Being an introvert by nature, I feel much more at ease in one on one or smaller group settings, and my reaction to crowds is, “Get me outta here;” so one of the things that never ceases to amaze me is Jesus’ compassion on the crowds and crowds of people who followed, smothered, touched, clamored for him. In addition, it was a really busy week preparing for the mission night on Tuesday, two back to back CSUEB outreach events on Wed/Thu, Praxis courses on Friday and then RISE on Saturday; I felt wiped out every night. So for me, last week’s devotion text came at a perfect time.
Matthew 14
13When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”
16Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”
Matthew 15
32Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.”
And as I had the opportunity to help make that video about Grandma Bessie and the many forefathers of missions and faith that have gone before me who held nothing back, and then saw the crowds of people pouring in last week, whether at the CSUEB outreach nights (pictured below) where we met over 300 new students, or the 250 excited youth at Pauley Ballroom (sitting in circles above), the picture of the crowds following Jesus came back to me again and again, and Him not sending them away, but rather receiving them, having compassion on them, feeding them, and now inviting me to join him in feeding the multitudes. I thought about how me/us being there to minister to these crowds was made possible by the sacrifices of those people who had gone before us. 
Meeting all the CSUEB and youth students this week, I was hit again with how there are so many who are harassed and helpless, sheep without a shepherd. Many of the students I met on the CSUEB campus were very open to relationships, thanking us for putting on the carnival, telling us we did a really good job. One of them said it’s hard to find clean fun, and though he hopes to have fun and keep it clean, it’s hard on a college campus. And it gave me renewed energy to keep pushing myself, to allow myself no rest, until God’s kingdom comes on earth.
Matthew 16
27For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
Friday’s DT was perfect as well. I thought about how although I am part of a very active church and all around me, people are serving and my leaders and brothers and sisters are giving it all, that one day, I will stand before God alone and God rewards EACH PERSON according to what he has done. Not what my church has put on, not what my peers or leaders or sheep have done, but what I have done before God. What is my service to Him, is it done in secret, connecting things back to Him. To whom much has been given, much will be demanded, and I have been given so much, in terms of blessing, material and spiritual, resources. I committed once again to keep giving it all!
