# 17 The Book of Mark - Father Knows Best

Mark 1:42-45

And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away.

And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

 It is always best to obey Jesus.  The healed leper didn't.  He could have said, "I just couldn't help myself."  There are varied thoughts as to why Jesus told the leper to not tell and follow the then prescribed law "which Moses commanded."  But my guess is that it wasn't the time "to blaze abroad the matter."  But as dread a disease - socially, personally, and physically - as leprosy was, amazement and gratitude would indeed be hard to contain.  

It might be something akin to when Jesus took the leprosy of our sins away.  There is such a rush, a consuming joy, a special feeling of a captive set free.  It is hard not to "blaze it abroad."  

But what can happen is that the new believers unbridled enthusiasm coupled with their lack of knowledge and awareness can make a mockery of their witness.  Some even think their calling is so very special that they are supposed to be preachers.   Who knows but that they were called into some other type of service God has equipped them for?  

You would have thought that the leper would have realized that a man with power enough to heal something as dread a leprosy, should have the authority and respect to be obeyed.   It is the same with us. We revel in the gifts and disobey the Giver.  We need to remember--
Father knows best.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Hundred Years Old

Ellen Dittfurth – Age 100 Born 7/18/14 – a few weeks before World War I and about six years before women had the right to vote. She was the oldest of three children born to James and Abigail Thompson. Her father was an accountant and part-time preacher. Ellen used to recall how she loved to go on trips with her father to hear father preach. Ellen finished high school in Cold Springs, Texas, valedictorian of her class of twelve. During the depression her father had a job in a bank in Shepherd, Texas. Ellen often helped her father in the bank and learned her bookkeeping skills through this type of unpaid apprenticeship. One day the bank in Shepherd was robbed and Ellen’s father roughed up. The robbery had a telling physical and mental impact on her father, who recommended to the bank that they allow Ellen to take his place. She did and became the breadwinner of the family during these hard times. Her father died less than a year later. The Shepherd bank finally had to
Read more

Step Up to the Privilege

                    "What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer." How blessed we are in these uncertain times to have a sure and certain God.   How blessed we are to be in a position to stand against the wind for God.  Not everyone has a cause to wake up to.  Not everyone has a reason that makes sense to keep on keeping on, when all looks wasted and lost.   Not everyone has that infusion of heavenly minded vitality added to their lives.   Of course, the course and the calling are no easy road.  There are so many naysayers out there and then there is the tough job of working on yourself, to be more like Jesus.  We can't do that ourselves and have to humbly acknowledge where the real power comes from.  God gives us the strength to face our own stuff and in doing so make a live worth living and worthy of giving away.  We have such a great opportunity to serve the cause of Christ.  These are the days we live and die for. My prayer is for God help us to step up to t
Read more

I Have Jesus Even When I'm Invisible

“ My wife died you know?”  The one-time British sailor squinted up at me through ninety year old eyes as if to see if I were going to listen before he went on.  There was pain and need in those eyes.   “She was beautiful too; pretty as a picture; pretty as a picture, and played the piano like an angel.  Sixty years we been together.  She was beautiful.  Played the piano like an angel.  I miss her you know.  I got nobody now.  People don’t care about old folks like me.  They don’t even seem to see me.  It’s like I am some  kinda piece of garbage or something cause I’m  old and worthless now.  I miss her you know. She was beautiful.  Played the piano like an angel.” I am not too far from old and worthless myself.   Some say I am already worthless.      And for all the times I have gutted out races; all the times I have raised my arms in joy at some finish line,   for all the awards I have won and all my other moments of accomplishments, projects completed, gardens raised, pastures mowe
Read more