Watch With Him

This first time Ella (oldest Grand) cried when I left her is a clear memory!  Oh, how my heart hurt!  It took all within me to leave.  After countless kisses and hugs and i-love-yous and waves goodbye, Danny assured me she’d be okay.

 

What’s the difference in watching for Jesus and watching with Jesus?  Matthew 26 gives us insight into a tender moment in the life of Jesus: in Gethsemane with three of His closest friends, Jesus “began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here and watch with me.’” (Matthew 26:37-38).  There is much depth to those words, “watch with me,” particularly in the circumstances of our lives.  Eagerly, we watch for the gloriously return of Christ but until that Day, there is much extraordinary to be revealed in the ordinary of life.  We can easily fail to see God’s ongoing work in us because we’re so focused on watching for we do not watch with Him.  God the Sovereign – in control of all things – never wastes an opportunity to mold-shape-grow us through our circumstances.  It could be an illness or financial crisis or broken relationship or troubled marriage or countless other things He would use as opportunities to watch with Jesus to see what He’s doing and how He’s sanctifying (making holy) us.  Now, when MomC leaves Ella’s house, she (joined by Caleb) sits on the steps and watches till taillights disappear.  Oh, there’s still lots of kisses, hugs, waves, and I-love-you’s, but she’s experiencing the leave, watching with me as I leave.  She finds comfort in that.  Surely, we must continue to watch for Christ’s return with joyous anticipation but let us never neglect to watch with Him as He works mightily and sovereignly in our lives.