Luther Seminary

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

Archives for July 20, 2018

Friday, July 20, 2018

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

Today our thoughts move from "REST" to "RESTart."
Have you ever felt like a sheep without a shepherd? Do you ever try to do too much? Do you ever feel like you've got to do it, or it won't get done? Maybe we need to take more time at the feet of Jesus and listen to what Jesus has to say. Our value is not based on what we have done, but on what Christ has done for us. Our worth is not based on who we are, but whose we are. Each of us is a child of God, called and claimed, filled and sent out to tell others what we have seen and heard. We're in this together to further God's reign on earth. It's not about the biggest and best, but all God's lost sheep gathered together with a compassionate God who will not let us go.

Prayer

Compassionate God, gather us together and teach us your way. Send us out as messengers of hope to our hurting world. Amen.

Meg Sander, '83 Transitional Pastor, Immanuel Zion Lutheran and Zion Lutheran Church, Albion, Nebraska