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Category Archives: Mark

Peter & John — Mark 9:38-50

05 Oct
John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he wasn’t in our group.” “Don’t stop him!” Jesus said. “No one who performs a miracle in my name will soon be able to speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us. If anyone gives you even a cup of water because you belong to the Messiah, I tell you the truth, that person will surely be rewarded. “But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone hung around your neck. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one hand than to go into the unquenchable fires of hell with two hands. If your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It’s better to enter eternal life with only one foot than to be thrown into hell with two feet. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. It’s better to enter the Kingdom of God with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’ “For everyone will be tested with fire. Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.”
Mark 9:38-43,45,47-50
Dear God, after going through Matthew and now a good part of Mark, this is one of the few quotes we get from John. I can’t tell what he was doing at the beginning of this story. Was he bragging that they had done this? Was he curious to know if they had done the right thing? Was this a passive/aggressive way of disagreeing with what had been done and hoping to get Jesus’ message out to the rest of the disciples?
Since this is a retelling of the story, I’m going to assume that, if the author had felt John was being disingenuous in any way that he would have given us John’s thoughts as well as his words. But Mark didn’t do that, so I’m going to assume that John was trying to please Jesus with this statement, but it backfired on him.
The big lesson, I think, for all of us here is that there are people out there who are our friends and we treat them like our enemies. The obvious example is bickering between Christian denominations. But then it goes deeper than that. People within churches willingly turn on each other for superficial reasons. Families will sometimes turn on each other. It’s almost as if we look for differences so that we can assuage our insecurity and promote our superiority to others. “I’m holier than you.” “I’m smarter than you.” “I’m a better person than you.” Yeah, that makes us feel better.
One last thing I want to mention is the logic Jesus used for not rebuking the person. He says that the person won’t be able to say bad things about Jesus if he is doing good and powerful things in Jesus’ name. He can’t cast out a demon in Jesus’ name on Tuesday and then on Wednesday say that Jesus is a fraud. And the subtle lesson to the disciples is also that there will come a day when they need to expand beyond the 12 of them, and they will need to embrace people like this man.
Father, help me to embrace all those who are co-servants of yours with me. Sometimes my Protestant friends question my ability to attend Catholic Church with my wife because some of their traditions and beliefs are so different. My response is always that, on the important things such as Jesus deity, death, and resurrection, they agree, and the things we disagree on are completely insignificant. Additionally, the people with whom I worship there really love you and love Jesus. I have no issues at all with their faith or devotion to you. So, yes, I will gladly join my wife and worship you there with them. Help me to readily extend that to others as well and to not feel I have to judge someone else in order to feel better about myself.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen
 
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Posted by on October 5, 2018 in Mark, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — Mark 9:30-37

04 Oct
Leaving that region, they traveled through Galilee. Jesus didn’t want anyone to know he was there, for he wanted to spend more time with his disciples and teach them. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies. He will be killed, but three days later he will rise from the dead.” They didn’t understand what he was saying, however, and they were afraid to ask him what he meant. After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” Then he put a little child among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not only me but also my Father who sent me.”
Mark 9:30-37
Dear God, I wonder what that conversation on the road was like. I would love to have overheard it. It’s easiest for us to sit here 2,000 years later and judge them for their arrogance and hubris because we know what their path held. We know that all of them (including Judas) would die ugly deaths except for John. We know the hardships and persecutions. We know that there will be no earthly glory for them in their lifetimes. They were such fools!
At least, that’s what we think with our perfect hindsight vision. But are we any different? This series that I am doing is about Peter and John and how they compared and contrasted with each other, but in this case they were probably on the same page. I am certain that Christians today are on the same page, and I am no exception. I want to be important. I want to have influence. I’m not looking for people to judge and rule over, but I do want people to hold me in high regard. My arrogance pushes me towards wanting to be a person of influence.
At the end of the day, if I really stop and think about it, the reason I want this influence and respect is because I want to ensure my earthly comfort. In the disciples’ case I think they wanted to feel ruling power and know that they would have fewer earthly struggles (the opposite turned out to be true). In my case, I want to use my personality to provide for my wife and me so that we will have as few of struggles as possible. My altruism is even tinged and tainted by my selfishness. I think the same is true of many of us if we think about it. We want to be great in your kingdom, and we want that greatness to pay off in some way while we are here on earth.
Father, Jesus didn’t say in this passage the I have to become like a little child (he says that in other places). No, in this case, he says that I must welcome the little child. In welcoming a little child, I am giving myself for someone who has nothing to offer that will change my physical station in life. As I read this passage this morning, I don’t think this passage is as much about specifically welcoming children as much as it is about welcoming and loving those who have nothing to offer you in return in terms of prestige and power. Loving these types of people in such a completely selfless way is how we welcome you into our hearts.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen
 
