Mark gives a lot of snapshots of what Jesus did. This daily devotional looks at some of the various things we can learn from those snapshots.
I’ve told you that Pastor Steve and I are doing a read-the-Bible-through program together. Here are some more of comments on Mark that I’ve posted on what I’ve read.
Why We Patiently Wait
“While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?’” (Mk. 5: 35 ESV)
Jairus was patient. When the woman touched the hem of Jesus’ garment and was healed, Jairus didn’t say a word.
This passage is all about Jesus healing people. At times, we want Jesus to focus on us. Yes, someone else needs and deserves to be healed just as much as we do.
But we can get so selfish. We want the healing NOW!
Jesus can multitask. He can juggle His blessings because it really isn’t juggling.
It is Jesus loving us.
May we be like Jairus and patiently wait for Jesus to do His work.
Father God. Help us to love others more than ourselves. May we see them as You see them. Amen.
Learning from the Past
“And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (Mk. 6:51-52 ESV)
We all know this story. Jesus came to the disciples, walking on the water. Mark doesn’t mention that Peter jumped ship and sank, but he did get Jesus to the boat. The wind calmed down.
They were amazed, but they had trouble understanding about the loaves.
Wait! What? Where did the loaves come into the picture?
Remember, back in Mark 6:30-44, Jesus fed the 5,000.
That didn’t really get the disciples to understand how powerful Jesus is. So, now when He calms the wind, they were still perplexed.
We have trouble connecting the dots, too, sometimes. I don’t know if it is because we don’t see the connections, or we just don’t see.
This is probably why God tells us to not lean on our own understanding (Prov. 3: 5). We can’t see the big picture.
God. Help us to see what we need to see — You. Amen.
It Isn't About the Outside
“There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him” (Mk. 7: 15 ESV)
The Pharisees weren’t concerned about the inside. They were concerned about what they saw.
That is because they could not control someone else’s inside. We cannot change someone’s actions and opinion. They have to do that.
But we still think we can. If someone is offended these days, they think we only need to pass a law and make the action stop.
No one can legislate evil. Only God can defeat evil.
We need God to unite us in love. Satan specializes in chaos.
Father God. The world is pulling further and further away from You. While we know You said this will happen, help us to reach those who will listen to You. Amen.
It's About the Inside
“And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, ‘He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak’” (Mk. 7: 37 ESV)
We’ve long heard the saying, “If you are going to do it, do it right the first time.” That can be translated as do it well.
The crowd said that Jesus was doing it right the first time.
Well, at least they said this when Jesus was feeding them and healing them. He was taking care of the outside, worldly things.
The Jews in Jesus’ day wasn’t looking for a spiritual Savor. “Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves’” (Lk. 6:26 ESV). They were looking for a social Savior.
They couldn’t get past the fact that Jesus wasn’t talking outward. He was talking inward. “Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent’” (Jn. 6:29 ESV).
They just wanted food (Jn. 6:34).
Yes, Jesus fed and healed people. He didn’t take away hunger and illness.
Jesus took away spiritual hunger and death — for those who would believe. We need to believe.
God. We believe Jesus is our spiritual Savior. Amen.
Why Did It Take Two Tries?
“And he looked up and said, ‘I see people, but they look like trees, walking’” (Mk. 8:24 ESV)
I have always wondered why the blind man at Bethsaida wasn’t healed completely the first time. It wasn’t because Jesus isn’t all-powerful.
Jesus is God, so He is all-powerful.
So, it had to do something with the man. We really don’t know what.
If we equate the blindness with sin, was the man extremely sinful, and Jesus had to take some time to cut the sin out of his life? We do know that sanctification is the process of whittling away the sin in us.
Was it just a particularly involved sin? We know once Jesus removed a spirit that the disciples couldn’t remove (Mk. 9: 14-29).
What do we learn from this? Jesus is the Healer. We can’t save someone from their sins. Only God can.
Father God. Help us to understand what we need to understand to put our faith in You. Amen.
Being Right and Being Wrong
“And he asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Christ’” (Mk. 8: 29 ESV)
“… And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him” (Mk. 8: 32 ESV).
Peter got it right, and then Peter got it wrong.
When asked, Peter knew that Jesus was the Messiah. He just had his picture of the Messiah in his mind rather than Who Jesus really was.
This tells us two things. We have to do things God’s way, and we can still sin after conversion.
The Messiah Peter was looking for wouldn’t be the Savior of the world. He would just be the Savior of the Jews.
Yes, the Jews were God’s people. But He wasn’t interested in just saving them from the Roman Empire. That would be a worldview stance.
God really was looking to save the world. All the nations. All the people.
Peter understood enough for salvation. He just didn’t have God’s understanding.
No, we won’t understand everything. But we can’t let that non-understanding cause us to sin.
Peter was moving forward trying to overlay Jesus’ actions with his understanding. It doesn’t work that way.
We have to follow God’s plan, not our own.
Peter was still growing. He was still working out his salvation to cut the sin out of his life.
We need to do the same.
Father God. We believe that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer. We believe You are Sovereign God. Help us to look to You instead of our own understanding. Your ways are different — and better — than ours (Isa. 55: 8-9). Amen.
When We Talk too Much
“For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified” (Mk. 9: 6 ESV)
Peter didn’t know what to say. But he sure started talking right away.
Isn’t that what we do? We become uncertain in a situation, so we just start talking.
I don’t know. Maybe we just try to throw things out there to see what is going to stick.
We process using our words instead of using our minds.
There are so many times that we are just like Peter. But then there are times we shouldn’t be like Peter.
I think Jesus wanted the three disciples there on the Mount of Transfiguration just so they could witness. They could see Him in His glory.
There are times God doesn’t want us to do anything — except sit here and watch Him work.
Father God. May we always work on Your timetable instead of ours. May we work Your plan instead of our own. Amen.
We Aren't God
“And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’” (Mk. 9: 28 ESV)
Something else about this verse came to mind. We talked about Jesus removing a demon the disciples couldn’t because it was a more involved sin.
My point now is, yes, the disciples were healing the sick and removing demons — when Jesus gave them the ability to do so.
That didn’t make the disciples Jesus. They could not forgive people of their sins.
Just as the disciples couldn’t, a pastor or a priest can’t forgive us of our sins. Nor can we forgive ourselves and have them removed.
Only God can forgive us of our sins.
We can’t try to bypass God, as the worldview people try to do. That will lead to judgement and punishment on judgment day.
We can only gain salvation through God’s plan. It is through Jesus alone. “Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (Jn. 14: 6 CSB).
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Father God. We believe salvation is gained only through belief in Your Son. We cannot save ourselves. We put our complete faith and trust in You. Amen.
What do you think?
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