Jarius was a leader in the Synagogue and probably had the same feelings about Jesus as the rest of them. BUT when it came to the possibility of his daughter's healing, he thought differently. It's easy to dismiss something a far off but when it touches our family, we have to face the truth of it.
The woman with the blood hemorrhage was desperate. She was unclean. She felt so ugly inside from bleeding that long. She was desperate for a touch from Jesus. She risked it all to touch him. At once she knew she was healed. She didn't want to bother Jesus. She decided to just touch him, which would have made Jesus unclean in the Jewish law. It was a risk she probably felt he would never know.
Sometimes we are so desperate and think we can just barely touch Jesus. But he always knows and will meet us in our desperation.
Both Jarius and the woman were desperate in a different way. Jarius was desperate for healing for his daughter. He risked his reputation in the Synagogue to have Jesus touch his daughter. The woman risked breaking the Jewish law by touching someone while she was unclean. Both risked a lot because they believed Jesus was the answer to their need. He is the answer to your need, too. Jesus knows our desperation. He loves us so much. He wants us to reach out and touch him. He doesn't care if we get him "dirty" with our sinful, ugly lives. He loves us enough to meet us in that unclean state. But he loves us enough to not leave us there. Healing will flow when we reach out and touch him in our desperation. Don't wait! Touch him now. He's waiting for you.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Jesus and his family
In Mark 3:20-21, 31-35, we see that Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him because they wanted to take him home. They had heard that the disciples didn't even have time to eat. The reason they came in the first place was to put a stop to what he was doing. They couldn't believe what he was doing was what God wanted. They were concerned about physical things more than about spiritual things. In the New Living Translation, they said, "He's out of his mind." They were more concerned about the outward appearance and how what he did effected them and their reputation. I also believe they were genuinely concerned about his physical well-being. They were on a mission to make sure Jesus was taking care of himself.
In verses 31-35 when someone told Jesus his mother and brothers were outside, he responded in a way that I always felt was a little harsh. He acted like they were nothing even though they were his family. He knew what was in their hearts. He knew they didn't support what he was about. He knew they had really come to put a stop to what he was doing. He knew he had to do what God has called him to. Jesus' response told them that they were not his family if they were trying to do something that was out of God's will. We are all his family if we do the will of the Father.
His family's concern was legitimate. I can especially relate as a mother. Jesus' mother must have been very concerned that Jesus wasn't taking care of himself and would wear himself out. But their concern was not what God wanted them to be concerned about. They saw their son/sibling and the physical part. God wanted them to see the Messiah--HIS son and be concerned about doing the will of the Father in Heaven. They couldn't see past the physical realm into the spiritual realm.
What realm to I see? Am I so focused on the physical life that I miss what God is doing spiritually? I don't want to stand in the way of what God is doing. I am an administrative person. I always see the physical stuff around me; what needs to be done to make things happen. God wants me to see past that. Sometimes he is doing something in the spiritual that looks a little messy physically. If I step in and try to stop it or help, I could mess up what he is doing in someone's life.
Lord, give us eyes to see both the physical and the spiritual. We don't want to stand in the way of what you are doing in our lives and in the lives of the people in our spheres of influence.
In verses 31-35 when someone told Jesus his mother and brothers were outside, he responded in a way that I always felt was a little harsh. He acted like they were nothing even though they were his family. He knew what was in their hearts. He knew they didn't support what he was about. He knew they had really come to put a stop to what he was doing. He knew he had to do what God has called him to. Jesus' response told them that they were not his family if they were trying to do something that was out of God's will. We are all his family if we do the will of the Father.
His family's concern was legitimate. I can especially relate as a mother. Jesus' mother must have been very concerned that Jesus wasn't taking care of himself and would wear himself out. But their concern was not what God wanted them to be concerned about. They saw their son/sibling and the physical part. God wanted them to see the Messiah--HIS son and be concerned about doing the will of the Father in Heaven. They couldn't see past the physical realm into the spiritual realm.
What realm to I see? Am I so focused on the physical life that I miss what God is doing spiritually? I don't want to stand in the way of what God is doing. I am an administrative person. I always see the physical stuff around me; what needs to be done to make things happen. God wants me to see past that. Sometimes he is doing something in the spiritual that looks a little messy physically. If I step in and try to stop it or help, I could mess up what he is doing in someone's life.
Lord, give us eyes to see both the physical and the spiritual. We don't want to stand in the way of what you are doing in our lives and in the lives of the people in our spheres of influence.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)