Mark 1:14-20 (NRSV)
Read Mark 1:14-20 on biblegateway.com
Verse 14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God,
Verse 15and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
Devotion
Jesus was a grassroots organizer. He did not follow conventional business practices like networking among people in powerful positions, such as Jewish religious leaders. Instead, Jesus grew his ministry by calling ordinary people, including four fishermen. He reached out to everyone, including people whom society considered "the least of these"—children, women, people with disabilities and members of diverse cultures. As a laywoman with many shortcomings, I am thrilled! Jesus can use ordinary me in the kingdom's extraordinary work of sharing God's love among all people.
The Jewish religious leaders probably thought "something smelled fishy" (figuratively and literally!) about Jesus' extraordinary ministry that inspired and engaged countless followers. What was Jesus' appeal that his ten-word call to fishermen produced their immediate, forsake-all response of following him into unknown futures? Following Jesus is the only way to understand and then to discover where our vocational calls lead. Let our following begin!
Prayer
God of all people, how awesome that you entrust ordinary us with sharing your extraordinary love! Forgive us when we fail to join eagerly in your ministry with our Christian sisters and brothers. We are grateful no one is too insignificant for your loving care. Give us the Galilean fishermen's courage to drop whatever we are doing and follow you. Amen.