In my pursuit to deepen my faith and knowledge about God, His existence, His characteristics and His power, I drew myself nearer to HIm so I could see Him clearer… through reading the Bible. Not that I haven’t been reading the bible before, but reading it thoroughly has never been my thing. Let’s just say, I did it like out of requirement as a Christian, and not as a need for me to know the Lord profoundly. And yes, it is just now I am able to see the benefits and results of reading the Good News with real good and clear intentions.
Book of Mark was the first book given to my heart by the Lord to comprehend. I didn’t know the reason why it was the book I should read first, but as I went along, the message was then clear – it is where I could dig out the absolute love of Jesus why he had to suffer the cross of Calvary just to save us. Indeed, the book of Mark is a whole complete story to magnify to us the reality that we are purchased from our transgressions and that we are so blessed to have all the opportunity to gain eternal life because of it.
Moreover, the book also projects several traits that Jesus and other characters showed that we as human should humbly follow. As how the Lord humbled himself down, and so should we.
Faith and the Ever-faithful. The book of Mark accounts several stories of faith of many people. One classic example that blessed me was that of the Syrophoenician woman (Mark 7: 24-30) who by faithfully saying “Yes, Lord!” was sent home by the ever faithful Jesus and was told "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." Many other stories is there written and all boils down to one point – that if we have the faith and trust to the magnificent power of the Lord, He is just more than faithful to get back to us with assurance.
Misjudgments and His Word to Rebut. The book also entails the Pharisees’ tough resistance to Jesus’ beliefs and teachings. Mark 11: 27-33 is the story where Jesus’ authority was questioned. And note that He did not answered it back directly but He just threw a similar puzzling question to the teachers of the law until they themselves realized it. Parallel to this is Mark 7:1-23 when the hypocrites discussed about the tradition of clean and unclean. Jesus tossed them with Words of Wisdom like, “Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.' " This makes it certain that in every confusions that evil tries to instill in our mind, Word of God is always a good battle shield to survive.
His Name and His Power. As we look at the setting of the story in Mark, it was the time where diseases and evil-flee was on. Many suffer unwanted demonic possessions. In all places, where Jesus and the disciples go to teach the gospel, they encounter such. And what’s remarkable is His power and might to command all the evil just by His words and His name. Truly magnificent! The confidence to be always off Satan’s control relies on how we truly believe in Jesus’ name.
The Endurance and Humility and Righteousness. Along Christ’s journey as He let himself be human is the unbelief and ruthless judgment thrown to Him, emotionally and physically. As we all know, He had bore all wicked assumptions, hatred, rejections, and even physical pain of abrasions and blood… in humility… just to live His commitment so as to pay for the sins of the world. He carried on, in all humbleness, to live the righteous way, and suffered death and yet for failures He is not accountable of, because of His great love for us.
So amazing that the Book of Mark recapitulated to me the basic truth – that Jesus is ever powerful and superb and glorious. And yet, humbled Himself down just to teach the people of faith, of truth, of acceptance and of salvation. Hosanna to the highest!
Acknowledgment: JFA Interactive (www.jfainteractive.ning.com)
