June 16: Mark 5:9-17
Key Verse: Mark 5:17
Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
Devotion:
What is your first reaction to something you find unbelievable? Do you stop and question how or why? Do you just accept it as unknown and move on? Do you seek advice from others to try and form an consensus? Do you freeze and begin to panic? We all like to think we would be composed and react in a civilised manner, but if we are honest, we would have to face the unknown before we actually knew how we would react. Judging others because they are doing things differently after being forced into a corner they have not known before is dangerous ground!
When Jesus was faced with a legion of spirits who had taken up residence in a poor man His reaction sparked off a variety of ways in which people acted. The legion of spirits knew who Jesus was and they begged Him to not send them away for good. The rest of the people had reacted in many different ways, but the general feeling was probably fear from the unknown and they distanced themselves from the man who had been possessed.
When Jesus was able to get the spirits to leave the man and to go into the herd of pigs nearby, people were amazed and also afraid. The people did not know how to deal with this action they had not seen before and were now facing. Even though some people had been eye witnesses to what had happened and probably accepted what they had seen, the others began to get worried and started to demand Jesus left them alone.
We tend to over-react to things we hear and have not seen before because we have a built-in fear of the unknown. This is probably why there are so many conspiracy theories which plague our communities. God simply wants us to know the truth and to accept the truth. He wants us to know He has power over anything we fear and anyone we come against in our lives. As long as we are willing to ask Him for aid when we need it and listen to that help, we will be able to face the unknown without fear.
Points to Ponder:
Do you ask God to take your fears away from you?
Or do you ask God for help to face your fears?
June 15: Mark 4:35-41
Key Verse: Mark 4:39
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
Devotion:
Sometimes in life we seem to be swamped by storms! Everything seems like it is out of control and we start panicking because we think we are going to sink! This may well have been a real storm for the disciples as they were crossing the sea, but Jesus’ reply goes much deeper than the physical storm. In just a few words He was able to calm the storm and allow the disciples to relax once again – none of this had bothered Jesus in the beginning because He was asleep during the storm.
It was all about trust and faith. Jesus had complete faith and trust in His Father in Heaven. He knew His Father would look after Him no matter what! He knew no matter what He faced in this physical life, God His Father would continue to be there and look out for Him. What faith!
When we are faced with physical, emotional or spiritual hardships in our lives, we do need to remember God is in control and has this! Yes, it is hard to remember the pace of Christ when we are surrounded by a storm in our lives, but, as demonstrated here, it is the perfect way out of any storm. Does this mean we are not going to face storms? Certainly not, we are surrounded by people making storms, by situations which have grown up from tiny streams into raging torrents – all because a succession of people have not yet called on the name of God to calm the storm.
If we are able to call on God to help with the situations before they turn into storms, then we are ahead of the game and others will not have to endure those storms. If we are able to share this encouragement with others, they will feel a whole lot safer when they see the storms approaching. It is our faith which will be able to help others find theirs. It is our faith which is that light shining in the darkness. It is our faith which is that tiny seed from which a whole lot of goodness can grow!
Points to Ponder:
Do you sink or swim?
Do you call on God before the storm or only when it rages?
June 14: Mark 4:30-32
Key Verse: Mark 4:31
It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.
Devotion:
One of the things I keep hearing from friends is they are so insignificant in this world and they don’t believe they can make a difference. I would love to sit down with each one each time I hear this and remind them of this parable, but then to expand on it and cook them a meal, half of which I will leave out all forms of seasoning and half of which I will season properly. But then, who has got time to do this to everyone each time we hear someone putting themselves down.
My reaction would be – make time. It is far too important people understand just how much we are needed in this world. We all have been given a share of this world but whether we take all we can lay our hands on in a greedy frenzy, or whether we take a tiny morsel because we are scared, or whether we take enough to make a difference is up to us. God has supplied us with the wherewithal, we need to use what He gives us to make a difference.
Sometimes what He gives us is a seed and not a complete forest. He gives us the starting point so we can grow into our position and learn what it takes to get this far. When we grow with our communities, we learn to understand what is needed in those communities and we can make a bigger difference with the little we receive. The ultimate is planting a tiny seed which is going to grow into a formidable force which can be used for so much more.
If we plant a flower seed, we can grow a flower and make things look pretty, or we can give the flowers to someone else to make them feel wanted. If we are given a vegetable seed, we can grow vegetables which can be used to share with others in our communities. If we are given fruit seeds we can grow fruit to share with our community. It’s not what we get given but how we are going to use it!
Points to Ponder:
Do you know what God has allowed you to have?
How are you using what he has given you?
June 13: Mark 4:26-29
Key Verse: Mark 4:27
Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.
Devotion:
I continue to marvel at how plants grow no matter what goes on around them. The world is knee deep in panic and survival mode at the moment, with some countries seeing the light at the end of the tunnel whilst others are just going into the tunnel… but throughout this, the plants around us continue to grow and provide for so many, not just humans but insects and animals and mammals alike. God had this plan sorted before we came along and broke things – but His plan continues no matter what.
Yes, we have to tend to things and look after things, just as He has asked us to; and if we don’t look after things, we get meagre offerings from our plants, but they still continue to be plants and continue to survive in most cases. God does not require that we know why things happen or how they happen, just that they do happen and accept it. We can study things to allow our plants to grow better and produce more, but as soon as we start fiddling unnaturally with things, we break more than we fix!
We are not gods and we cannot hope to understand all He has for us and all He does for us, but if we are willing to use what He gives us and listen to His instruction about what we have, we will make it through and we will be successful. Our definition of success may well be different from God’s definition, but we will succeed as much as He wants us to – whether we know it or not!
When I plant seeds, I like to keep an eye on things – not because I have to to make sure they grow, but because I want to see the marvel of God’s creation springing up from a pile of dirt! If this is what God can do with a seed in a pile of dirt, then imagine what He could do with you in the right place at the right time! But we need to listen to Him to know where that right place and right time are!
Points to Ponder:
Do you like watching plants grow – especially in the spring time?
Have you thought about where God wants you?