from one book to the next

i finished matthew and have moved onto mark. it's been great reading this book in the early am or mid-afternoon while i work office. here are a few bits that i don't know if i ever remember reading before:

And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

mark 5:20

everyone, those who had just begged Jesus, marveled.

When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.

mark 6:34

Jesus notices lostness and does not blame anyone or thing. instead, He has compassion and does something about the state of the crowd-He teaches.

And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.

mark 6:51-52

Christ is in front of you. He has just walked on the water and few thousands upon thousands of people with nothing. yet, they did not understand. they were bewildered, or astounded, but what this "man" had done.

And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Do you see anything?" And he looked up and said, "I see men, but they look like trees, walking." Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying,  "Do not even enter the village."

mark 8:22-26

why did it take double the spit? was there a lack of faith on the part of the blind man? what was Jesus demonstrating? what did He intend to be learned? and then, i so wonder why Jesus sends the man to his home, but insists that he not enter the village? i mean, the time of the Son of Man was not yet, but wouldn't the man's family notice that, well, you know, that he could see!?

 As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered." And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

mark 20-25

sometimes i wonder if forgiveness is what keeps me from experiencing God and being in deep communion with Him. i have total faith that God has the power to heal, to move, to rise from the dead. yet, when i've prayed such things, i have rarely seen them come to pass. i wonder if it's my lack of forgiveness, which is probably a lack of faith. (i might not fully trust the Lord to carry out His justice on those deserving of it (romans 12:17-21))


these are my thoughts thus far. i couldn't re-find the one that really blew me away. maybe another day.







until next time