GEOFF'S DEVOTIONAL MUSINGS

Mark Chapter 1 v 16-20
I can picture the scene as Lord Jesus as You walked along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. This lake, surrounded by hills and fed by streams from the hills of Lebanon, was the home for many communities making a living from the lake’s resources. And there You came across Simon and Andrew casting their nets into the lake. This was no chance meeting, but a divine appointment planned before the beginning of time. What did You see in their hearts and lives that led You to choose them to come and follow You? Was it their energy, their enthusiasm, their ability to fish? We will never know, but what we do know is that You walked along the shore, called them to follow You, and immediately they left their nets and did so. What had You seen in them? What have You seen in us? to call us to come and follow You in the same way. Little did they know that You would turn their lives upside down on a roller coaster ride of faith that would end up with a martyr’s deaths for both of them and countless millions impacted by Your ministry.
They were experts at catching fish but You would use them to catch men. At once they left their nets and followed – no hesitation, no weighing up the pros and cons, just followed You. It’s the same a little farther along the shore line when James and John were fishing with their dad and hired men. You called, they followed straight away and then there were four.
Mark Chapter 1 v 21-22
Oh to have heard You teach. It must have been amazing. I’m sure it wasn’t the political oratory, like President Obama, or the passionate oratory of Martin Luther King, or the clever oratory of the salesman, but whatever way it was that You spoke to the people, they all sat up in amazement. These were people used to the droning of the teachers of the Law discussing the minutest of details of an obscure aspect of the Law. They probably approached the Sabbath day with trepidation rather than joy, gritting their teeth through another sermon.
And then You spoke – and suddenly every ear was tuned to Your every word. The people were amazed because they knew who You were. They knew Your background as a humble carpenter. And yet suddenly You were speaking, not as one who had studied the Law. But as one whose very life embodied the living Law. You spoke reality – and it flung open the doors of their dusty hearts and came rushing into their dusty hearts like pure oxygen. This was no airing of opinions, but teaching with authority – something that they had not heard in their entire lives. No wonder they sat up and lapped up every word and couldn’t wait to tell others about what they had heard.
This was certainly Good news at its best. But there was one present who wasn’t pleased – not one bit.

Mark Ch 1 v 23-28
I expect this man had been in the synagogue for years. Every Sabbath he had recited the prayers, heard the scriptures read and listened to the arguments about the Law, but it had done nothing to provoke the evil that had an influence on him. But suddenly You came into the synagogue and there was nowhere for the man possessed by an evil spirit to hide.
I sense the crackling of a stormy situation arise. And just like thunder clouds that form rapidly and suddenly discharge their energy so this man suddenly calls out. It must have come as a shock for all those gathered but this man has little control of his own vocal chords and it seems that the evil spirit speaks directly to You. I can sense fear in the voice, “Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are – the Holy One of God”. I expect you could have heard a pin drop in that crowded room and all eyes would be focussed on You. Your Father always encourages us to proclaim Your name and to shout out Your praises, But He never allows satan’s minions to do the same. And so immediately You rebuke the spirit and immediately it comes out with violent shakings and screams. And then the man was still, and calm, at peace, at Your feet.
If the people thought that Your teaching was amazing then they were blown away by this act of power. Wow, what authority. It’s hardly surprising that news about You spread like wild fire.

Mark Chapter 1 v 29-31
It’s all go. First the teaching in the Synagogue, then the casting out of an evil spirit and now You walked the short distance to Simon’s house – the disciple that You had called to follow You only days earlier – only to find that there is more work to do. Of course this was all known by You already but as You reached Simon’s house the two brothers tell You about Simon’s mother in law. So he’s married with a mother in law at home. And his wife? Perhaps he’s a widower? Curiously neither Simon or Andrew have spoken to You about her fever before, but now as You enter the house she is laid up in bed burning up with fever.
It never ceases to amaze me how people coped with illness before the discovery of modern medicine. Presumably there were local remedies, plants and extracts discovered over the years, but no quick fixes like we have today. So, a fever was dangerous, life threatening. But You just went in, took her hand and helped her up as if it was the most natural thing in the world to do and in that very instant the fever left her. Miracle part 1.
Now I know that on the occasions when I’ve been running a very high temperature that once it is passed then I’m fit for nothing – exhausted, drained of energy. But not Simon’s mother in law. Not only did You heal her of the fever, but also of the consequences of fever. So she was instantly full of energy. Miracle part 2.
You never do anything by halves.
Mark Chapter 1 v 32 – 34
What a day! There certainly hasn’t been any time to rest and relax. And now the sun has set. The fishermen in the community would be getting ready for a long night time session of fishing on the lake. But I would imagine that the rest of the community would be ready for bed, rising early with the sun in the morning.
But it is not a normal evening. You are here. And word has spread like wildfire in the town about Your teaching with authority, and the authority of Your actions in casting out the evil spirit. And then on top of that the healing of Simon’s mother in law from the fever. And so they came. First ones and twos bringing the sick and infirm with them, but steadily the numbers swelled until the whole town was gathered at the door where You were staying. There were many needs, many who were ill with various diseases and physical injuries and there were also many who, like the man in the synagogue, had allowed an evil influence in their lives. You healed so many that night and cast out evil from many more. But unlike the synagogue You refused to allow the evil spirits to protest.
What a scene. I would imagine that with each healing or with each merciful release from evil influence it would have caused amazement and wonder. How long into the night this continued we are not told. But You had begun Your ministry in power – in Word and deed.
And lives were changed.