Saturday July 19th: Remain Mission Focused

“… Jesus withdrew from that place. Many (people) followed him, and he cured them all.”

Matthew 12:14-21

Today we read of a plot to kill Jesus and his response when he heard. “He withdrew from that place” but continued healing people. There was no confrontation, no argument. He was a man on a mission and did not want to be distracted. He knew that his time had not yet come. Doing his Father’s will was most important to him.

What do we do when we hear of ‘plots’ against us, when we face injustice, are hurt or wrongly judged? Do we simply throw our hands in the air and walk away completely or do we ‘withdraw to another place’? We should use Jesus as our model, remember our own mission in building the kingdom, and take up our cross every day- die to selfishness and sin, anger– and follow his example.

The gift of grace will enable us to continue what we have been called to do. Come Holy Spirit and fill us with “grace upon grace” to remain focused on God’s calling upon our lives.