Mark 1:29-39 (NRSV)
Read Mark 1:29-39 on biblegateway.com
Verse 29As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Verse 30Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. Verse 31He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
Verse 32That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. Verse 33And the whole city was gathered around the door. Verse 34And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. Verse 35In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. Verse 36And Simon and his companions hunted for him. Verse 37When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." Verse 38He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." Verse 39And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Devotion
A wise Christian once asked, “Why do some Bibles print Jesus’ words in red? Are his words more important than his deeds? Why not print his deeds in red?”
Jesus was passionately committed to proclaiming the message. He prayed for strength to proclaim the message. But does this mean he was all “talk?” No! He spoke in the synagogues, but he also spent time casting out demons. With Jesus it wasn’t just talk, it was words and deeds – whatever it took to proclaim the message!
Which are you better at? Some Christians need to quit talking about God’s love and start doing some. Many Lutherans, fearful of “too much talk,” prefer to let their deeds “do the talking.” But maybe Jesus had it right – maybe we need to proclaim the message of God using that unbeatable combination of words and deeds!
Prayer
Loving God, let my mouth and my hands be full of you this day. Let me not be afraid to leave my comfort zone to proclaim your message. Amen.