Ministry training with Jesus was unpredictable.  After much observing, the disciples had been sent out in twos to preach, heal and cast out demons under the authority of Jesus (Luke 9:1-6).  On their return they had much to report to the Lord, and to share with the others.  So, He took them away from the crowds of Capernaum to the relative quietness of Bethsaida (near where the River Jordan enters the Sea of Galilee).  But word spread, and soon the people were trekking round the lake or following by sea to find Jesus.  The holiday was over, the time of retreat disappeared, and the period of reflection had been overtaken by yet more ministry.

The location of Bethsaida was home territory for Peter, Andrew and Philip (John 1:44).  They had grown up there, learned to fish from those shores in their fathers’ boats.  But the presence of Jesus changed everything.  Shortly after, Jesus fed five thousand people (Luke 9:12-17) and healed a blind man (Mark 8:22-26).  And yet Bethsaida was condemned by Jesus as having no faith (Luke 10:13-15).  Shortly after the miraculous banquet of fish and bread, the disciples also demonstrated they had no faith when their boat got caught in a storm (Matthew 14:22-33).  Jesus does not measure faith by observing or participating in religious activity, but by trusting Him.

Their tiredness, excitement and tales of spiritual encounters had to be put to one side to welcome more people seeking Jesus, and to explain how they also could enter His Kingdom.  The needy clustered around Jesus, expecting that He would heal them, and He did (Luke 4:40).  The disciples were back to their role of helpers and observers, as though the previous few weeks had never happened.  But this was also ministry training.  In the years ahead, they would endure much personal difficulty in sharing the gospel, with a programme and timetable outside their control (John 21:18-19).

The Christian life is 24/7.  And our availability to work for Jesus should be the same.  But in many parts of the world, the 'professionalism' of pastors may have misled those whose working life is 'outside the church' into thinking that serving Jesus is a spare time (‘if I have got time’) leisure activity.  Not so!  Jesus has the right to call on any of His people, at any time and in any place, to work with Him.  Indeed, there should be a real expectation that He will do so (Colossians 3:23).  A useful guide is: wherever you meet people, God may want to be at work through you.  And when there is nobody else around, God wants to work in you through prayer and the scriptures.  Instead of resenting the responsibility, every believer needs to keep re-learning that they are here to work with Him at His command.  And with every Godsent task, there is a God-given supply of power, love and grace.  If you are ready and willing for God to use you, He will!