Take It (Them) to Jesus in Prayer

 

Take It (Them) to Jesus in Prayer (Mark 1:29-34)

“Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning up with fever. They told Jesus about her… The people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed…” (Mark 1:30, 32)

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Every moment I walk with Jesus, he amazes me. This man is tireless. I mean, he never stops working. We went to Simon’s house for dinner, but Jesus wouldn’t eat until he had healed Peter’s sick mother-in-law. Then after dinner, Jesus didn’t relax and unwind, because there were hoards of people at the door looking for him. They brought sick and demon-afflicted loved ones to him, in the hopes that he would heal them. I watched Jesus in the hours that the moon arced through the night sky; as long as there was someone who had need, Jesus would not turn them away. He kept at it, until he had healed the last person and cast out the last demon.

I was deeply moved, not only by Jesus’ compassion, but also by the loving concern of all the people who brought their friends to Jesus for healing. The first thing Simon and Andrew did when they got to the house for dinner was to tell Jesus about Simon’s mother-in-law. Her sickness had consigned her to bed, and the household was very concerned about her. So they told Jesus. Then the scores of people who showed up throughout the night – I could see in their faces the deep love they had for the ones they brought to Jesus for healing, and the desperate hope that Jesus could do something.

I’ve only been walking with Jesus for a short while now, but already I’ve seen enough to know that Jesus has compassion for those who suffer. He also has the power and authority to act upon his compassion. That’s the winning combination – compassion, as well as the power to do something about it. I mean, a lot of people have compassion. I have compassion for people who suffer, but I a lot of the time I can’t do anything to help alleviate the suffering. I wish I could.

But Jesus has both compassion and power, and that is the key.

As I walk with Jesus, I realize that even when I can’t alleviate all of the suffering I see, I can bring those who suffer to Jesus. I can pray for them, bringing them to Jesus, and entrusting them into his loving care.

Now, I’m not musically inclined, but in my mind, there is a song in this. Maybe long into the future someone will put this thought to music:

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Just a thought… ;-) 

Dear Lord, I am so grateful that you care. You really care. Even more, I am grateful that you use your power to act upon your care. Let me never forget that one of the most loving things I can do for those who suffer is to bring them to you in prayer. Amen.

Awesome -- And Sometimes Disturbing -- Authority

 

Awesome, Disturbing Authority (Mark 1:21-28)

“What’s going on here? A new teaching that does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic spirits and tells them to get lost!”  (Mark 1:27)

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There’s something different about Jesus. As I walk with Jesus, I am pretty sure I am going to find myself saying that more and more: There’s something different about Jesus. 

Jesus went to Capernaum, a town along the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. On the Sabbath, Jesus went to the local synagogue, where he had an opportunity to teach. I remember thinking to myself, “Wow! Jesus speaks, and people listen – really listen.” There is a unique air of authenticity about Jesus. He speaks truth in a manner like no others I have ever heard. I’m not the only one who is impressed by Jesus, because there is a buzz going through the whole synagogue about him: “He’s so forthright and confident. He doesn’t need to quote his sources like our regular Sabbath school teachers.”

And then it happened out of the blue – a strange and disturbing spirit overtook a man in the synagogue, and the spirit yelled out at Jesus in a violently intimidating and fearful way. “Why are you shaking up our world, Jesus? Are you trying to get rid of us?” Jesus shut the disturbing spirit down immediately. “Be quiet!,” he said, “Leave that man right now!” And with great shaking, convulsing, and screaming, the spirit left the man.

As I said before, there’s something different about Jesus.

Later in the day, while I was walking with Jesus, I thought about what I had seen and heard. I was in awe and wonder as he spoke in the synagogue. Every word captivated me. It made me want to hear more from him. Jesus speaks truth that warms my heart. When Jesus speaks, I feel like God is speaking to me.

