Month: March 2024

Mark 1:39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

There is a footnote after the word indignant in verse 41 which says that many manuscripts say that Jesus was filled with compassion instead of Jesus was indignant. The translation choice baffles me because compassion and indignation are vastly different emotions. Commentary supports compassion instead of indignation, but it still begs the question why such a popular translation (NIV) uses it.

Mark 1:40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

NIV is my favorite translation, probably because it is the one I’m most familiar with, but on verse 41, I am totally siding with every other translation I can find–which uses compassion or filled with pity instead of indignant–because the Jesus that I’ve come to know over the years, is filled with compassion, not indignation.

Mark 1:41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”

Precious Savior, Thank You for the intellectual ability to parse out meaning from Your word. Thank You for the knowledge of You, who You are and who You are to me, to understand that Yours is a heart of compassion and not indignation. Help me to be an agent of compassion to Your people. Amen.

Mark 1:42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

Jesus was fully human and fully divine. Honestly, there are a lot of things that I truly don’t understand about that dichotomy, but, based on what I’m seeing here, one thing Jesus fully understands from His human side is the demands of being needed.

Mark 1:32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.

Every time He heals someone, two more needing healing are waiting. People are desperate for healing, and Jesus–precious, holy Jesus–keeps healing. He doesn’t stomp His foot and tell them they are missing the point. He doesn’t tell them that He can heal them spiritually, which is so much more important than physical healing. He. Keeps. Healing. Even with the whole town gathered at the door.

Mark 1:33 The whole town gathered at the door,

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that to keep on keeping on, even when the need feels so great, is important. Help me, even when I feel worn too thin to keep going, to keep my eyes on You, keep my heart rooted in You, to lay my burdens at Your feet, to rest in You. Amen.

Mark 1:34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” 

Jesus driving out the impure spirit got folks talking. They were amazed. News about Him spread quickly over the whole region. But what does Jesus do? Does He bask in the glory of His notoriety? Does He get on a soapbox to discuss issues?

Mark 1:28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

No. He keeps moving. He does the next right thing. He goes with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law is in bed with a fever, and they immediately tell Him about her.

Mark 1:29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for showing not only the big, grandiose moments, but also the more prosaic moments of Your life. Thank You for showing how to do the next right thing. Help me to keep going, to keep shining Your light, and keep looking for Your people who need hope and encouragement so that I can remind them about Your love. Amen.

Mark 1:30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 

I have so many questions about today’s verses. Why was an impure-spirit-possessed man in the synagogue? Did they know he was possessed by an impure spirit? Could others tell just by looking at him? Had others interacted with the man prior to Jesus’s arrival?

Mark 1:24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

Regardless of all these questions that I can’t answer, Jesus was able to use the situation for the good of the man (he drove out the spirit) and for His own glory (He showed that even impure spirits recognize and obey Him).

Mark 1:25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!”

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that there is no way for me to have answers to all the questions of this life, but, even if I don’t know the answers, I can be sure that You are in control, that You are working all things to our good and Your glory. Thank You. Amen.

Mark 1:26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. 

Here is another instance of Jesus calling and disciples answering without hesitation, without delay. In this case, the disciples left their own father in the boat and followed Jesus. At first, that seems almost callous, but it’s not. They knew, they KNEW, that God would take care of their father.

Mark 1:20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

God knew us, loved us before we were born. He formed us in our mothers’ wombs.  He loves us fiercely, deeply, completely. That applies to our loved ones, too. In fact, because God is love, He loves our loved ones more than we are even capable of loving. Period. Knowing how much I love my family, that seems impossible, and yet, I know, I KNOW, it’s true.

Mark 1:21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for this reminder that we are to put You first in our lives. Thank You that You love those we love (and all Your children) more than we are even capable of loving. Thank You for Your promise to never leave us nor forsake us. No matter what. Help us to live lives that are pleasing to You. Amen.

Mark 1:22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:14-15 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

I’ve shared before that I am a planner. The thing with planning is that it often takes time. There is no “drop everything and go” with good, serious planning. But today’s scripture reminds me that there is a time to plan and there is a time to just go at once.

Mark 1:16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  

Simon and Andrew don’t hesitate. When Jesus calls, there is no, “Hang on a sec” or “Let me put my pole up” or “Just let me say goodbye to….” There is a call (“Come, follow me”) and there is a response (At once they left their nets).

Mark 1:17 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

Precious Savoir, I know that You gave me the ability to plan, to create contingencies to help care for those I love. Thank You for reminding me that there are also times when You call and I need to just answer, no planning. Help me to know when it’s time to plan and when it’s time to follow “at once.” Amen.

Mark 1:18 At once they left their nets and followed him.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.  

Two things immediately strike me about today’s verses. First, in verse 11, God tells Jesus He loves Him and is well pleased simply because Jesus did the next right thing–baptism with water. He had yet to perform any miracles. He had yet to begin his ministry. And yet, God was well pleased because he was taking the right steps to begin. We can learn a lesson there.

Mark 1:10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

Second, immediately after His baptism, immediately after His ministry begins in earnest, the Spirit sends him into the wilderness for forty days to be tempted by Satan. There’s no rest, no period to bask in the glory of God’s praise. The ministry begins with wilderness temptation by the devil. But even then He is not alone. He is “with the wild animals, and angels attended him.”

Mark 1:11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”

Precious Savior, Thank You for reminding us that we are deeply, fiercely loved simply because we are Your precious children. Thank You for reminding us that it brings You joy when we do the next right thing. Thank You for reminding us that even in the wilderness, You are with us, Your angels attend us. Thank You. Amen.

Mark 1:12-13 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:5 The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.  

Again, what strikes me is this sense of community, of uplifting each other. John knows that Jesus is coming after him. He knows that Jesus is the Son of God, fully human, fully divine. He knows that in the hierarchy of holiness, he’s not worthy to untie the straps of Jesus’s sandals.

Mark 1:6 John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 

He knows all of this, yet it doesn’t make him bitter. John doesn’t try to make himself more to outshine Jesus. He’s shining Jesus’s light because he knows that he is baptizing with water, but Jesus will baptize by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Mark 1:7 And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

Precious Savior, The world tells us that this life is all about being first, being best. Thank You for showing us another way, a better way, Your way. Help us to shine Your light, lift others up, encourage others. Help us to put You first. Always. Amen.

Mark 1:8 I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Have a blessed day.

Mark 1:1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God, 

What strikes me about today’s verses is that even Jesus–fully human, fully divine–had a support system. Mary and Joseph, John the Baptist, the disciples, so many others all were part of Jesus’s village. Jesus functioned in community and we do, too.

Mark 1:2 …as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way” —

Sometimes being part of community means encouraging. Sometimes it means holding space so that others know they are not alone. Sometimes it means sharing your own testimony of how you’ve seen Jesus show up in your life. Sometimes it means showing up to hug a friend’s neck because there is nothing else you can do. Jesus is in all of that. Wherever two or more are gathered….

Mark 1:3 “a voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’ ”

Precious Savior, You know I have a fierce independent streak. You know I’m a fixer at the core, someone who likes to try to make things better for others. You know that I’m an encourager. You made me that way. Thank You for the need for community. Help me never to underestimate the power of showing up, sharing my story, encouraging others, making space, sharing a hug, just being present in Your name. Amen.

Mark 1:4 And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Have a blessed day.