Mark 3:1-12 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”
4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.
7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. 11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.
Ian Longtin
Hope Center Covenant
Observation: Jesus I see the Power of God so present in You that You could heal a disfigured hand while simultaneously challenging the misunderstood standards of righteousness of religious people. Your Power drew the poor, needy, and the sick to Yourself while repelling the spiritual forces of darkness.
Action: Jesus, I want to operate in Your power. Today I am going to do my absolute best to live in the reality of Your kingship; submitting to and receiving your authority so that Your power would be manifested in my life and my community.
Dear Jesus, what I believe you are asking me to do is to yield to Your Kingship. God, how understanding You are. Thank you for being such a wise, loving, but powerful God.
Today, I will be mindful that I am here to glorify Him. It is not about me.
Observation: Lord, I see that some goods are greater than others, and that your people offer focus on lesser goods, whether it is law over compassion or physical desires over discipleship.
Action: I need Your help to see and Perdue the greater goods, so I will ask You today to give me that help, to open my eyes to what is best.
Observation: I hear You saying, “stretch out your hand.”
Action: I am going to listen for where my “lameness” is today and exercise the faith to stretch out my hand to You.
Observation: I see a lot of people with shriveled hands/lives running to you. I wonder how many others don’t because they are afraid to do so.
Action: Don’t be shy about running to the one who can heal my shriveled parts. Let me be bold in pushing forward to get healed.
Jesus wants us to do the greater good, the most godly thing. It distresses and angers him when we are held back by religion, the law, fear, opinions of others, our own reputation and position.
Action: To look at my actions and make sure I am doing the thing Jesus would do. So not just asking what would he do, but doing it. God, I pray for the courage to be that bold and that righteous. I’m sorry I have to pray for that; I feel bad that sometimes it is hard to do the best thing.
Observation: He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts…., Sometimes we are so full of ourselves we can’t or won’t see the outstretched hand Jesus holds out to us.
Action: Jesus, I want to be open and accessible to you and your power, today I will put myself second and watch for the places you are extending your hand to me.
OBSERVATION: Lord Jesus, I hear you saying that my ‘good’ choices are not Your choices. Mine are broken, disfigured, unsure. Your’s are best of all, pure. If I focus on You, reach out to You Lord, You Jesus will heal my motives and choices.
ACTION: Today Lord I will focus on you and reach to you for guidance and healing . May Your ways become my pathway.