Dave's Diary

Daily Readings: Mark 5 and Psalm 56

Jesus had just demonstrated His power and authority over the forces of nature in Mark 4:35-41 by calming a violent storm on Lake Galilee. Now, in Mark 5, Jesus stilled storms of a different kind.

First, He stilled a violent demonic storm with His word of command. Next, He moved on to stilling a 12-year-long storm of physical infirmity when His power was appropriated by a touch of faith (v.25-34) leaving a woman healed and restored. And finally, he stilled a storm of terminal illness (v.21-23 and 35-43) when he took a 12-year-old girl by the hand and commanded her to rise from the dead.

These miracles are such dramatic demonstrations of Jesus’ power and authority that it’s easy to miss another significant fact. Each of the three people to whom Jesus ministered in Mark 5 was in some way unclean. The demoniac, the menstruating woman, and the corpse of the dead girl were all ritually unclean and, by the religious rules of the day, being in contact with them would render Jesus unclean. Jesus “should not” have been near them. But Mark wants us to see that instead of Jesus being made unclean by them, His power ministered God’s cleansing wholeness to them.

The love, grace and power of Jesus cannot be overcome by physical storms, spiritual storms, health storms, or even death. It certainly cannot be overcome by any perceived uncleanness – ours or that of others.

Life Application: Is there someone in your circle that others avoid or shun? Be Jesus to them today by connecting with them graciously and kindly, trusting that the goodness and grace of Jesus will flow trough you to minister greater wholeness to them.