Stepping away from the whirlwind - July 21
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 31; PM Psalm 35; 1 Samuel 21:1-15, Acts 13:13-25; Mark 3:7-19a
Today’s Reflection
“Jesus is a character with many and varied traits. What Jesus ‘does’ reveals primarily the extent and nature of his authority from God. What Jesus ‘says’ discloses his understanding of himself as agent of God and his purposes. Both what Jesus does and what he says expresses his values and show his integrity in living up to those values.”
–David Rhoads, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie in Mark as Story (Fortress Press, 2012)
Of the four Gospel accounts, two of them (Matthew and Luke) ease into the life of Christ by first telling us of his origins—his ancestors, his birth and childhood—before beginning to detail his baptism and the events of his three years of public ministry. The other two Gospels, Mark and John, immediately bring us into Jesus’ story at the prime of his earthly life, telling us of his baptism upfront and then taking us right into an up-close and personal viewpoint on the intensity of Jesus’ daily work of teaching, preaching, healing, and casting out unclean spirits.
In Mark 3: 7-19, we find Jesus desperately seeking a well-deserved break from this constant whirlwind of activity and attention. Everywhere he goes, people are flocking to him because they have heard the news about what he did or said at his last stop along the way. And critics like the Pharisees and Herodians were taking note of his words and deeds, adding to the pressure building upon Jesus and his disciples, as we saw earlier in Mark 3 after Jesus entered the synagogue and healed the man with the withered hand.
Feeling the weight of this building pressure, Jesus’ instinct (a very good one) was to withdraw with his disciples to the sea. This reminds me of when you or I decide to talk a walk or a run or drive to go get some fresh air, some space to breathe and think and pray in the midst of our own busy lives and stressful situations. But still, even when he tried to take a breather, the crowds continued to follow Jesus—so he told the disciples “to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him” (3:9). Doesn’t it sound like Jesus was having the disciples arrange for a get-away car (or in this, a get-away boat) to help whisk them away from all the crowds and the craziness?
From there, Jesus went up the mountain and “called to them those whom he wanted.” Yes, Jesus took the get-away boat so he could go on a mountain retreat with some trusted friends. And not only that, but Jesus decided to do another very smart thing to deal with the mounting pressure of his public life and ministry: He delegated authority so these companions could begin to share with him some of the responsibilities of ministry, specifically the work of preaching and casting out demons. And once Jesus had assembled this team of co-laborers, at the end of the day he did one more, very wise thing: “Then he went home” (3:19).
It can be easy to trick ourselves into believing, even with the best of intentions, that we are what we do and say. But it’s also important to remember that we are more than the sum of our actions, words, or reputations. As Jesus models so well in today’s passage from Mark 3, we are also formed by what decide not to do—moments when we say no to the culture of accomplishment, achievement, and productivity.
In other words, Jesus was able to step away from the whirlwind of activity and attention to find moments to rest, refocus, and just be. Even the Son of God, equally divine and human, needed to arrange for the get-away boat, a retreat up the mountain, and then, when all was said and done, just go home. If we are to follow more faithfully in the footsteps of Jesus, we must remind ourselves (and one another) that sometimes the best thing to do is get in the boat, go up the mountain, and then head home to recharge our souls and reconnect with the people who love us regardless of what things (be they magnificent or mediocre) we may have said or done that day.
Becky+
Moment for Reflection
What helps you to recharge and refocus? Where are the happy places or quiet places you choose to go to get away from the craziness and business of daily life? Who are the people you turn to share responsibilities or listen as you process the stress and pressure you may encounter along the way?
Commit to carving out a full hour (or two, or three) so that, like Jesus, you can away from the responsibilities of your to-do list and just be the person God created you to be.