“Hey, I sent you a text and you didn’t reply.”

How often have you heard those words over the phone from your frantic friend or spouse? Many of us have become conditioned to respond promptly to text messages or whatever form of communication gets our attention most readily.

In the gospel of Mark, the Greek word, euthus, often translated as "immediately" in our English translations, is used 41 times. In some cases it does refer to Jesus responding quickly to some event or development, but at other times it’s simply a tool to propel the action forward. Mark employs the word to encapsulate the urgency and intentionality with which Jesus approached his ministry on earth.

At the same time, Jesus was never in a hurry. Why would he be? Jesus knew the outcome of whatever crisis he came across before it even took place and understood the longer term implications of what he encountered. Think of the death of his good friend, Lazarus, as recorded in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+11&version=NIV" "target=_blank">John 11. When Christ hears of Lazarus’ illness, he resists attending to him immediately, waiting two days before traveling down to Bethany.

In the story recorded in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+6%3A45-&version=NIV" "target=_blank">Mark 6, Jesus sends the disciples ahead to cross the lake on a boat while he takes time to pray and reflect on the day’s activities. In other words, he was not in a hurry! Once he was ready, he crossed on his own by walking on the water. Mark even states that Jesus had intended to pass them by and meet them back on land but was stopped by their terrified cry.

What can we learn from Jesus? It appears most obvious that his sense of urgency is different from ours, mostly because we can only see what’s in front of us at that moment. More importantly, we need to be continually reminded that there might be something else going on that we don’t know about. In John 11, Jesus states when he heard about his friend’s illness, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). He always sees the bigger picture, that God’s glory would be extended.

O God, fill me with your perspective on the difficulties I’m facing today. Help me see things as you do and not resort to panicking at the thought of carrying these burdens on my own. May your glory be revealed through my frailties.

Throughout This Day: Turn to Jesus when you feel anxious or can’t see a way forward.



Tags: Daily Devotional Mark 6
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