The Everyday Prayer

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:22-43 (day three)
High school students commonly receive assignments to work out given scenarios that involve two life-threatening events competing for attention: Saving one person’s life seemingly means not saving another person’s life. These exercises are meant to highlight questions of ethics and promote critical thinking. Jesus faced a real situation that bore similarities to the high school scenarios: Saving the life of a widow seemingly meant leaving no time to save the life of a young girl. But Jesus, though living within the realities of time, did not surrender to the common perceptions of time. For him, the question was not, “How can I get as much done as I can in the time allotted?” Rather, it was “How can I do all the work God desires me to do?” So he saved the lives of both people, even when time ran out.

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:22-43 (day two)
“If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed” (28). Are you still reaching out to “touch” Him? You do still see how sick you are, don’t you? Selfishness, falsehood, insecurity…sin, habitual and hidden, still seeps out. Justification is complete in Christ, but sanctification is an ongoing work of Christ, clothed in righteousness. If I would know the healing power of Christ, then I must resolve to reach out to Him, not once but always. Not Sunday but every day. So be it resolved, I will not…”get used” to sin in my life, be satisfied with partial sanctification, compare my growth to others and celebrate that “I am not like them,” and occupy myself with radio, TV, Facebook, movies, working out, and hanging out so that I don’t have to face how fragile, inconsistent, weak, broken, small-minded, unforgiving, prayerless and faithless I really am. No. I will reach for Christ. If I just touch His clothes…

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:22-43 (day one)
“A large crowd followed and pressed around him.  A woman. . .came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. . .at once Jesus realized that power had gone out of him.”  (vs 24,27, 30)  It is THE most impressive characteristic of Jesus.  Ok, one of the most.  He was never in a hurry.  Never stressed by outward pressure or deadlines or urgent needs stacking up around him.  Modern folks talk about being “present in the moment”.  Jesus knew how to do it, even before it was cool.  A calm heart comes from inward concentration on God, inward confidence in God.   “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee”  (Isaiah 26:3)  As the New Year comes, with all of its demands, may we learn this lesson from the Savior–we can be calm in pressure-filled situations when our mind is stayed on God.  Be still, dear friends, be still.

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:1-20 (day seven)
“For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart.”  (vs 4)  It is a sad story.  Sadder because it is still being repeated.  People try to help others and sometimes only make it worse.  The Gerasenes had not ignored the demoniac.  Not at first.  They had tried to subdue him.  Like locking a person up.  But it didn’t work.  He was so maniacal that he tore the chains apart and moved further away from society, more of a danger to himself and others than before.  We live in this same world–a world where people without help and hope get guns and hurt school children.  Only Christ can do the healing that is needed.  Only Christ can free a person from this kind of torment.  “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”  (Matthew 17:21)  May the Lord teach us to give real and much-needed help.

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:1-20 (day six)  “(They) told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man–and about the pigs as well. Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.”  (vs 16-17)  Almost comic!  The people of Geresa are more concerned about the pigs who drown than the man who was healed/restored.  I get it.  A herd of 2000 pigs is worth alot of money.  Perhaps, the Lord did not cause the “pig suicide”–the blame for that resting with the destructive demons.  Even so, it is strange that the people are so unimpressed with the salvation of a person and so overly concerned that the Lord’s Kingdom might cost them something at the bottom line.  We sacrifice pigs all the time for physical health.  Bacon.  Ham.  Why not spiritual health?  All of us must choose what matters most–possessions or LIFE.  “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36 )

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:1-20 (day five)
In the New Testament, the most effective evangelists were individuals who were faithful to tell “their story”. John 4 (The woman at the well) and John 9 (the man born blind) are 2 examples of people faithfully sharing about their encounter with Jesus. The Christian faith is more about biography than theology. When believers share their own story and experience with The Living Savior, the Kingdom grows. Each story of a human heart changed and shaped by Jesus gives witness to a great and glorious God rescuing the human race one life at a time. The Bible ends with this reminder: Revelation 12:11 – “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” There is such power in the Work of Christ and the Words of His followers. Will you share “your story” with someone who has not heard?

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:1-20 (day four)
Jesus had taken His disciples to an area known as the Decapolis.  It was a region of ten cities on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee.  The Decapolis was a gentile region…a place where mainly Greek-speaking Roman soldiers could have protection from militant Jews.  When Jesus entered the region, it was a completely pagan land.  After the experience with the demoniac, who had legions of demons within him, the townspeople responded…just as you would expect a pagan culture to respond…they asked Jesus to leave the area.  As Jesus prepared to go, the former demoniac requested to go with Him, but Jesus gave him an assignment…go and tell others in the region what Jesus had done.  If we fast forward to Mark 7:31, when Jesus returns to the area, we find the reception is much different.  They come looking for Jesus.  The former demoniac had been a faithful and effective witness.  We have the same commandment!

RE Verse reading–Mark 5:1-20 (day three)
“No one could bind him anymore.” Leaks always get bigger, tears always get wider, and corrosion always goes deeper. When our machinery or equipment fails, the breakdown is simply the outcome of neglecting to address breaches, rips, or rust. You can’t patch forever. There comes a time when you must repair. In our society, greed becomes more insistent, lust becomes more insatiable, and anger becomes more destructive. We patch these things with money or serial marriages or blaming others, but the day comes when people break. And society breaks. And no one can bind it anymore. In a society that is well, no one lives among the tombs. But healing from the Savior will come with the burden of submitting our will to his. This is what the people of the Gerasenes were afraid of. So they decided to keep on patching.