away. But before you get too excited by this, let’s build a little context.
Jesus was at the last possible moment of stepping up or stepping away, so he steps back. It is not a moment of fear but a moment of preparation. He is about to head into the toughest time of his earthly life. We know he feels everything like we do. He wept at the grave of Lazarus, he was lovingly frustrated over Jerusalem’s rejection of him, he loved his friends and he was compassionate on so many people throughout the gospels. And to be honest, he had to have a sense of humour as well or he would have thrown in the towel...
So this week we remember that Jesus was human and he could hurt emotionally, spiritually and physically. Jesus hid himself away to prepare himself for what lay ahead. He was not going into this sacrifice blind or arrogant. He knew he would be betrayed from closest friend and beyond. He knew that for the majority of the people who witnessed his sacrifice would know nothing of its depth or eternal consequence.
No matter how hard he had tried, no matter the miracles, no matter the words, the passion, the story telling - even his own disciples barely grasped the enormity of what would happen. Only in the light of the resurrection would they truly understand. Hints of this frustration are found in the Old Testament passages John chooses to include in his Gospel. After that anointing at Bethany, and the smell of the nard still wafting about, the cheers of the crowd as he rode into town on the donkey, the Greeks arriving and a reminder that he is following God the Father’s plan for the whole world, his sense of disappointment and hope fighting for the win, he pleads for them to believe in the light then he hides himself away.
Jesus needed time with God his Father, without the distraction of the people, away from the bounty hunters and the Pharisees, and away from the confused disciples.
Put it this way. Exhausted pastors are worse than useless because pastoring is a whole body experience - draining physical, mental and spiritual resources. Jesus needed to hide himself away as preparation. And in acknowledging this we can grasp something of how difficult this week was, and how real the sacrifice.
When was the last time you hid yourself away with God? As human beings we often push on, keep going, put on the brave face, be stoic. Trust me I do this too. But sometimes in order to step up rather than step away we need to step back into a deeper moment with God.
We are afraid of hiding ourselves away. Sometimes we are afraid of what God might tell us. Sometimes we are afraid that the world we hold together will collapse without us at the helm for an hour, a day, a weekend, a week... We feel guilty because we are responsible for....
Let me repeat what Jesus did.
Jesus was at the last possible moment of stepping up or stepping away so he steps back. It is not a moment of fear but a moment of preparation.
When we are at that last possible moment of stepping up or stepping away, have we stepped back first, especially, particularly when we think we don’t have time?
Perhaps you are good at this - thank him for that relationship of trust. Perhaps you fall into these moments, crashing rather than arriving rather like Elijah in the cave of despair. Seek the Spirit’s help to shape your life so that you can step back well and then step up to whatever Christ calls you too. Remember Jesus embraced his humanity and with that comes the need to hide in God. It is a sign of strength and faith to step back first. Then God can get a word in edgewise - be it a word of discernment, encouragement, blessing, or even correction.
Take a moment to pray with God, inviting him to help you find ways appropriate to you to step back, to hide away in him. God loves you. As Jesus prepared for what lay ahead, take time to prepare for what lies ahead as we approach Good Friday. Holding your item, focus on it, close your hand over it and pray.
I hope you have been blessed in your prayer time. How might you have more of this ‘hideaways’?
Prayer
Lord God,
You are over all things, through all things, in all things, and there is nowhere we can go to hide from your presence. But Lord, we pray that we would be willing to hide ourselves in you. Lord, when the world around us threatens to crush us, as the weight of responsibilities breaks our back and suffocates our souls, hide us in your holy presence. Remind us that your burden is light and your yoke is easy. Forgive us when we try and take on everything in our own strength. Let us be like Jesus - stepping back in order to be able to step up. Welcome us Lord with open arms and be our rock, our refuge, our haven.
Lord Jesus, teach me how to hide myself in God my Father like you did. Not in fear of the world, not through apathy, nor through some selfish desire, but to be restored, strengthened, encouraged, inspired and blessed. Lord, help me to persuade others to take time to hide in order to prepare ourselves to step out in faith.
Holy Spirit, teach me how to abide in you and not to see that as time wasted. Help me see what is important, that even as time runs short, as the pressures increase and the call of earthly glory threatens to trump divine presence, that I need to abide in order to work.
Lord of all people, there are many who need a safe space to hide, and we pray for those who cannot find them. Lord, be a very real presence in their lives, and help them know that you know what it is to be hunted, persecuted, tried and killed. You are not a distant God. Please Lord help us raise our voices against injustice, to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters and where possible advocate for change. Bless your children throughout the world, and encourage us this Easter be part of the love revolution.
In your name and for your world you came to save - we pray.
Blessing
God loves you so very much.
Be light in our dark times.
Be love and be loved.
Step back to step up
Knowing that God is with you in the silence and the chaos.
And the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon you and remain with you now and forevermore. Amen.
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