His Name

When you hear the name Jesus, what comes to mind? The people in  Mark 6:14-29 were trying to figure Him out. Some were thinking He had to be a risen John the Baptist because of all those miracles. Others thought maybe He was like one of the prophets of old - maybe even Elijah. Herod just knew He was John  risen again. Evidently his guilt ridden conscience spawned by beheading John was tormenting him. All these people seemed to have been trying to fit Jesus into their experience.

I'm thinking we tend to do that also. And Jesus is so much bigger and wiser and better and surprising. I've begun to notice if something is "too good to be true" it is probably from God. This just tickles me. We serve a great God!

Only Believe

How long had Jairus been waiting? He had fallen at Jesus' feet and "implored him earnestly" to heal His deadly sick little girl. But that bleeding woman had interrupted the trip and taken valuable time. Now in Mark 5:35-6:13  the dreadful message had come: "Your daughter has died; why bother the Teacher anymore?"

Oh, the flood of grief, disappointment - hope lost. But Jesus had overheard them and said, "Do not be afraid any longer, only believe."   What?  Only believe?  Aren't we past the point of......    But, he follows Jesus to the house and has the privilege of witnessing love and power unforgettably demonstrated. What could be more joyous than that resurrection and reunion!

Those words stick with me: "Do not be afraid any longer, only believe." What joy and grace await us as we take them to heart. 

Lord, clean out the fear and other stuff in my heart. I want to only believe.

Hopeless to Healed

It is amazing how quickly we get to know this poor woman in Mark 5:21-34. In the first sentence we find out that she has had a period that has lasted twelve years, the treatments had caused much suffering, and nothing had helped or would help because she had spent all her money.

So there was no hope - except Jesus. And she was so desperate that she would risk breaking the rule of isolation for her condition to touch God Himself. She is immediately healed and knows it. 

Even though she hoped to keep this under cover, Jesus calls out to have the grace-filled lady give an account. She tells all and He says, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

What good news! And Jesus has the same for us as we reach out in faith and touch Him. Thank you, Lord. 

What Great Things!

What a drama in Mark 5:1-20!  As Jesus is getting out of the boat, the fearsome, naked, cutter comes running out, bows down, and begs our Lord to not torment him. A mob of evil is soon cast out of this man into 2,000 pigs. The pigs rush into the sea and drown. The man is left free, sane, clothed. And sits at Jesus feet.

But our Lord gets rejected by his neighbors as they are afraid He will disrupt their economy (they lost a lot of pigs). As Jesus is getting into the boat to leave, He tells the free man to go back home and tell the people "what great things Jesus had done for him". 

As daughters of God who are free in Christ, we get the same opportunity. "The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad." (Psalm 126:2-4) 

Lord, give us opportunity to share these great things. 

Who is This, Anyway?

How easily we forget what the disciples badly needed to learn in today's Mark 4:21-41. When the storm rose and waves tried to swamp their boat, they said, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" Hm......  Sounds like a strange way to talk to Jesus.

The Teacher didn't even answer but got up and hushed the wind and sea. It became perfectly calm. What a "hands on lesson"! The disciples were then not afraid, but "very much afraid". Their response was, "Who is this, anyway? Wind and sea at his beck and call!" (The Message)

Lord, help us to remember who You are!

Strangling Stress

Gardeners know the value of fertile soil. So does Jesus in Mark 3:31-4:20. But you can have the darkest richest soil ever and still fail to harvest. It's that some soils are infected with weed seed and thorns. And before you know it they grow and start choking the crop.
Jesus' careful explanation for us is that the "worries of this age, the seduction of wealth, and the desires for other things" choke out the Good News so it comes to nothing. This list of stranglers makes me uncomfortable.
Lord, free us from this stress that strangles. We want to be those that have a "harvest beyond their wildest dreams." (The Message)

He Knows

Whoa.... It looks like a riot in our reading today (Mark 3:7-29). The crowd is by the sea, and Jesus tells His friends to get a boat ready so He wouldn't get trampled. ("Everyone who had something wrong was pushing and shoving to get near and touch Him" - The Message).  And those with evil spirits were falling down and screaming, "You are the Son of God".  Jesus ended up going up on a mountain to get away and choose His 12 closest workers.

But when Jesus got home, the crowd gathered again, so that "he and his disciples were not even able to eat". The kinfolks heard about all this craziness and came to seize Him saying, "He is out of His mind."

I think Jesus wants us to remember that He knows about trouble and to run to Him in prayer and trust.  We can surely stand firm as we sense His understanding presence.