Feb 5: Mark 6:53-56

Key Verse: Mark 6:55
They ran throughout that whole region and carried those who were ill on mats to wherever they heard he was.

Devotion:
When people began to realise Jesus was healing the sick people from all over the regions came often carrying the ill just to be able to have the chance of getting healed. If this was a random chance then maybe not so many people would have come, but these people knew Jesus was not being picky about who He healed and was not reserving the healing for the rich and famous – He was healing anyone who came to Him!

Our modern societies have made an art form of serving the rich and famous; it is the people who have the money and connections who get seen to first and who have the best chance at getting the help they need. The poor and frail are being left behind and ignored. The richer seem to get richer and the poorer get poorer. This is not what Jesus was about!

We have to stand up to make sure people who are most in need get the attention and help they require irrespective of their social standing or the wealth and connections. We need to get things back to the way Jesus was showing people back at the times of the disciples.

This also means we have to be a part of the wheel of help too – we cannot turn our backs on the people who need help. We have to be more like Jesus and reach out to everyone who is in need. We must be willing to help just because they need help and not because they can do something for us or give us a reward!

Points to Ponder:
Do you do things for reward?

Or do you do things because they are needed?

Feb 4: Proverbs 8:22-31

Key Verse: Proverbs 8:23
I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be.

Devotion:
I have often thought about what was around in the very beginning and each time I do try to imagine it, my brain gets all confused and can’t figure things out. I do consider myself as being intelligent and I like to figure most things out by looking at all of the facts and bring them together to give me the most likely answer… but the beginning of everything is still a puzzle and will probably continue to be until the end of time!

These verses are too often overlooked in favour of the gospels and other scriptures where Jesus is mentioned and ascribed as being there in the beginning with God the Father. So, let’s just all agree God was and always will be – ergo He was there at the beginning and will always be and was there in three parts, Father, Son and Spirit.

So what are these verses talking about? Wisdom! In order for things to be created, there would have had to be order. In order for there to be order there must have had to be some sort of wisdom to define the order. This is where God comes in because He brought forward wisdom so creation could be possible!

With wisdom we get to understand things, understand order and start to figure things out for ourselves. Once we get to consider wisdom and see how it had to be, order starts to form in our minds and we can then begin to understand God as our Creator.

Points to Ponder:
Do you think you are wise?

Will you accept God’s wisdom to guide you?

Feb 3: Mark 6:30-34

Key Verse: Mark 6:34
When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Devotion:
When we go through the Gospels we find all manner of secrets which Jesus showed us and shared with us. I think this is one of them and one we often miss because we are too busy with life or ‘doing church!’

Wherever Jesus went He found time to be with people from all walks of life, from the disciples, to ordinary people, to sinners and even to the teachers of the law (though they did not tend to like Him teaching them!) Jesus always seemed to be faced with crowds who wanted to either be healed or to be taught, or both. In this instance the people saw Jesus and the disciples get into a boat to go to a quieter place so they could relax and eat. The people ran ahead of them and were waiting when they landed…

What would be going through your mind at this stage if this happened to you: you are weary of the crowds in town so you jump in the car and head off to a quiet village to have a nice quiet tea and cake in a cafe. But, when you arrive at the village it is overcrowded with people waiting for you!

Ordinarily I think we would all just keep on driving to find a quite place where the crowds have not yet made it… But Jesus had compassion on the crowds because He knew they wanted to learn more from Him. He could see they were lost and needed a Shepherd to guide them; so He set aside His own quiet time and gave that time to the people as He taught them more about God!

Points to Ponder:
Do you get sick of crowds at times?

What if those people were crying out to learn about Jesus?