September 6, 2024 Devo

When I read our passage today, I was reminded again of why Jesus took time to get away fairly frequently. Everybody wanted a piece of Him. Then it hit me. That’s ALL that most of them wanted. Just a piece of Him.
The earlier crowd in this chapter wanted Jesus for the food. He had turned a few fish and a couple of loaves of bread into a feast. But the crowd wasn’t done. They wanted more. So they followed after Jesus hoping He would keep the buffet coming. They didn’t care about His teaching. They didn’t care what He had come to do. Just dinner and a magic show were what they were there for. They just wanted a piece of Him.
Now, as Jesus and the disciples arrive back in Gennesaret, there’s another crowd waiting. They were the ones who had seen Him heal. So they wanted more of that. So people gathered from all around the area and spread the word far and wide. Not to come and see the Messiah. Not to come and experience the One who could change their lives. Not to come and discover what it means to become a part of the Kingdom of God. They didn’t want all that. They just wanted to be healed. They just wanted a piece of Jesus.
We still do that. We come to Jesus when there’s a crisis. We come to Jesus when we can’t pay our bills. We come to Jesus when we get bad news from the doctor. We come to Jesus when we have marital problems, kid problems, or emotional problems. We just want our “piece” of Jesus. Then we’ll be on our way.
Jesus has so much more to offer, you know. Redemption. Forgiveness. Guidance. Deliverance. Freedom. A relationship with Almighty God. It’s so sad to me that many people don’t take the opportunity to embrace all that the Son of God came to offer. LIFE. Abundant Life. Eternal Life. A Changed Life. Don’t settle for just a piece of Jesus. He’s come to give you all that He is. That’s God’s Word for you today.