Take your c@%##! - Mark 8:34

Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Mark 8.34)

In polite Roman society, it was as bad as swearing to say the word ‘cross.’ No decent Roman ever mentioned it, let alone considered dying on a cross. Jews had a similar horror of crucifixion. It was hanging on a tree, which is cursed in Old Testament Law. However the cross was never far from the Lord Jesus’ mind. He thought about it in eternity, when He was marked out by God as the Lamb. He thought about the cross in history, when the Holy Spirit inspired the prophets to describe those sufferings in intimate detail. He thought about the cross during his earthly life, since He often told His followers that He was going to die.

To be continued - Mark 8:25

After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. (Mark 8.25)

Have you been for an eye test recently? The Lord Jesus is better than any optician. As I read through the Gospels, it is interesting to see how He uses different treatments to heal blind people. Today’s man has two eye tests. He is healed gradually not immediately.

Not Nasty but Nice - Mark 7:27

Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled (Mark 7.27)

At first, it seems like the Lord Jesus is being horrible to this woman. She has a serious problem, so she comes to the Lord Jesus for help. Yet He takes His time and carefully guides her. She understands her need. She expects that He can meet that need. But she must also realise how little she deserves His mercy. At last in desperation this lady begs for His help, knowing she can’t earn it. Then the Lord answers her cry and heals her daughter.

 It’s the same for me! To truly appreciate His greatness, I need to be aware of my own unworthiness. Only then can I understand how kind He is to help me.

Heart 2 Heart - Mark 7:21

From within, out of the heart of man, proceed evil thoughts … (Mark 7.21)

My heart is a wonderful engine. It pumps 7000 litres of blood a day, beating more than once a second. It should last for 70 years without a service or MOT. But humans are more than machines – I am a spiritual creature made in God’s image. And so I can learn more about my heart in the Bible than in any Biology textbook!