Saturday, April 21

Knowing Christ in Quiet

Do you know what a quiet time is?” the 5-day club teacher asked the kids. One spoke up with certainty; “when you're asleep.”
It was probably true, for this boy, that the only “quiet time” of day was when he slept. That was most certainly the only “quiet time” of day for his mother!

The disciples, ironically, might have given the same answer about quietude. Everywhere they traveled with Jesus, someone had a question or a problem for Him to solve. Many times, it was the disciples themselves who had questions. They were confused and sometimes frustrated by Jesus and His answers.

After His death, however, their time with Jesus was different. This particular day was after Jesus had died and risen from the dead, and the disciples had seen Him in the garden, on a road, and in a room with a locked door (John 20). That was all illuminating and exciting, but the disciples had to get back to work on the sea of Tiberias. They fished all night without catching anything. Then suddenly, as the morning came, they saw a man on the shore, who told them to cast their nets on the right side of the boat. This proved to be good advice, and John knew immediately, “it is the Lord” (21:7).

Once they all got to shore, the Bible says, “none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord” (21:12). There were no more questions, no more doubts (John 20:25). They could now be with Him without questioning Him. They could “be still and know that He was God” (Psalm 46:10). After a while, Jesus started talking to them. He had some things to share with Peter that changed the course of Peter's life.

One of the hardest things in the lives of many Christians is being in communication with God. Whole books are written about how to pray and how to devote time each day to reading God's word. But the Bible doesn't make it complicated. Is it complicated to be with someone who loves you more than words can express? Once you know Jesus, really know Him, you don't have many questions. You can sit at His feet like Mary of Bethany, and enjoy His presence and the sound of His voice.

"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."- Psalm 46:5, 10

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