PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 6:1-6
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“He was amazed at their lack of faith.” (Mark 6:6)
What amazed Jesus here was that His own people did not trust Him.
They were amazed at His teaching and healings, but still didn’t trust Him.
They knew Him from childhood, they knew His family, why couldn’t they trust Him?
This was exactly the problem, they saw Him as one of them.
I can only guess why this offended them.
Maybe it was because they didn’t think much of themselves.
Their town had a reputation: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46)
Their hope was for a great messiah, not just an ordinary kid from town.
Or maybe there was jealousy and pride: ‘who does he think he is?’
Either way, all but a few refused to expect great things from Him.
I wonder if today, for different reasons, many christians are the same.
We’re so comfortable with Jesus, we no longer expect great things from Him.
Our relationship has become ‘ordinary’, we don’t look to Him for wisdom or help.
Is it possible that Jesus is amazed at my lack of faith (confidence) in Him?
PRAYER
Lord, believing in ‘the faith’ is not the same thing as trusting in You. Reveal to my heart where I have allowed my close relationship with You to weaken my trust.
Skeptics. I was skeptical too of Jesus at one time – wondering if it was all true what the Bible says about him and what the ‘church’ taught about him. But as I asked Jesus to come closer to me – he has and has become real. That answered the skepticism – and each day I learned to trust him more and more. I have my days when I’m not fully trusting – but I know Jesus and he is real – his spirit guides and helps me daily! Help me to step out in faith to be not only with Jesus but be like him and serve him!
Thanks EMK. I can relate to both sides of this: being unsettled by others who rock the boat, and being the one that rocks the boat. Like you I see in Jesus the kind of humble confidence and non-anxious presence that enabled him to be true to God and himself, no matter what happened around him. I am so not there! Part of my problem is not even being sure who I am, or who I am supposed to be, and not trusting my own motivations when I rock the boat. Over the years I’ve come face to face with my weaknesses, uncertainties and insecurities, and realize now more and more why I need grace and mercy, why I need Jesus.
But learning to trust – Jesus, myself, others – takes time (I figure I will be done when I’m dead). What keeps me going, and hopeful, is that my acceptance and survival do not depend on my getting it right, but on God’s grace and mercy, and the hope and strength I find in Jesus every day.
As for ‘the system’ – church, government, family, society – I think it is all a toxic mess, as much in need of Jesus and mercy and grace as me and you. Having worked in the church for years, I’ve come to know how biased and blemished it is, and how the church is NOT the hope of the world… only Jesus is.
Sorry if I sound poopy or pessimistic; actually I have a lot of hope, just not in me or the church or the world. My only hope is the grace and support of Jesus, despite my own lack of trust.
If you have ever studied toxic family or community dynamics, then you know that the toxic system can only be upheld by each person living within a role that supports the status quo and the people on top who control the rest. It is no surprise that to step outside of your perceived role or identity within your group is to stir up others’ fear and distrust of you, since the system depends on everyone playing their part and not questioning how it all works – lest it all fall apart and corruption be exposed. Fearful defenders of the status quo will use many tactics to keep any person who steps out of line in their place or to prevent others to not follow their lead. Discrediting and belittling are tactics employed in order to erode a person’s sense of self-confidence and make them feel unworthy and incompetent, making them question their own wisdom, remain silent, and defer to those “in the know”. One of the many things I find so wonderful about Jesus is that he does not let himself be influenced by manipulative tactics and people’s opinions of him, which he knows are based in their own fears; Jesus continually allows his Father, and only his Father, to tell him who he is and what he is called to do – no matter who else tries to tell him otherwise, even the people within his own hometown community and his family. Prophets don’t let other people tell them who they have to be or what they are supposed to say, but they will be dishonoured for being true to their identity and heeding their calling. People may not believe that it was the Holy Spirit who called and empowered you when they see you speaking and acting in ways that make them uncomfortable or rocks the boat too much. Unlike those who thought they knew Jesus and yet had a distorted view of him that caused them to disbelieve him, we need to be open to seeing people as God sees them, and trusting that they have full access to God just as much as any person who sets up themselves – or their checklist of doctrines – as a gatekeeper to the faith. Jesus’ had perfect faith in God, and that’s the faith I strive for.
They took offense at Him.
The people were blinded by their own thoughts, prejudiced because they couldn’t or wouldn’t put their knowing of a lowly carpenter being able to do mighty works. It reminds me or hardened hearts. They had heard of His works and now hearing Him preach, they shut Him out.
How often do my preconceived notions get in the way of my faith. Open my heart Lord that I might see You Daily as I live for You.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You
To see You high and lifted up
Shinin’ in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy