At once

Mark:1:16-20

Peter and Andrew; James and John; when the Master called them to follow Him, they at once left everything and followed Him. Their father, their nets, their friends. All they wanted to focus from today was their beautiful Saviour.

When Jesus calls you, what hesitiates you to completely obey Him? It might be a call to follow Him; it might be a call to discard a few habits or a relationship. It might be a call to renounce a particular sin which you used to enjoy. What holds you from surrendering fully.

At once.

Immediately.

Completely/fully.

Are not adverbs to describe the verbs. But the core key words.

Image credit: https://stock.adobe.com/search/images?k=fishing+net

Comments

For you

They began to spit ------ Beat him with their fists ----- Some slapped him, jeering Matt:26:67-68 It would be humiliating to be spat upon the face. His face would have been fully red out of bruise. A racoon eye probably. It is menial to be made fun off - more menial when people make fun of you disbelieving what you claim or what you really are. Matt:27:26 Jesus was flogged with a lead tipped whip Skin might have shredded to pieces, pieces of muscles torn away, splurting blood everywhere. Pain unable to be described in words. Psalm:129:3 The plowers plowed upon my back. Hematomas everywhere. Anaemic because of the blood loss. Internal organs lacerated. Excruciating pain from the tip of the hair to the toe. Dehydrated. Stinking. Stripped naked and made to walk through the streets in front of the ones you loved, the ones who loved you. Thorns on His brow. Nails driven through the median nerve. Struggling to breath hanging on the cross. He has to pull Himself up to expand ...

Plain and true

Mark:1:1-8 John the Baptist preached the gospel - plain and true. v4: He proclaims about repentance and turning to God to be forgiven. v7: He proclaims that Jesus is the only way. Acknowledging my sinfulness is the first step to salvation. By nature I am sinful. By my choices I am sinful. Realisation that I need forgiveness is the next step. And only God can give that. I need to turn to God to be forgiven. And finally Jesus is the only way to reach to God. He is the only way that this forgiveness is practicalised. Once I can approach God, through the forgiveness granted on the cross, of the sinfulness of mine, then the beautiful amazing journey starts. Have you taken this first step? If not, all other efforts are wasted Image credit: https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/what-does-gospel-mean/

Silence

I am often amazed by Jesus' silence on the cross. For all the accusations and false testimonies, how could he keep quiet. There was no " I never said that" or " "for whom am I doing this, why should I go through this for them" or "why don't you understand". Why can't I keep quiet when falsely accused or pointed fingers at? Why should I justify? Will that bring about a change in the situation? Will they stop accusing? Why do you want to defend? More or less because of the pride. To protect our own self. By defending ourself we think our tarnished image would be protected. Learning from Jesus' example is a difficult thing to do. Let the accusers say whatever. As long as you are a child of God. As long as you are loved by Him. As long as you are His beloved. Be secure in His love. Image credit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/image/pictures-of-jesus-nails-feet-6723253?lang=eng

Joseph of Arimethea

Joseph of Arimethea had chosen Jesus but was secretly following Him. We never come across him elsewhere in the gospels apart from the time of burial of Jesus. But at that point, he decided to go public. This is the time I should stand up for Jesus to give Him a decent burial- and that is how the prophecies came true. Being a silent follower of Jesus is good. Yes it is between you and God. But openly proclaiming that you belong to Jesus is a different level. It is a higher way of obedience. In your workplace do people know that they cannot mess around you? In your college / school, do people approach you to pray for them? Do people fool around you? Do they hush their conversation when you enter the room? Would your presence make no difference? Do people want to gossip about others to you? The basic question is - Do others know you are a Christian? Do others know you are a child of God? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinf...

What was in His mind at the cross?

Matt:27:32-44 What was in Jesus' mind when He was on the cross? Save yourself - they said looking at Him. He could have. But He didn't. Why? He was thinking of saving you. So He chose to stay. But He can't save Himself - they said. He could have. He could. But He didn't. He was mindful of you. His mind was full of you. Let God rescue Him if He wants Him - they said. The Father wanted the Son. But the Son knew the heart of the Father. Who yearns to. Who wants to have you. In order to have you back, He chose to be there. He was not there helplessly on the cross, but willfully. Thinking of you. Image credit: https://stock.adobe.com/search?k=jesus+christ+cross

Blasphemy

Mk:3:29 But anyone who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a sin with eternal consequences. What is sin with eternal consequences? What exactly is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? The context explains it. The Son of God by the power of the Spirit of God, drives out demons, brings healing to the sick and does amazing miracles. Attributing these to demons was blasphemy. Unable to see the hand of God in an obvious divine intervention disappoints God. Attributing it to chance, scientific explanations, logicality - forgetting the power of the hand of God, hurts Him. Might not be blasphemy, as you do not attribute it to Beelzebub, but do you believe in miracles? Absolute miracles. Do you believe that nothing is impossible for God? That God is All powerful and He can do anything? If you believe anything short of this absolute truth - be careful that you are not blaspheming against the Holy God. Be careful you do not hurt God. Image credit: https...

To amalgamate

Mk: 1:40-45 The man with leprosy begged - if you are willing, you can heal me. Jesus moved with compassion and healed him. What a combination? Faith and compassion. Helplessness and love. The love and compassion is always there. It is the absence of helplessness and faith that hinders healing to come. Unless you know your helpless estate, unless you trust in the everloving hand of God, how will you be delivered? There were thousands of lepers in Israel at that time. But only a few were healed. Because they had the faith that Jesus can heal, therefore they out of their helplessness they came to Him. And He because He was willing and because He was moved with compassion, He healed them all. He doesn't have any criterion to base His healing. Not the amount of faith, not the life of purity they live. Only because He is able and because of His love. He will heal. Image credit: https://www.istockphoto.com/search/2/image-film?phrase=two+things+working+together

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