Luther Seminary

A daily devotion brought to you by the alumni of Luther Seminary

Archives for July 19, 2012

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 (NRSV)

Read Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 on biblegateway.com

Verse 30The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. Verse 31He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. Verse 32And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Verse 33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. Verse 34As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

Verse 53When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. Verse 54When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, Verse 55and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. Verse 56And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Devotion

A member of the church I serve told me a story once about her great-grandson. They were getting ready to enter a store when they saw a local gentleman who was wearing a cowboy hat. Miles, the young boy, said, "Look, GG, he's a real cowboy!"

She inquired, "How do you know?"

"Well, he is wearing a real cowboy hat!" was his reply. I love that story of Miles' certainty of this man's identity. The gospel writer in our reading tells us twice that people recognized Jesus and his disciples when they were trying to find some rest. The word had spread about this great Jesus and his gang of followers. The good news of this transformation became the story of the day.

I wonder: without our "hats," like cross necklaces, earrings or even shirts that say we are followers of Christ, would people recognize us as disciples by what we do and how we live? Therein is the charge and the calling—to be love, to be hope, to be Christ to our neighbor so we are recognized simply by who we are.

Prayer

God of all creation, empower us to love and serve as you have loved and served us. Mold us into your image. Amen.

Justin Grimm Advent Lutheran Church, Lake Ann, Mich.