Mark 1:35-39 He Went Out

Even after a hectic evening, Jesus gets up early to be alone and pray. This is a favourite text for all of those people who, over the years, have tried to improve my prayer life. And it still isn't what it should be. Yes, I wake early, but bed is warm and I'm too busy obsessing over the things I need to do that day.

Maybe the secret is to actually pray - talk to my Father. Maybe that is why my whole devotional life isn't up to scratch. Yes ... I need to pray more.

But the disciples go looking for Him because "everyone" wants Him. Already? Weren't they satisfied with the night before. What else did they want of Him? If they are already healed then it must be for the entertainment of seeing others healed. Maybe they had brought people who had chosen not to be healed the night before.

But they would have to wait, Jesus didn't even go back to town, that day anyway. He states His purpose as preaching to more people. He had to invite more people to change their thinking and believe the good news.

His job was not to 'just' heal and do miracles. So why did he heal? Why not just preach?

Why do we love miracles? I guess for the same reason we go to movies... to see something new and spectacular. But to hear good news; less spectacular but more satisfying? More necessary? Certainly is... all the miracles are signposts to what Jesus says. He felt that what He said spoke louder than what He did. It's just the opposite with us. I need to take more notice of what He said.

And true to His purpose, Jesus preaches in the synagogues of "all Galilee", everywhere, in every town - traveling and preaching.

Oh, and just as an aside, casting out demons! He had to do that to reach some of the people. Physically sick people can hear the gospel preached, are demon-possessed people prevented from hearing?