What Jesus Did! 'Angry Eyes' — Mark 3:3-5

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone." Then he turned to his critics and asked, "Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?" But they wouldn't answer him.

He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!

— Mark 3:3-5 NLT

Key Thought

Jesus became angry with his critics because they had lost the whole sense of the Sabbath. Instead of making the Sabbath a day to bless and refresh God's human creations, they had made it a day full of rules to the point of harming people. Jesus was angry and disturbed because of their hard hearts and their inability to see how they had perverted something God had intended for good. When religion goes astray, when what is called faith becomes a tool for hurting those whom God intends to bless, then it must be confronted. That is precisely what Jesus did!

Today's Prayer

Father in Heaven, please never let my heart become hardened because of my religious zeal. I want to be passionate in my faith, but I never want to become so blind that I distort your will and end up hurting those you want to bless. Keep my heart soft — open to you and to those whom you want me to touch with your grace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Romans 10:2-4
  • Mark 6:1-6
  • John 7:22-24

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Illustration

Illustration of Mark 3:3-5 NLT — "Hold out your hand."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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