"The Navigator"

 "(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth." (Hebrews 11:38 KJV)

  "Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die." (Isaiah 57:1-2 NLT)

 As much as I love to read the Bible and learn what Scriptures are saying, I get more excited from discovering what is written between the lines; as it is, it the space between the lines that make us wonder and search for hidden treasures! Much like what I was sharing yesterday, which looked into the reason Jesus went out into a deserted place after John was beheaded. 

 My firm belief is that Jesus was truly God, manifested in flesh; and because He had certain abilities, such as walking on water, vanishing out of sight, turning water into wine, raising the dead, and being a perfect sacrifice for our sins; He also had the ability to know what people would do and even know what they were thinking. When He went into that wilderness, as if to be alone, just as fish were caught in the net when He told the disciple to cast their net to the other side, He caused thousands of people to follow Him out into a deserted place, where no food could be found. 

 I know it isn't written within the story, at least not in ink; but it is truly something I believe He meant to happen! As I was praying about this last night, I envisioned the stoning of Stephen, as he saw Jesus, saying, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!" (Acts 7:56 NLT) As the Bible says, that Jesus would be seated at God's right hand; yet He was standing, not in anguish, but as a Captain admonishing His warrior!

 We must know that this life is temporary; for some, they don't even get a chance to breathe the air that we get to share! But for those of us that believe and follow Christ, death is not really something we fear but is the doorway to Heaven! Jesus might have made it look like He was going away to mourn, but I am 100% certain that He knew for a fact that John was perfectly fine, and that He would be seeing him again, soon enough...

""I have spoken of these matters in figures of speech, but soon I will stop speaking figuratively and I will tell you plainly about the Father. Then you will ask in my name. I'm not saying I will ask the Father on your behalf, for the Father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God. Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and now I will leave the world and return to the Father." Then the disciples said, "At last you are speaking plainly and not figuratively. Now we understand that you know everything, and there's no need to question you. From this we believe that you came from God." Jesus asked, "Do you finally believe? But the time is coming - indeed it's here now - when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."" (John 16:25-33 NLT)