What an interesting day, Father. We have been in the house all day with -30° wind chills, so no school! It’s been a pretty quiet day as well doing this and that – church stuff, Cricut for Karen. Thank You for our time together.
Mark 1:40-45 (<<click to read the passage)
The healed leper’s actions in verse 45 have always bothered me. But if I really think it through, would I have done any different? We have no idea how long he had been quarantined from his family and friends. We have no way of knowing when he had last kissed his wife or held his child or embraced his mother. But we do know that we too would have been ecstatic knowing that those things would all be possible once more!
And we realize, too, that before Jesus even told him to not tell anyone about what had happened, He knew he was going to. And he just didn’t tell the priests or those closest to him – he literally proclaimed it “to everyone what had happened.” In doing so, his actions impacted Jesus and His ministry for the rest of His life.
We may never know how exactly this impacted Jesus’ ministry – no more than we can know how our actions, or lack of action, impact what Jesus wants of us in our lives.
We hear of sins of commission (what we do) and sins of omission (what we don’t do). Only God knows what may have been, but I believe that on that Great Judgement Day when we will all give account for our actions that there will be many a tear for what “might have been”. If we had done as we were asked or if we hadn’t done what we did.
Jesus communicated this whole idea very clearly in Mathew 25:31-43 in speaking of the separation of the sheep and goats at the final judgment. For a little more on that, check out my post, Pick a Side (<<click to read the passage), from last fall.
Lord Jesus, help me to listen to You. May I follow Your guidance and direction in all aspects of my life. I pray that there will be fewer tears and that I would “do You proud” when I stand before You and give account on that final judgment day. Amen.
Jan 30th, 2019, Wed, 7:32 pm
