You Just Need to Trust Him – Offense, Part 9

In John, Chapter 6, Jesus said some pretty confusing things to the masses. He said that to be His disciple, you had to eat His flesh and drink His blood. They didn’t know what He was talking about. They hadn’t had His beloved communion meal. Hey didn’t know about the cross and how it symbolizes the blood and the broken body. As far as they were concerned, He was preaching cannibalism. They began to leave Him. They loved Him up to this point. They now said, “This guy’s weird. We’re out of here!” The disciples came to Him and they said, “You know, that was a difficult saying. It was strange. It was hard.” Jesus replied, “Does it offend you that I say things and don’t explain it all? Does it offend you?” The people kept leaving Him and the disciples kept pressing HIm. The Bible says they were murmuring and they were bothered by this. So, He looked at them and asked, “Are you guys going to leave, too?” He was saying, in essence, “You guys need to get over this. I’m not going to change the message, and this time, I’m not going to explain it either.” There were times when He would teach things they did not understand and He would say to the disciples, “I’m not going to explain it to the masses, but I’ll explain it to you. Let me give you the interpretation of this parable.” This time, I think He thought, “I think I see some attitudes here and I’m going to call them on it. Once in a while they need to know that I’m Lord. I am going to do things they will not always understand, and they should not question me when I do. They need to trust me.”

“Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, ‘Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.’ For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, ‘This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.’ From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6:61-66; NIV)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

• Does it offend you when Jesus doesn’t always explain things to you? If you are feeling the sting of conviction, spend some time talking with Him about why this is the case. Be healed.
• Let’s go further. Have you become offended with the Lord in any regard? You will know this, if you feel distant from Him, when you were once very passionate toward Him. I know you want that place of intimacy back. Let the Lord show you where the offense occurred. Be restored to the joy of your salvation!
• And, a little further. Do you trust Him with the circumstances of your life, your family, this nation? Explore this with Him.
• Say, “You are Lord, and You get to decide what You do with my life.”
• If you are able to take communion, do so.

A prayer you can pray:

Lord, I don’t always understand You or the things You do. Just like the disciples, I don’t like the fact that You don’t explain Yourself. When things happen in my life or in the nation, I want to know what You are doing. I want to know why things don’t always turn out the way I feel led to intercede. I want to know why You seem to delay. Your silence can be disconcerting. I only share this with You, because You already know I am feeling and thinking these things. (If you have become offended at Him, talk with Him about this. He already knows how you feel.) Thank You for restoring passion and fire to my relationship with You! Don’t let me ever hold You at arms-length. Let me experience the joy of my salvation every day that I live! Holy Spirit, cause a fresh wind of grace to blow over Your Church, removing any distance between us and You. Renew our trust in You. Remove any questions, doubt and unbelief. I made You Lord of my life, Jesus. You get to be Lord in every regard. Just point me in the right direction and put a guard on my heart to keep me from questioning your wisdom and Your ways. Thank You for the shed blood of Jesus that keeps my door to You forever open. Amen.

Today’s decree:

Jesus Christ is Lord! He does not owe us an explanation. He can do with our lives whatever He chooses to do!