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Posted by on October 4, 2018 in Mark, Peter and John

 

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Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy – Part 3

03 Oct
When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him. “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked. One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” Jesus said to them,  “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!” Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”
Mark 9:14-29
Dear God, I wonder what the argument was about. This story starts with Jesus coming upon a large argument between the disciples and “the teachers of the religious law.” Were the teachers goading the disciples for their impotence? Were the disciples embarrassed that they couldn’t do something they had done before?
It ties together with their question of Jesus as the end: “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” They completely disappear in this story from the beginning to the end. It’s all Jesus, the father, and the boy between the stern words from Jesus about being exasperated by them and his answer to their question at the end. And his answer is fairly simple: “This kind can only be cast out by prayer [and fasting].” And its not a prayer that is done in the moment—at least in this case. No, I think part of the lesson here is that they need to be prayed up before they get into the situation. They need to be ready at any moment.
Too often, I find myself flat footed and not ready when a challenging situation presents itself to me. Perhaps I’m not prayed up enough. Yes, I do these prayer journals around lessons you teach me in scripture, but am I spending enough time really connecting my soul to you? The answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no. But I don’t think my current system would ever have me prepared to confront the kind of situation set before the disciples that day.
Father, I want to just take this moment to submit my heart to you. I give you my love and my worship. I thank you for who you are. I told a friend recently that I am hesitant to say that I have felt particularly blessed by you over the last few months when several good things have happened to me because I believe that you can be just as present and be giving just as many blessings during bad times too. I don’t need to see good things in my life to believe you are with me and I don’t need to interpret bad things as a sign that you are gone or that I am particularly wrong or sinful. Life is life, and you will use the bad and the good to teach and mold me into who you are. So I submit myself to that process, and I prayer is that you will make me ready when I come across a situation that will require that I have been in close, prayerful relationship with you.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen
 
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Posted by on October 3, 2018 in Mark

 

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy – Part 2

02 Oct
When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him. “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked. One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” Jesus said to them,  “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!” Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”
Mark 9:14-29
Dear God, parenting is so much harder than it looks. I wanted so badly to be good at it. And I thought I would be, but it revealed so many character flaws within me. I look at the dad in this story, and I just love him. He is scared. He is desperate. He is tired. He is helpless. And without Jesus, he is hopeless.
I’ve been there. Not to the extent of this father, but I’ve been there. Oh my gosh, trying to love your child through the hardships of growing up is gut wrenching.
I have had several friends who have been through all sorts of parental trials over the last several months. I’ve wept for those who have lost their children to suicide. I’ve tried to be a listening hear for those who are experiencing poor relationships and are concerned about their children’s life decisions. I’ve prayed for those whose children are facing hardships that are not of their own making. I’ve also prayed for and tried to reach out to children who are experiencing the pain of divorce. The pain of all of this is overwhelming. My experience as a parent makes this story one of my favorite.
Father, I have used the line, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief,” so many times. I should probably have it made into a sign and put on my office wall. Why? Because I confess that my faith is still not as big as a mustard seed. I pray for things, but I’m still often shocked when you say yes and answer the prayers. But I come to you today for my children and for the children of others. I come to you for those of us who are the parents as well. Help us to know how to pray for our children. Help us to know how to love them. Help us to not get in the way of your plans for them by short circuiting what you are trying to do in their lives by helping too much. And help us to not err on the other side and help too little. Love through us. Love richly. Love in the way that you would want them to see the love that comes from you.
I pray all of this in Jesus’ name,
Amen
 
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Posted by on October 2, 2018 in Mark

 

Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Boy – Part 1

01 Oct

When they returned to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd surrounding them, and some teachers of religious law were arguing with them. When the crowd saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with awe, and they ran to greet him. “What is all this arguing about?” Jesus asked. One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast out the evil spirit, but they couldn’t do it.” Jesus said to them, “You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.” So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!” Then the spirit screamed and threw the boy into another violent convulsion and left him. The boy appeared to be dead. A murmur ran through the crowd as people said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up. Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?” Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”

Mark 9:14-29

Dear God, there is so much going on in this story. I should probably break it down into chunks and journal through it over several days.

