Leave

Mark 1:38-39

      Our natural tendency is to want to stay where things are going well, where things are easy. We like success. We like it when things are going smoothly. At least most of us do. We generally want to take the easy path, the one most traveled. We like sticking with the crowd. We don’t like to make waves. But not Jesus.

      Jesus has gotten up very early in the morning in order to spend time in prayer. His disciples are frantically trying to find Him, out of their own insecurities. He is fine being alone in prayer. So Jesus replies back to Simon Peter, their official spokesperson on this occasion. It’s time to move on. You are getting too comfortable here. Time to shake things up a bit.

      Jesus realizes what we call market saturation. Everyone has heard about Him where He is in Capernaum. He needs to move on to another place, where He isn’t as well known. He tells Simon that they need to move on to other places.

      For some people, moving can be one of the scariest things out there. You have to leave everything familiar, family, friends, home, schools, favorite haunts, and go to someplace, usually without anyone you know. You have to walk into that crowded room with the feeling that all eyes will be turning on you, the newcomer.

      Jesus stays focused. His mission is to preach to all these towns. He knows He has limited time, so He moves them along. Time to pack up the boxes and move. I admire those in the military who do just this every couple of years. They have learned how to adapt. Change is a part of their lives. There might be one or two people at the new place that you know, but the rest are strangers.

      Jesus knows His mission. Do you? Do you know why you are here? How do your gifts and abilities, weaknesses and foibles combine in God’s hands to accomplish what He has called you to do?

      One thing we know is that Mark demonstrates that Jesus’ ministry is not a local ministry. It is not tied to one geographic area, limited to one place. He goes throughout that part of the world and preaches, and His results are the same. He drives out demons, demonstrating His authority over spiritual realms. He was in Capernaum and then He expands His preaching to the region of Galilee of which Capernaum is just one of the towns and cities. This area stretches westward from the Sea of Galilee almost to the Mediterranean Sea.

      Jesus sometimes calls us to walk a lonely road. He calls us to get up early and spend time in prayer. He calls us to leave the familiar, the successful and venture out into the unknown. This can be scary. But notice, Jesus goes with them into this new unknown. He will be with us as we venture out in accordance with His call.