2235 Choosing the Unknown — Кассета

We see Jesus go up on a mountain to pray to God all night – like literally – Jesus did that. Not just a prayer before he went to sleep, not just for a few restless hours, Jesus prayed ALLLLLL night. Have you ever done that? I haven’t. 15 minutes in prayer is a stretch for me. How much more can I say? If Jesus, God in flesh, the one with a more direct connection to God than any of us – if he sometimes needed to spend the entire night praying to seek God’s will and guidance, how much more do we? What was Jesus up there praying about all night long? He was seeking who God had chosen as the 12 disciples to walk this journey with him. Jesus knew his inner circle was of critical importance. He knew who he brought to the table, who he invited “backstage” to the miracles he was about to perform, who he revealed him true self to the most – that truly mattered. He himself was God, and his circle mattered. You know what this tells me – this tells me my circle matters far more than I’ve ever realized. We’ve all heard that we are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with – and it’s actually true. Whatever is normal for your circle eventually becomes normal for you too. You’re continually being molded and shaped by your environment by the habits, attitudes and beliefs of those around you. You were given this one lifetime with an assignment from God – his good purposes for your life were aligned before your first breath. But your ability to fulfill the mission of your life is continually being affected by the people you bring in close to you. And how Jesus handled the choosing of his inner circle was with an entire night of prayer on a mountain with God. Now why is it we only pray about our relationships when there’s a problem in them? Why are we so quick to jump in then wonder why those relationships are stressed? Girls, why aren’t we genuinely praying about who we allow in close to us? Why aren’t we seeking God’s hand in the selection of our people like it’s going to affect everything we do – because actually, it is. I have an inner circle and that’s not always easy – you know why? Because that means some people get more of me than others. That means there’s space for offense. That means there’s opportunity for jealousy. My inner circle sometimes shifts because sometimes life just changes. Certain relationships grow while other relationships have a different purpose in a different season. Can we all see that there’s nothing wrong with that? Jesus would spend the day hanging out with thousands of people, then at the end of the day he would send the crowds away and get in a boat with just his circle of 12. If Jesus did that, so can I – and so can you. If that was important for Jesus, then how much more important is that for us? Let God show you your people, then protect that space with them. Does it mean if someone is not in your inner circle, they’re bad, they’re less important, less valuable? No! Imagine the followers of Jesus gathered at the foot of that mountain that morning when Jesus came down. How many people were there? We don’t know exactly, but later we see a mention of over 70. So, let’s just imagine there are 70 people who have been following Jesus. 70 people who have been listening to him, learning from him, and wanting to go where he’s going next. But Jesus gathers them together at daybreak and announces his 12. Were there some hurt feelings in the crowd? Perhaps. Did Jesus make any apologies for choosing his circle? No. Did he announce his chosen 12 were better than the others? No. My friends, when you seek God’s will, you don’t have to feel bad about walking in it. When you have truly prayed, truly surrendered, and are truly living in obedience, you can finally overcome the crippling plague of people pleasing and step into God honoring. I’m assuming not everyone in this crowd of followers was pleased over Je