Notes to the Lord:Room For God Work

Mark 3

Lord Jesus--I want to think that I have it all put together and that the pieces all make sense...but really I find myself in the place of need often. I am in the place where need is pushing me to see glory worked out in the real world.  It leaves me knowing that I can not change what needs to be changed only you can. So often the lesson is a simple one: I can't and you can.  So I need to let you.

[3.11-12]Evil spirits, when they recognized him, fell down and cried out, “You are the Son of God!” But Jesus would have none of it. He shut them up, forbidding them to identify him in public.

Lord Jesus--There are times when I view miracles from the wrong end of the binoculars...I focus on exactly the wrong place and so miss the essence of what you were doing. The miracles that you performed did in fact validate your authenticity, but that was not the point of the intervention into this world's function.  So what was the point?  You touched the lives of ordinary people to demonstrate in ways that transformed lives that you care us intimately.  You care about our physical hurts, our oppression, and our spiritual need


You did not need to hear the acknowledgement of demons because you have known them from before they were created...in fact the battle may have been joined before with these same forces.  If the point had been validation of authenticity, then it would have been logical to let the demons speak.  But validation was not the point, nor was authentication.  The genuine does not need validation it just needs opportunity for expression.

The very people that were bound by Satan and who had been the distractions during synagogue, and the people who were problematic at worship time at temple became opportunities for God's grace to be shown in the real world. You showed God's love to those who were open with their need.   Or maybe they weren't as sophisticated in their ability to hide their need?

I am acutely aware of my need for your continued work in my life,  Lord Jesus.  There is not the need for validation of who you are by doing tricks with fish and bread...or of walking across my swimming pool like Herod sings in Jesus Christ Superstar.  You need to do some much more than that!  So why do I try to put you in that box again and again?


Lord Jesus--You lived out God's love to the very people who were the misfits and the clearly visibly needy people. I seek to see you work again in the real world of where need meets love and lives change.  So really the question is: Am I willing to begin to see, needs as opportunities for you to work?  Am I willing to look for you to work just outside my front door?

That means from my end that it may not be comfortable...that there may be ambiguity and times of waiting on you to act, times of prayer and seeking, longing for you to work...prayer that knows desire so deep that words can express it adequately.  That is the growing edge isn't?

Work Holy Spirit in power and grace towards the ends that will bring glory to the Father.

Peterson, Eugene H. (2006-06-15). The Message Remix 2.0: The Bible In contemporary Language (p. 1795). NavPress. Kindle Edition.