What Jesus Did : Mark 1:35-37 - Pressures of the Caring
by Phil Ware
Pressures of the Caring - Mark 1:35-37
The next morning, Jesus woke up very early. Jesus left the house while it was still dark. He went to a place to be alone and pray. Later, Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus. They found Jesus and said, "All the people are looking for you!" (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
The more ministry involves working with people, the more we need quiet time with God. In the previous verses in Mark 1, Jesus has been highly involved in people-intensive ministry as he teaches, preaches, heals, and casts out demons. This is exhausting work. Yet there is always more work with people than any one of us can complete. There will always be another need, broken heart, hurting soul, and desperate problem. For us to continue to minister, we desperately need to get alone and be with God to renew our relationship, to restore our soul, and to rekindle our passion in the presence of God.
Today's Prayer
Father, I don't have the pressure or crush of people that your Son faced in his ministry. However, I know I need to follow his example and get away to center myself in your will and be rekindled by time in your presence. Help me become more disciplined as I commit my life to serving others as my Lord did. In Jesus' name and for his cause I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
Jesus and the followers left the synagogue. They all went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon's mother-in-law was very sick. She was in bed and had fever. The people there told Jesus about her. So Jesus went to her bed. Jesus held her hand and helped her stand up. The fever left her, and she was healed. Then she began serving them. That night, after the sun went down, the people brought many sick people to Jesus. They also brought people that had demons inside them. All the people in the town gathered at the door of that house. Jesus healed many people that had different kinds of sicknesses. Jesus also forced many demons to leave people. But Jesus would not allow the demons to speak, because the demons knew who he was. The next morning, Jesus woke up very early. Jesus left the house while it was still dark. He went to a place to be alone and pray. Later, Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus. They found Jesus and said, "All the people are looking for you!" Jesus answered, "We should go to another place. We can go to other towns around here. Then I can tell people {God's message} in those places also. That is why I came." So Jesus traveled everywhere in Galilee. He spoke in the synagogues. And he forced demons to leave people.-- Mark 1:29-39 (ERV)
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