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.
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, most of them 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.
Maybe our relationship has become ‘ordinary’, we don’t look to him for wisdom or help.
Maybe our being so familiar with God and Jesus makes us indifferent?
If Jesus is who he says he is, and we believe it, that changes everything.
Yet how many of us who’ve known Jesus a long time show little confidence or excitement?
Is it possible that Jesus is amazed at my lack of faith 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.
Knowing but not believing. But to know Jesus, to really know Him you have to believe. Having a knowledge of Jesus is not he same as have faith in or believing in Him. Knowing that flying a certain airline is deemed safe is one thing, but trusting that it is means you will be willing to fly with them. Believing means that I stake my life on Jesus – that He is the one and only way! Lord help me to not hold back anything – that I may fully trust you and believe!
How could someone in their town, from this family, do the miraculous things that Jesus did? They became jealous, envious, and closed their hearts and minds and ears. Hardened hearts, not willing or able to see what the Lord God was doing among hem. And today, do I have an open heart and mind and ears to hear how God is at work in His creation today? I need eyes to see His presence in all things. I need to trust Him always. I need to daily ask, ‘Where did I see God today?’ as I live in His presence trusting that He is my guardian and Guide. My Saviour.
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