I have to admit, though, that something inside me also wrestles with what I hear from Jesus. His truth doesn’t just warm my heart – it also convicts me. Not only am I drawn to Jesus mysteriously and wondrously, but there is something within me that makes me want to turn away, to hide myself from him. The truth that Jesus conveys by his teaching and his mere presence shines light on parts of me that prefer to stay in the darkness. There are places in my heart that are not terribly unlike the disturbing spirit of the man in the synagogue, places that make me groan, “Why are you shaking up my life, Jesus?”

If you’re going to walk with Jesus, be warned: Jesus will lay bare some things in your life that you don’t want to deal with. But I hope that you will come to the same conclusion that I have made, namely, that those things that Jesus lays bare are things that need to be removed from our hearts. There will be moments of internal struggle in our walk with Jesus, but in the end, it is worth it. Because like no one else ever has or ever will, Jesus will deal with all the disturbing spirits that haunt us.

When we walk with Jesus, he will remove the things that burden us and weigh us down, so that we may walk more freely.

Lord Jesus, I am filled with awe and wonder when I hear you speak. But there are parts of me that are fearful of your presence. Give me courage, I pray, to let you confront the darkness within me. I know that when I let you do that, I will be able to walk with you in freedom and peace. Amen.

Act on This Glorious News!

 

Act on this glorious news! (Mark 1:14-20)

“God’s Kingdom is near! Turn from your sins and act on this glorious news!” (Mark 1:15)

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I am walking with Jesus in Galilee as he shares his Good News with everyone he meets. To every man, woman, and child, in town squares, at open-air markets, along the side of the road – to everyone everywhere – Jesus is an itinerant preacher with a message to proclaim: “God’s Kingdom is near! Turn from your sins and act on this glorious news!”

With the message, Jesus also offers an invitation. “Follow me,” he said to Peter, Andrew, James, and John. “Come with me.” And you know what? That’s exactly what they did! They dropped everything and went with Jesus. 

Early on in this walk with Jesus, I am learning that he demands a response from everyone who encounters him. Every encounter with Jesus is a moment of decision. How will people respond to Jesus when they meet him? How will they respond to him when they hear him?

How do I respond to Jesus when I hear him?

The Good News, I am learning as I walk with Jesus, is not simply meant for us to discuss as a matter of curiosity or a current event. The Good News demands a response from all who hear it. To be more precise, the One who conveys, announces, proclaims the Good News – indeed, the One who is the embodiment of the Good News – demands a response from us.

When I think about Jesus’ call to turn from our sins, his call to change the direction of our lives; and when I think about Jesus’ invitation to follow him, to walk with him, then I realize that what he is asking of us is for us to devote ourselves fully to him. I mean, look: those four fishermen just dropped everything and left it all behind – even their families.

Walking with Jesus means that no other loyalty can supersede loyalty to Jesus. It means saying “Yes” to him before we even know what is going to happen. It means committing ourselves to Jesus with the realization that he, and not us, is the one who will determine our future and how the rest of our lives will play out. We don’t know where the road we walk with Jesus will take us, but we do know that he will be with us every step of the way. And that, I think, should be enough. It is enough.

“Act on this glorious news,” Jesus says to you and to me. “Follow me. Come with me. Walk with me.”

I have decided to follow you, Jesus. I have decided to walk with you, Jesus. 

No turning back, no turning back.

Walking in the Wilderness

 

Walking in the Wilderness (Mark 1:12-13)

“At once the Spirit made him go into the desert, where he stayed forty days, being tempted by Satan. Wild animals were there also, but angels came and helped him.” (Mark 1:12-13)

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“That’s it, then. I’m going to walk with Jesus, and see where this takes me.” That’s what I said when I heard the voice of God speak to Jesus at his baptism. Little did I know that walking with Jesus would take me deep into the wilderness. For forty days, no less.

The wilderness is a place of desolation. It’s not a place we willingly seek out. Even Jesus was compelled by the Spirit – he was urged, pushed, sent by the Spirit. In the wilderness we have to fight for our survival. In the wilderness we have to spend all of our time and energy looking for that which will sustain us and protect us and provide for us.

It was in the wilderness that Jesus had to choose whom he would trust to sustain him, to protect him, and to provide for him. Would he trust God, or would he trust Satan? Jesus chose to trust God – the One who had spoken to him so tenderly and encouragingly: “You are my beloved Son. With you, I am well pleased.”

But as I walk with Jesus through the wilderness, I discover that trusting God still does not make us immune against the wiles of the Tempter. Even when I trust God, maybe especially when I choose to trust God, the Tempter sneaks into my mind and makes me wonder if maybe there is a better way to have what I need and what I want. The Tempter makes me question my commitment to God: “Is it really wise to put all your eggs in one basket? You have other options, you know. I, too, can give you what you need. I, too, can take care of you. I, too, can even give you glory and power beyond your wildest imagination!”

But walking with Jesus in the wilderness teaches me to say “No” to Satan and to all the temptations Satan throws at me. I, like Jesus, can say “No” to Satan because I know that I cannot live apart from the word of God. I, like Jesus, don’t need to make God prove that God will protect me from danger; I simply trust that the One who declares his fatherly love to me will always be with me, even in times of danger and trouble. I, like Jesus, do not need to seek glory for myself – in fact, I must not seek glory for myself – because who else deserves all glory, honor, majesty, dominion and power but God?

I don’t love the wilderness. I don’t go out looking for trouble and temptation. But neither do I fear the wilderness. At least, not when I am walking with Jesus.

Dear Lord, I pray that the wilderness seasons in my life with strengthen my walk with you. Help me to remember that it is You who sustains me and gives me that which I need for life. Amen.

You Are My Beloved Son, You Are My Delight

 

You Are My Beloved Son, You Are My Delight (Mark 1:4-11)

“Then one day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and was baptized by John there in the Jordan River. The moment Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens open and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending on him, and a voice from heaven said, “You are my beloved Son; you are my Delight.” (Mark 1:9-11)

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I find myself among the throngs of people who have come to see this man, John -- the one they call the Baptizer. Everybody says he’s the Next Big Thing, maybe even the one for whom the world has been longing. 

We are all longing for something, aren’t we? We are longing for meaning and purpose in life. We are longing for acceptance. We are longing to be part of something great.

Deep down, even if we can’t put our finger on it or don’t want to admit it, we are longing for God. 

How can I satisfy these deep longings of my soul? Where can I turn? Who will give to me that which my soul truly desires? I look for love in my marriage and family; and as beautiful and wonderful as they are, still there is more that my heart wants. I pour myself into my work; and as much as I love what I do, still it’s not enough to satisfy my restless soul. I ride the waves of people who lead our nation and who promise to set things right; but, alas, they have only let me down time and again. And again.

How can I satisfy the deep longings my my soul? Where can I turn? Who will give to me that which my soul truly desires?

Then I see him. Jesus, that is his name. He, too, was among the masses of people who came to John to be baptized. Only, his baptism was different. Heaven opened up for Jesus, literally. And I heard it – the voice of God speaking to this man, Jesus! “You are my beloved Son; you are my Delight.”

Oh, how I long to hear that spoken of me! Oh, how I long to bask in the love and delight of my heavenly Father! Oh, how I long to know that I am a beloved child of God!

If I want what Jesus has, maybe I should follow him. If I want to know the unconditional favor of God, maybe Jesus will show it to me. Maybe, if I walk with Jesus, my restless heart will finally find that which gives it the rest it seeks.

That’s it, then. I’m going to walk with Jesus and see where this takes me.

As I walk with you, Jesus, let me never forget that my true identity is that of a child of God, dearly loved.

