Day 51 Bible Readings for February 21 – Mark 5: 41-43 (ESV)

Exodus 27 & 28, Mark 5: 21-43, Psalm 32

Mark 5: 41-43 (ESV)

“Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.”

In verses 41-43 from Mark 5, we read about the healing of the daughter of Jairus. It is an amazing miracle for Jesus to bring a little girl who had been dead long enough for mourners to come and start their traditional wailing. But Jesus healed her with only three of his disciples present and the parents of the little girl. The best depiction that I’ve seen of these verses from Mark 5 is from the series The Chosen Season 3, Episode 5. It’s one thing to read about this miracle, but it is something else to experience it as it might have actually happened in real life. You get to hear the mourners and their wailing, the fear of the girls’ parents, and their joy when they see their daughter brought to life.

Enjoy The Chosen, Season 5, Episode 3 - Raising Jairus' Daughter - 

Day 50 Bible Readings for February 20 – Mark 5: 18-20 (ESV)

Exodus 25 & 26, Mark 4: 30-41, Mark 5: 1-20, Psalm 31: 19-24

Mark 5: 18-20 (ESV)

“As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.”

Verses 18 through 20 from Mark 5 reminded me that when something miraculous happens to you, Christ wants you to proclaim it to the world as your new ministry. The man who had been possessed with demons who said his name was “Legion”, wanted to go with Jesus but Christ told the man to go home and tell his friends of how he had been healed. So the man who had been possessed with demons went back to Decapolis and told everyone how Jesus had healed him. These verses also remind me that sometimes the things we pray for and want might not be the right thing for our lives, and that God will sometimes turn us in a different direction. Decapolis was also a Gentile community, so it was part of God’s plan that the seeds of Christ’s miracles would be planted in this area which would later become an important center of Christ’s teachings after his resurrection. We have to trust that if God doesn’t answer our prayers and turns us in a different direction, that God has a plan for us and salvation of humanity.

Update on Feb 22: Caught a mild cold but too fuzzy headed to post

I picked up a mild cold which started on Thursday, but I was so fuzzy headed that the thought of reading the Bible felt too much. Feeling so much better today and I am 80% back to health, so I will get caught up on the daily Bible readings I missed. 

Day 49 Bible Readings – Mark 4: 21-23 (ESV)

Exodus 23 & 24, Mark 3: 31-35, Mark 4: 1-29, Psalm 31: 9-18

Mark 4: 21-23 (ESV)

“And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

In verses 21 through 23 from Mark 4, Jesus tells his disciples that the truth of God is like a light and that light is meant to shine and not be hidden away. Jesus talks about truth and light in common sense examples. You would not buy a light and put it under a basket, or under a bed. You would put the light on a stand so it can reveal what is in the darkness. Jesus then says that the truth of God cannot be hidden, it must be revealed. The truth of God is not a secret and must be revealed. I read a Bible commentary on these verses, and the writer commented that if you understand the word of God then it is your responsibility to spread the truth of God if God presents you with the opportunity. Jesus is telling us we cannot hide the truth of God if we have the ears to hear  and discern that truth. It’s like Jesus is saying to his disciples, you are obligated to spread the truth of God if you can discern it. I was struck by this interpretation because I never thought of Jesus obligating people who believe in him to spread his truth. Perhaps that is why the Holy Spirit inspired me to write on my blog daily what Bible verses stood out to me in my daily Bible readings, so in my small way I am doing as Jesus commanded and spreading his light to the world.