Epiphany
Celebration of God
Manifested in the World
February 8, 2015
Scripture Reading: Mark 1:29-39
In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, ‘Everyone is searching for you.’ He answered, ‘Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.’ And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons. — Mark 1:35-39
Jesus never lost sight of his focus. While he was constantly barraged by people wanting healing, wanting to hear him, wanting to be his student, he was able to address such needs within the path of his purpose. I think he was able to do this because he always found time to resynchronize with God. From the stories of him related in the gospels, he never particularly seemed rushed. He took time with beggars and rich young rulers, women and children, leaders of the synagogue and widows who gave their mite. He set a good example for us all.
Jesus also was wise in identifying the time to plant faith and move to the next neighbor toward his goal of bringing God’s message to all. He was recruiting workers for the harvest of justice. Of course, the building of community was important to this work, but community was a means to an end not the end itself. One of the great challenges of the Body of Christ today is to retain a thirst for righteousness like that which seemed to drive Jesus while maintaining the community of faith that undergirds the quests. I think it is particularly challenging for those of us who are somewhat removed from the plights of our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in oppression and poverty or the ones in prison or the ones around whose homes the waters of global warming are moving quickly to erode their land.
We, too, need to find our deserted places and communicate with God so that our time, and talent, and treasure is dedicated to spreading the love of God throughout the world as a means to God’s justice being reality for all.
Prayer: Lead me, guide me, along the way,
for if you lead me, I cannot stray.
Lord, let me walk each day with you;
lead me my whole life through. Amen.