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During the season of Lent, I am "walking with Jesus" through the Gospel According to Mark. Feel free to join me on this walk, so together we can discover what it is like to witness Jesus' miracles, to experience his powerful and compassionate presence, to watch as he confronts those who distort the ways of God, and to learn what it is to follow him, to walk with him, to believe in him. You can come back to this blog every day, or if you would like to have these daily reflections sent directly to you, you may enter your email address in the box at the top right side of this page.

I'm Ready for Some Good News

 I’m Ready for Some Good News (Mark 1:1-8)

“This is the Good News about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mark 1:1)

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I’m ready for some good news. Tell me some good news, O God.

Everywhere I turn, I only see what's wrong with the world. I see an unclean spirit, and I do not like it: I see a world that pursues happiness in ways that only result in emptiness and discontent; I see cutthroat, me-first behavior; I see fits of rage; I see a world indifferent to the plight of the poor, the oppressed, those who are cast out to the margins; I see a spirit and an attitude that dehumanizes people who are different, who are on the other side of some arbitrary lines that we draw. 

Even within myself, I am shocked at what I see, for many of these same ways of the world that leave me aghast – I know that I, too, have something of that bad spirit within me.

I’m ready for some good news. Tell me some good news, O God.

I hear you speaking to me: “My child, the good news that you want – it begins and ends with my Son, Jesus. Jesus is the One in whom you will find the good news that you seek. Jesus is the One who will replace the unclean spirit that so bedevils you, with a spirit that will issue in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Jesus is the One who will transform your spirit and who will transform the spirit of the whole world.

“But if you want to walk with Jesus, you have to get ready for him. You have to prepare your heart, because the journey with Jesus requires you to devote your entire self to him. You have to turn away from this old way of life which leaves you so empty, and turn toward Jesus with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And you will receive forgiveness and renewal in return. Are you willing to do that?”

Yes, Lord, I want to walk with Jesus. Because I’m ready for some good news.

Dear God, I need some good news. Direct my heart, today and every day, to look to your Son, who is Good News for all the world. Amen.

Take a Walk with Me, Will You?

 
Take a Walk with Me, Will You?

Well, it’s that time of year again. You know, that time when I look at the forty days ahead of me and I say to myself, “I can write a devotion every day. No problem.” Then, about 20-25 days into it, I say to myself, “Yikes! What have I gotten myself into?” 

Yes, it’s the Christian season of Lent, forty days of reflection, prayer, meditation leading up to the observance of Good Friday and the celebration of Easter. Here is an invitation to observe Lent taken from the Book of Common Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.):

Friends in Christ,

every year at the time of the Christian Passover

we celebrate our redemption

through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lent is a time to prepare for this celebration

and to renew our life in the paschal mystery.

We begin this holy season

by acknowledging our need for repentance,

and for the mercy and forgiveness

proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We begin our journey to Easter with the sign of ashes.

This ancient sign speaks of the frailty and uncertainty of human life,

and marks the penitence of this community.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of Christ,

to observe a holy Lent

by self-examination and penitence,

by prayer and fasting,

by works of love,

and by reading and meditating on the Word of God…

This year, like some years in the past, I plan to take extra time to meditate on Scripture and to write a reflection. Though the reflection really is something between God and me, I am happy to share it with you in this space.

A few weeks ago, I felt a tug simply to spend time with Jesus during Lent. And so I am going to spend the next forty days (not including Sundays) meditating on the life of Jesus as described for us in the Gospel According to Mark. I am going to imagine myself as a contemporary of the people of Jesus’ day. What must it have been like to see Jesus arrive on the scene, or to witness his miracles, or to see him confront people who distorted the ways of God, or to hear him teach? 

The basic theme of these reflections is, “Walking with Jesus,” because that is what I want to do – not only through the season of Lent, but through every day of every season of life: I want to walk with Jesus.

Consider this an invitation for you to take a walk with me through the pages of the Gospel According to Mark. I hope you will find this journey to be a fruitful one.

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