trying to find His way
“For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come.” (Mark 7:21)As a Jesus follower, I pay a lot of attention to my heart.In Hebrew thinking, the heart was the control center for the person.Everything about us, how we thought and lived and what we loved, was centered there.The heart was very…
“His disciples asked him about this parable. ‘Are you so dull?’ He asked.” (Mark 7:17-18)As a Jesus follower, I do not expect these words from Jesus.They make me wonder what the Greek word translated as ‘dull’ is.The world is related to ‘synthesis’, to put things together.Jesus is observing that they are not able to put what…
“You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down.” (Mark 7:13)As a Jesus follower, I use the bible to help me know how to follow Him.The bible is inspired by God to help us (2 Timothy 3:15-17).Jesus uses the bible to save us through our confidence/faith in Him.And Jesus uses the bible to…
“You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” (Mark 7:8)As a Jesus follower, I need to beware of how my ‘religion’ shapes me.‘Religion’ is how we think about God, and how we structure our beliefs.It involves creeds, rituals, behaviours, and ways of seeing the world.In a general sense,…
“They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak…” (Mark 6:56)As a Jesus follower, I trust in Jesus, not in His clothes.I don’t think that these people were actually trusting Jesus’s clothes.Their request was an act of humility, and a way of honouring Jesus.They were affirming that He was holy, set apart…
“They had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.” (Mark 6:52)As a Jesus follower, I still have a lot that I do not understand.I do not understand the miracle of the loaves.I do not understand Jesus walking on the water.I do not understand the use of spit and mud to heal a blind man.I…
“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31)As a Jesus follower, I look forward to my times alone with Jesus.Jesus also seemed to enjoy His time alone with His disciples.This was an especially challenging time, with His cousin’s death.Jesus hears about John’s death, and is overwhelmed by the crowds.He…
“John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.” (Mark 6:29)As a Jesus follower, I am thankful that Jesus is alive.Both John’s and Jesus’s disciples were troubled by their deaths.As disciples, their hope was in the rightness and goodness of their Rabbi.For them to die like this – beheaded, crucified – was…
“King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known.” (Mark 6:14)As a Jesus follower, Jesus’s Name is both well known and well loved.People were hearing about what Jesus did, and news about Him spread.They heard about His miraculous deeds of love and mercy.What they heard inspired and attracted many of them… but not…
“They went out and preached that people should repent.” (Mark 6:12)As a Jesus follower, repentance is a part of the journey of faith.But do I go around telling people to repent, like the disciples did?The answer is both no and yes. The word ‘repent’ is a translation of a compound Greek word metanoia.It literally means ‘to…