A Prayer for Wednesday, February 9, 2011

“Now When Jesus Heard”

Jesus responded to the changing circumstances around him; he made decisions about what to do that were based on what was happening in his environment. He was sensitive to what was happening in the world around him and he responded in light of that sensitivity.

Help us, O Lord, to pay attention; help us to be sensitive to what’s happening around us and to the possible implications of those happenings for our living of our lives and for our service to you and to others.

Then help us to make our decisions and to carry out our actions based on what seems best not just for ourselves but for our role and responsibility in your kingdom.

Perhaps Jesus withdrew at the time of John’s arrest because he perceived a danger to himself; there would come a time when he would not withdraw but would instead place himself directly in the path of danger. Give us, O Lord, a similar sense of your timing as we make our decisions.

Amen.

“Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee” (Matthew 4:12).