I guess I’ll start today with Jesus’ response after the transfiguration. He’s on the road to Jerusalem. He’s scared of what’s to come and doesn’t want to go through it. He has this amazing, affirming experience on the mountain with you, Elijah and Moses, and then he returns to find a mess.

“You faithless people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”

He’s not talking to the crowd here. I think he’s talking to the disciples. It’s almost like he’s saying, “How could you guys not handle this while I was gone? I’m just ready to get this over with.

I guess I can approach this from two directions. First, I’ve certainly had times when I had an amazing mountaintop experience with you and then slapped with reality when I get home. I think some of it is spiritual warfare (which, in this case, it literally involves a demon). I also think some of it is just my mind getting adjusted back to the valley. What will it be like to not have to return to the valley again one day?

Then there is the angle of how you look at me. How often do you say, “You faithless person. How long must I put up with you?”

Father, I know I let you down and I’m sorry. I know that I miss opportunities. I know that I don’t do everything you need me to do from a service standpoint and a ministering to others standpoint. Thank you for your grace. Thank you for your patience. Thank you that your plan is John-proof and that you knew my failings and allowed for them, even before I was born. But don’t let that be my excuse. I want to do better, and it starts with today. Help me to see the opportunities you have for me and to embrace them with your strength and the faith and power that comes from my prayers to you.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on October 1, 2018 in Mark

 

Peter & John — Mark 9:2-8

30 Sep

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them. Then Elijah and Moses appeared and began talking with Jesus. Peter exclaimed, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials —one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He said this because he didn’t really know what else to say, for they were all terrified. Then a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, when they looked around, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus with them.

Mark 9:2-8

Dear God, as I try to compare the differences between Peter and John, as I can discern them from the New Testament, I notice in this passage that “they were all terrified,” and yet Peter was the one to speak. In this case, we aren’t told if they were part of the conversation or were observing them from a distance, but in the moment Peter broke and just could sit with his fear.

I’m a subscriber to the Mark Twain saying, “Better to remain silent and appear foolish than to open your mouth and remove all doubt,” but I can still tend to talk too much in a group setting. I can also talk too much in a one-on-one conversation. My listening skills can be very poor. I really admire my wife’s listening skills. People feel comfortable with her and they are able to open up to her. She will allow for silent moments. She will ask a question and wait for the answer. She will draw people out and make them feel heard. Had she been there with Jesus that day, I am sure she would have been terrified, but also taking it all in, learning, and trying to figure out what it means.

Father, I give you my thanks for giving me such a great friend in my wife. I worship you in this silent moment. Help me to hear you today. Help me to be a great listener for those we will see today. Make me better than I am for the sake of your kingdom and others.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 30, 2018 in Mark, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — Mark 8:27-32

29 Sep

27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

28 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”

29 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”

30 But Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.

31 Then Jesus began to tell them that the Son of Man must suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but three days later he would rise from the dead. 32 As he talked about this openly with his disciples, Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things.

33 Jesus turned around and looked at his disciples, then reprimanded Peter. “Get away from me, Satan!” he said. “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

 

Dear God, the telling of this story is almost verbatim from Matthew’s telling (Matthew 16:13-28). We often get similar stories told similarly, but this one really hit the radar because it is strikingly similar.

It’s always a good lesson to learn: “You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” I journaled about this a couple of weeks ago, but it’s still a good message for me today. Everything I see is usually from my point of view. I rarely try to stop and look at things from your point of view. I can see you move is certain situations. I can look back on the last three months as some of the most blessed with good things (from my “human point of view”) as I’ve ever experienced. But what if these last three months weren’t the most blessed from your point of view? What if the hellacious year of 2013 was the year when you were really working?

My wife and I are about to have some time off together. We need this. We need to get in the boat and go to the other side of the lake—to another village. To a secluded place. I think this is one of the concepts upon which my heart needs to meditate. How can I get myself to start seeing the world—even tragedies and hardships—from your point of view? 

