Jesus Under Pressure

If you’ve ever had a day in which you’ve been blitzkrieged by demands... if you’ve ever ridden the roller coaster of sorrow and celebration... if you’ve ever wondered if God in heaven can relate to you on earth, then take heart.

• Jesus knows how you feel.

In the Gospels, we read of a time when Jesus began the morning by hearing about the death of John the Baptist: His cousin, His forerunner, His coworker, His friend (see Matthew 14:1–13). The man who came closer to understanding Jesus than any other was dead.

Imagine losing the one person who knows you better than anyone else, and you will feel what Jesus was feeling. Reflect on the horror of being told that your dearest friend has just been murdered, and you will relate to Jesus’ sorrow. Consider your reaction if you were told that your best friend had just been decapitated by a people-pleasing, incestuous monarch, and you’ll see how the day began for Christ. His world was beginning to turn upside down.

The emissaries brought more than news of sorrow, however; they brought a warning: The same Herod who took John’s head is interested in Yours.

Listen to how Luke presents the monarch’s madness:

Herod said, ‘I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?’ And he tried to see Him. — Luke 9:9, emphasis added

Something tells me that Herod wanted more than a social visit. 

So, with John’s life taken and His own life threatened, Jesus chose to get away for a while. But before He could get away, His disciples arrived. Mark states that the

apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all they had done and taught. — Mark 6:30

They returned exuberant. Jesus had commissioned them to proclaim the gospel and authenticate it with miracles. 

They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. — Mark 6:12–13

In a matter of moments, Jesus’ heart went from the pace of a funeral dirge to the triumphant march of a ticker-tape parade.

Look who followed the disciples to locate Jesus. About five thousand men plus women and children (see Matthew 14:21)! Rivers of people cascaded out of the hills and villages. Some scholars estimate the crowd was as high as twenty-five thousand.6 They swarmed around Jesus, each with one desire: to meet the Man who had empowered the disciples.

What had been a calm morning now buzzed with activity.

So many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat. — Mark 6:31

I’ve had people demand my attention. I know what it’s like to have a half-dozen kids wanting different things at the same time. I know the feeling of receiving one call with other people waiting impatiently on other lines. I even know what it’s like to be encircled by a dozen or so people, each making a separate request.

But twenty-five thousand? That’s larger than many cities! No wonder the disciples couldn’t eat. I’m surprised they could breathe!

The morning had been a jungle trail of the unexpected. First, Jesus grieved over the death of a dear friend and relative. Then His life was threatened by Herod. Next, He celebrated the triumphant return of His followers. Then He was nearly suffocated by a brouhaha of humanity. Bereavement... jeopardy... jubilation... bedlam.

Are you beginning to see why I call this the second most stressful day in the life of Christ? And it’s far from over. Jesus decided to take the disciples to a quiet place where they could rest and reflect. He shouted a command over the noise of the crowd: 

Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest. — Mark 6:31

The thirteen fought their way to the beach and climbed into a boat.

Who would question Jesus’ desire to get away from the people? He just needed a few hours alone. Just a respite. Just a retreat. Time to pray. Time to ponder. Time to weep. A time without crowds or demands. A campfire wreathed with friends. An evening with those He loved. The people could wait until tomorrow.

The people, however, had other ideas.

The crowds learned about it and followed Him. — Luke 9:11

It’s a six-mile walk around the northeastern corner of the Sea of Galilee, so the crowd took a hike. When Jesus got to Bethsaida, his desired retreat had become a roaring arena. “Surprise!” 

Add to the list of sorrow, peril, excitement, and bedlam the word interruption. Jesus’ plans were interrupted. What He had in mind for His day and what the people had in mind for His day were two different agendas. What Jesus sought and what Jesus got were not the same.

Sound familiar? Remember when you sought a night’s rest and got a colicky baby? Remember when you sought to catch up at the office and got even further behind? Remember when you sought to use your Saturday for leisure but ended up fixing your neighbor’s sink?

Take comfort, friend. It happened to Jesus, too. In fact, this would be a good time to pause and digest this important truth: 

         Jesus knows how you feel.

Ponder this and use it the next time your world goes from calm to chaos. His pulse has raced. His eyes have grown weary. His heart has grown heavy. He has had to climb out of bed with a sore throat. He has been kept awake late and has gotten up early. He knows how you feel. 

You may have trouble believing that. You probably believe that Jesus knows what it means to endure heavy-duty tragedies. You are no doubt convinced that Jesus is acquainted with sorrow and has wrestled with fear. Most people accept that. But can God relate to the hassles and headaches of my life? Of your life?

For some reason, that is harder to believe. Perhaps that is why portions of this day are recorded in all the Gospel accounts. No other event, other than the crucifixion, is told by all four Gospel writers. Not Jesus’ baptism. Not His temptation. Not even His birth. But all four writers chronicle this day.

It’s as if Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John knew that you would wonder if God understands. And they proclaim their response in four-part harmony: Jesus knows how you feel.

• Jesus knows how it feels to endure through stress-filled days.
• Jesus faced many interruptions and demands on his time.
• Jesus can relate to the hassles and headaches of your life.
• Jesus can help you get through your angst-ridden days.

Memory Verse 

Write out the words of John 14:27 and memorize it.

Excerpted with permission from Experiencing the Heart of Jesus for 52 Weeks by Max Lucado, copyright Max Lucado.

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Your Turn

Jesus experienced the inconveniences and sufferings of life just like we do. The hassles, the illnesses, the disappointments, the frustrations, the emotional drain, the physical fatigue… all of it. He knows how you feel! He understands you. Isn’t that comforting? ~ Devotionals Daily