WE WANT MIRACLES!

Mark 1:45 says, "So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city.  But people found him and came from all over."


"The people came from all over, desiring healing.  Jesus wasn't against healing.  He healed repeatedly, undoubtedly following God's direction, but He had teaching to do. Yet the throngs of people found Him, coming from all over, saying, "Heal me!  Heal me!"  They weren't as interested in what He taught.  They just wanted to be healed.


"Jesus chose the mountainside, the boat on the water, the olive gardens, or any other place where He could catch His breath and teach.  Yet they came.  And Jesus loved them. He told them stories, stories that taught.  But, most of what He said went over their heads.  It was His miracles they wanted.  The Pharisees however, are the ones who started the real trouble.  They wanted Jesus to stop with His stories and His miracles. And, above all, they didn't want to hear that He came from the Father.


"How are we different?  We're not.  My first prayer that I can remember came when I was about thirteen, "Lord Jesus, change me.  I don't like who I am!"  And I prayed that it would be so.  I, too, wanted a miracle."  (From my notes of an earlier teaching.)


But, Jesus saw fit that I learn what He was teaching me.  He opened my heart to the Bible and to studying it.  I read daily and wrote on what I read. I began to feel less  sad about my short-comings and grateful for the goodness God was trying to place within me.  God pointed out that I longed to be perfect, for my imperfections seemed so monumental to me.  He reminded me that Christ died for my imperfections, my sins. Therefore, He saw me as without sin!


I guessed it was about time I saw myself the same way.  Now, this is not easy for me, and I still struggle with it, but God insists.  And I am trying.  I'm doing my best to practice what he teaches.  And that will be a miracle!!


How about you?  Lord Jesus, Help us to be wise about our imperfections, and willing to change that which you reveal to us.  Amen.


Jo INMN