John 6:24 (ESV)

So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus.

Do you ever feel like taking a nap after a big meal? I tend to sleep really well after our Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas meal…once the gluttonous pain wears off, that is. After a long day of teaching followed by a miraculous and bountiful meal, the masses drifted off to sleep, only to find Jesus and his disciples missing the next morning. If you had been there, would you have gone looking for him, too? I think I would have. After all, he obviously had amazing powers and was a gifted speaker/teacher. What would he do and say next?

Why do you seek after Jesus?

I remember the first time I went on a foreign mission trip. It didn’t even seem like a 9-day trip to Kenya was possible, given the fact that I had a small business to run with no additional full-time help, not to mention my wife and three small children. I was growing in my faith and had gotten to the point where I was willing to throw caution to the wind and leave my four house painting crews in the hands of my main sub-contractor. “I’m pretty sure God can run my business better than I can,” I boasted. And while there were a few fires to put out upon my return, for the most part, everything had gone well.

I went on that mission trip because I felt the LORD had called me there, but I had another friend who went on a subsequent trip, hoping that God would repair his struggling business while he was gone. He didn’t. And while I’m sure my friend had other reasons for going, it made me question my own motivations when it came to following Jesus.

Was I seeking to serve Him…or just hoping that He would bless me?

A few years later I was one of the main leaders that brought a 3-night Greg Laurie Harvest Crusade to our area back in the summer of 2007. I was excited to have an amazing evangelist come preach the Gospel to over 42,000 people who attended over those three nights…but I also enjoyed all the attention I was getting, as well. Was my main concern for the lost, or for my own glory? I believe it was the former, but the latter was still a reality and I ponder that from time to time when it comes to my motivations today. The crowd back then was a mixed bag. Some were searching for the Messiah while others were just looking for another miracle. We all need to consider which group we would have belonged to back then…and which group we belong to today.