01-12-21

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 12, 2021
Scripture: Mark 1:12
And the Spirit immediately drove Jesus out into the wilderness.

Thought for the Day: Immediately after the baptism and divine affirmation of Jesus, the Spirit drove him into the wilderness. The word “drove” in the Greek is the combination of two words – Ek (out) and Ballo (throw). Driven is a pretty strong word, but it may not communicate just how dramatic it was. The Spirit threw Jesus into the wilderness. For Mark, things happen quickly, and they are often extraordinary – one over the top event followed by another. I have a feeling there was some downtime unrecorded by Mark, but for whatever reason, it really wasn’t important to Mark’s telling of the Jesus story. Most biographies, especially those limited by length (by papyrus) don’t include the tedious everyday kind of stuff. This quick movement also creates an intensity as you read it, an energy and movement toward something. And if you know the story of Jesus, you can probably guess where Mark was going.

Prayer: Holy God, my life has plenty of events unworthy of a headline, yet I pray for an intensity when it comes to how I live and embody the Gospel, the Good News of your unconditional love. Amen.

---

---

via WordPress https://ift.tt/39EvTbt