Devotional:Stay on Course:Mark 1:29-39

The bus had arrived to pick up my wife and me, to take us home. Just as I was beginning to assist my wife to the bus my cell phone rang. It was a call from my care Coordinator making her monthly calls to check up on me. Often, we have a few minutes to talk about life in general. Today, I did not have time. I explained the situation and we said our good-byes.

Have you ever experienced an interruption from an important source? You are busy doing something very important when something else tries to claim your attention? How do you handle these types of circumstances? Our scripture for today gives us insight.

Mark 1:14-27 tells us about the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. He calls His first disciples. They enter the synagogue and Jesus begins to teach (v.21). A man with an unclean spirit interrupted Jesus as He was teaching. Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and the news spread. People brought their sick to Jesus to be healed.

Early in the morning Jesus went to a secluded place to pray (v. 35). The disciples told Jesus that the people were looking for Him (v. 37). The need was still great in that place as there were many with diseases of various kinds. However, Jesus knew His primary purpose. He came into the world to make the love of the Father and the kingdom of God known to the people. Notice Jesus’ response to the disciples. “He said to them, ‘Let us go somewhere else to the tows nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for’” (v.38). Jesus would not be distracted from His purpose to do a good thing. He was determined to stay the course that He was on. He would teach about the love of the Father and the kingdom of God.

Prayer: Lord, we are reminded to stay the course that has been set before us. Amen.