Why do we leave Home without Him?

John 6:16-21

Most of us will recall the slogan “Do not leave home without it,” American Express has used that for years.  Many of us have watched the movie  “Home Alone,” it is a story of an 8-year-old boy who is accidentally left behind while his family flies to France for Christmas, and he has to defend his home against idiotic burglars.  As I read about Jesus’ disciples getting into the boat and leaving Him, I wonder how often we Christians leave Jesus and get into our boat called life. We are told in John 6:15b that Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.  The “again” gives insight that this may have been a routine action for Jesus, we are told that He often got up early and went to a quiet place to spend time with His Father.  If so that might help me some with the puzzle of the twelve getting into a boat and crossing the sea to Capernaum.

Often it helps to put myself in the story; I’ve just watched Jesus take five barley loaves and two fish from a young boy who was willing to share them with Jesus, and He fed 5,000 men and their families after he blessed them.  And when He told His disciples to gather up the leftover pieces of fish and bread, they had 12 baskets full.  How we in the large crowd wanted to make him our King, not only because he could feed us but he also could get rid of the Romans.  That is when Jesus went up into, I guess, the mountains, none of us really said where he went, some of us were taking a nap and others were designing a plan to run the Romans back to Rome.  I was still talking with a group of people when someone said, look his disciples are in the boat and leaving, but Jesus was not in that boat.

After reading these verses, I had this question in my mind about how often have I gotten into the boat and left Jesus?  I must confess that I have tried to live independently many times, or taken my boat in the direction I wanted to go without waiting on Jesus to give me direction.  And without fail the sea becomes rough and it seems as if the wind is too strong and my life seems empty and meaningless.  But the “Rest of the Story” is that Jesus is faithful and in the same way that he came near the disciple’s boat, he has come to my independent boat and said, “It is I; do not be afraid.”  And very much like the disciples, I’ve taken Jesus back as the Captain of my life and I can confess that joy has filled my life with Him in charge.  So the question must be asked; why do you and I think we can manage life without Him?  So why do we leave Jesus?

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice