Staying Focused

Something I read this morning in Luke's gospel made me stop and ask a bunch of questions. In chapter 4, Jesus has begun his ministry, and been rejected at Nazareth (verses 16-30). He goes to Capernaum, and there people listen to him, and are impressed
when he casts a demon out of a man in the synagogue. He heals Simon's mother in law of a fever, and then "people throughout the village brought sick family members to Jesus. No matter what their diseases were, the touch of his hand healed every one." Pretty impressive! Then the next morning, Jesus goes off to a desolate place, but the people chase after him, "and when they finally found him, they begged him not to leave them. But he replied, 'I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent.'" His mission was broader than to one town, or being successful in a healing ministry.

Here's how I'm reading the passage. Jesus gets rejected in his home town, and goes to another village to continue his ministry, where he is accepted and does a lot of good, healing people and casting out demons. That 'success' must have felt good. But the hidden cost is fatigue, so he goes outside of town where it's quiet, to have some time with his Father without distractions. Fame, and doing good, can demand more than anyone can give. The people are begging him to stay in that one village and keep doing good, which must be a pleasure to hear after Nazareth. But his time away with the Father and the Holy Spirit reminds him that his mission was to more than one village.

I believe those times of solitude, which are mentioned multiple times in the gospels, were crucial for Jesus to stay focused. People were asking him to heal everyone, to help settle disputes (Luke 12:13) and other matters not connected with his ministry. He wasn't there to be famous or to solve peoples' problems, and he had to keep drawing away from those distractions. Time away with the Father helped his focus.

You and I have the same distractions every day (well, maybe not fame) and we have the same challenge: focusing on what is important. The people in Capernaum wanted him for themselves, and we sometimes want to focus just on our own needs. But Jesus knew, and we should know, that our mission is broader than that. To hear our own purpose clearly, we also need time with God, away from the noise of life. We all need it regularly. Please consider a rhythm of regular and seasonal retreats, to stay focused.