Distant or close followers
‘But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples’ (Mk. 4:34, NKJV).
Each time Jesus spoke to the crowds, He was never without a parable. But privately, His disciples would later come to Him to ask about the parables. At one time, before explaining what a particular parable meant, He told his disciples: “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables” (Mk. 4:11, NIV).
Something differentiated the crowds from the disciples. The disciples spent more time with Jesus. They had both public and private dealings with Him. Today, Jesus is no longer physically with us, but that does not limit or prevent our access to Him. Going by the way they relate to Jesus, some Christians are like the crowds and God’s words remain like parables to them.
Why is this so? It’s because parables are meant for the crowds who have distant relationship with Jesus. But real understanding and profitable insights are for those who are close to Him and learn from Him privately after hearing from Him publicly. The way to do that is to develop a personal time of studying God’s word with the expectation of learning directly from Him. As long as you are interested in growing, He’s ever ready to help you.
Spending time with the word of God is the secret of true success and prosperity. The Bible says when we learn to meditate on God’s word always, we will make our way prosperous and have good success (Josh. 1:8). God expects our diligence in the study and teaching of His word (II Tim. 2:15). The only way to escape the deception and manipulations of the devil is through the truth, which is God’s word.
The word of God strengthens, encourages and stirs our faith to grow in Christ. This helps us to live a life of Godliness and faith. The word of God has the power to produce spiritual fervency in anyone who regularly and open-heartedly studies and meditates on it. Do you say you are busy and have no time? Well, the truth is you’ve always made time for what you feel is very important to you. I pray, may God help us to be part of His true disciples, and not the crowds. In Jesus name!
Today’s Corporate Prayer: O Lord, give me a deep hunger for your word and fire. In Christ Jesus mighty name!
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Tabitha omobolanle Faleye is a lover of Christ and His works and a copy writer/content developer.
