November 8, 2024 - Good Morning! It’s Friday, November 8.
In Mark 8:11-13 we find these words - “The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test Him, they asked for a sign from heaven. Jesus sighed deeply and said, ‘Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it’. Then He left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.
The phrase that speaks to me this morning, right in the center of this passage, is “Jesus sighed deeply”. He had just performed one of His greatest miracles - the feeding of the multitude with the loaves and fishes - and then He and His disciples had left the crowd for a time of rest when, suddenly, here again were the relentless religious leaders asking for more. And Jesus, before replying . . . sighed deeply. Do you ever have that reaction when, in the midst of trying to serve God, someone asks a negative question or makes a negative comment. We’ve probably all been there at one time or another. And it appears that Jesus, in His complete humanity, experienced this too.
His message to us today - in addition to reminding us that He knows, from experience, what we experience - is to respond in a civil manner and then get back to business. He gave the Pharisees their moment, he responded to them, and then “He got back into the boat and crossed to the other side “. If we are to be about our Father’s business - as Jesus told His parents when they found Him in the temple - then His business must be our primary focus, our main priority. There will always be people and circumstances to distract us but, following His example, we must get back into the boat and cross to the other side.
Meet you back here on Monday,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