Father, I’m here to offer myself to you. Be glorified through me. Thank you for everything. Really. Thank you. Thank you for what you’ve been doing lately and what you continue to do. And I don’t want to be insensitive to those around me. I know some who have been through big life transitions over the last few months. Some have been hard transitions for them. I’m so sorry for them. Please strongly support and help them. Love them. Encourage them. Provide for them. Give them rest. Help them to see all of this from your point of view. Be on the move in their lives. 

In Jesus’ name I pray, 

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 29, 2018 in Mark, Peter and John

 

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Mark 8:14-21

28 Sep

But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat. As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.” At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in? ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’ Don’t you remember anything at all? When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?” “Twelve,” they said. “And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?” “Seven,” they said. “Don’t you understand yet?” he asked them.

Mark 8:14-21

Dear God, these poor guys. I’ve said before that I’m not sure I would have liked hanging out with Jesus because I know I’m as slow on the uptake as they are, if not slower. The questions he sometimes asked them were hard because he was ripping apart paradigms. “Don’t you understand yet?” No. No, I don’t.

There is still so much I don’t understand. I don’t understand my children and how to parent them at this stage of their lives. I don’t understand everything I’m supposed to do at work. I don’t know how to help family members. I’m sure I must exasperate you. I suppose if I have anything going for me it’s the fact that I am at least able to confess these weaknesses to you and seek you presence (at least sometimes).

Father, I have a lot to do today, and I need your wisdom to know how to do it well. Be glorified in my thoughts and words. Be glorified in my actions. You have ordained my steps. Help me to walk in your ordained path.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 28, 2018 in Mark

 

Peter & John — Mark 6:45-52

27 Sep

Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. They were all terrified when they saw him. But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

Mark 6:45-52

Dear God, it’s this last sentence that stopped me here today. It gives us some insight not into Jesus, but into what it was like to be with him through this experience. From the story right before this about the feeding miracle, we learned they were tired. Now, even though they went out in pairs and did all of these miraculous things, their fatigue was hardening them.

This is a fascinating time for me because I’m as tired at work as I’ve ever been. I have two more days to go before my vacation starts, but I can see how my responses to people are a little different over the last couple of days than they normally are. Examples:

  • I snapped at a volunteer Tuesday afternoon in a manner that I never would have otherwise.
  • I had an office manager from a medical specialist to who our clinic sends referrals call to complain about the behavior of a patient. This patient had offended me earlier in the week, so I called the patient and tersely laid down the law in a way I normally don’t.
  • I have a colleague who can sometimes be abrasive who came at me with some unwelcome suggestions, and I didn’t handle them or her nearly as well as I should have.
  • I had to be blunt with a dear, honorable, well-intentioned man who is doing something that needed to be stopped. I think I handled that as well as I could, but I still know I wasn’t at my best in my interactions with him.

And these are just the examples I’m aware of. I’m sure my heart has hardened in many way I cannot see. In fact, I had an employee come and ask if I was mad at them because of something I had said and the way I said it. So yeah, my heart is hard.

Father, I have two more days ahead of me that require the best out of me, and the only way for me to deliver it is to let go. I’ve got to stop trying to get all of the work ahead of me done in my power, but trust that you, working through me, will accomplish your will. I’m sorry for my fussiness. Please forgive my failure to rest in you and for trying to hit the finish line with my own strength. Help me to do better today.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 27, 2018 in Mark, Peter and John

 

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Peter & John — Mark 6:30-39

26 Sep

The apostles *gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. And He *said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves. The people saw them going, and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities, and got there ahead of them. When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. When it was already quite late, His disciples came to Him and said, “ This place is desolate and it is already quite late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they *said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat?” And He *said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look!” And when they found out, they *said, “Five, and two fish.” And He commanded them all to sit down by groups on the green grass.

Mark 6:30-39

Dear God, I remember journaling on this story years ago when it occurred to me that the disciples were exhausted, Jesus was trying to give them some rest, but when the crowds didn’t let them Jesus withdrew the rest. It was time to press on through their fatigue and meet a human need in a supernatural way.

Father, I’m pretty tired right now. Yesterday was stressful and I have three more days of hard work before my vacation starts this weekend. Help me to look to you to do the work you have for me to do, and not to feel sorry for myself. In the midst of the great things you’ve done lately that I’ve been witnessing, help me to see and fall into your glory. Don’t let my selfishness cause me to miss the opportunity to be part of how you would have me to love others.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen

 
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Posted by on September 26, 2018 in Mark, Peter and John

 
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