February 10, 2016 (Wednesday)
Our study at church this evening will take us to Mark 9:14-37, which describes the healing of a boy, Jesus’ emphasizing his approaching death, and his teaching his disciples about true greatness.
Jesus, Peter, James and John came down from the mountain where Jesus had been transfigured, and found a crowd gathered with his disciples. A father stepped forward and told Jesus his son was possessed by a demon and had been having violent seizures all his life, begging Jesus to help. Jesus replied, “If you can believe, all things are possible.” The man then cried, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” Jesus then cast out the demon. Afterwards the disciples asked why they could not dispel the demon, and Jesus replied, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”
Afterwards they traveled through Galilee, and, as they walked, Jesus reminded them of his impending death, burial and resurrection. They still could not understand.
Then He came to Capernaum. And when He was in the house He asked them, “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.”
Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them. And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me.”
Jesus had called ordinary men from ordinary lives to become his companions and learn from Him. They seemed to be slow in comprehending who Jesus was and what his mission was to become. If we had lived at that time and walked with them, we probably would have understood no better than they. It was a process. They learned to love Jesus, and after the Holy Spirit’s coming upon them in mighty power at Pentecost, they became marvelous servants of God, empowered and filled with spiritual knowledge.
We are always in the process of learning more about Jesus, growing in grace and becoming His servants, but we can give our best service only as we yield to the power of His Holy Spirit within us.
until my heart is clean;
let sunshine fill its inmost part,
with not a cloud between.
Holy Spirit, breathe on me,
till I am all Thine own,
until my will is lost in Thine,
to live for Thee alone.
Breathe on me, breathe on me
Holy Spirit, breathe on me;
Take Thou my heart, cleanse every part,
Holy Spirit breathe on me.