Daily Manna, February 2, Mark 5

what thoughts did you have from your reading today?

My comments on Mark 5

In the midst of a large crowd Jesus’ felt the touch of his garment by a woman because of her faith. “Who touched me?” He said. She was immediately healed. Christ’s sensitivity to our needs,  immediate forgiveness, and awesome power are revealed in these verses. So sensitive that he felt the touch of His garment.  So compassionate that he immediately healed her. And, so much love that he recognized her faith amid a large crowd that apparently was encompassing Him. This sensitivity, this compassion, and this love is available to all, even me.

Thought of the day...

He knows “my” name!

In the prior chapter, Jesus had to get on a boat to speak to the people because they were pressing them. Once again, he’s being pressed (possibly groped) by the crowds. We sometimes feel used by fair-weathered friends. We can begrudge people who only reach out to us when they want something. But not Jesus. He asks who touched Him not to reprimand her but to acknowledge her. I need to be open to helping others and not judging their motives. I need to give and give and give, not keeping score of who helped me. This is my prayer for today.

In this chapter, I noticed Jesus's care for the individual. In the first few verses, he performs a miracle that seemingly was seen as positive only to the demon-possessed man. The other people in the town asked Him to leave! When walking through the throngs of people, he paused to see who was touching Him and spoke directly to her. This woman was ceremonially unclean and no one in the crowd would've normally associated with her. Jesus knew of her isolation and physical ailment, and immediately healed both. In the case of Jairus's daughter, the crowd all thought it was too late for Jesus's power to have any effect. They assumed He did not have power over death. But, he stopped at Jairus's house and went in anyway. He cares about each individual. He could've done miracles like the feeding of 5000, which might have affected more people and theoretically had more influence, but with the type of miracles the reading today, you can see his compassion and love for each person and what he or she is going through.

Sorry for the typo in today’s post!

My thoughts today aligned with all of yours. We see Jesus’ compassion and power coalesce in order to bring about good for others. Sometimes we think about the purpose of Jesus’ miracles as just confirming His identity as the Messiah and the Son of God and while they did do that, that was not their only purpose. The impetus and motivation for His miracles, on the majority of instances, is His compassion for others. This reveals not only who He is but what He is about and cares about. He acts within His ability to help each of these individuals.

Jordan’s comment on our reading today was how remarkable it was that Jesus noticed the woman in the midst of the crowd. It shows that He is aware of each of us as individuals and cares about our own particular needs.

I need to be somebody who cares about individuals enough to pay attention to and address their particular circumstances/needs with the resources and abilities I Have at my disposal.

Three different people who desperately needed Jesus. Jairus had a daughter who was dying, and the bleeding woman had spent all she had and sought many physicians' help, but her illness had actually gotten worse over the 12 years. While it is not mentioned that the demon-possessed man asked for healing, it is evident by his response that he is most grateful! Jesus' instruction to him to “Go home to you friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how He has had mercy on you,” is the response I need to have to my salvation and the ongoing forgiveness of my sins and the daily mercies of God. When we have good news we usually want to share it. The good news of Jesus needs to be shared.