Sunday, February 21, 2010




Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.

Mark 1:29-31

Your home is your most personal space. No other place could be more private. So it's interesting that Jesus didn't confine His ministry to public squares -- He came to peoples' homes.

Here in Mark 1:29, we see Him coming into Simon Peter's home, where Peter's mother-in-law was sick with a fever. The woman had probably never met Jesus, and maybe wasn't even aware that He could heal her. But Peter was. He and the disciples didn't hesitate to tell Jesus about her need, and Jesus acted swiftly. Tenderly taking her hand, He lifted her up, and "immediately" healed her (verse 31). Jesus touched her life that day, and she never even stepped outside the house. He had worked powerfully and quickly on her behalf, simply because Peter had asked Him to.

You know, we can sometimes forget the urgency of Jesus' love. Jesus didn't wait for people to come to Him -- He went to them. He visited sinners in their most personal spaces, far from the "spotlight" and safety of the public arena. He went not only where He was loved, but where He was needed. While He visited Peter's house, Peter presented a need, and Jesus responded "immediately." Even at this early point in the book of Mark, it is already the sixth time that word, "immediately," has been used. And I don't think it's an accident. Jesus acted immediately, with urgency, because He loved people.

We all have friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers who need the healing touch of Jesus Christ. Let me encourage you today to lift up the people around you to Jesus. Like Peter lifted the needs of his mother-in-law to Jesus, lift up your family and friends to Him, that He might heal them, and that they might encounter His love for them. Jesus answers prayer. He tells us in John 14:14, "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."

Maybe today, though, you are like Peter's mother-in-law -- you are the one in need of healing, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually. You may have known Jesus for years, or perhaps you've never known Him. Whatever the case, let me encourage you that you don't even have to leave your house -- He will come to you. Wherever you are, simply ask Him to touch your life, and He will respond immediately, according to His perfect will. He loves you more than you will ever understand, and is thrilled to hear your voice. He urgently wants to give you "a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11), because He loves you.

Jesus wants to touch your life, and the lives of those you love, this very moment. Not tomorrow, but today. Let us never forget or dismiss the urgency of Jesus' love!






Taken from the Daily Devotion of Mike MacIntosh
Horizon Christian Fellowship

11 comments:

pam said...

Good stuff...love first...He will take care of all else....the greatest of these is love.

ellen b. said...

I enjoyed reading this insight into this healing that Jesus did. Hope you Sunday is going well Cori G!

Diva Kreszl said...

thank you for this lovely post today!

Tara said...

Ah, and i think our homes, our private time, is when we connect most!

Beverly said...

Cori, this was beautiful. Thank you for sharing with us.

I am just back to work this week. It had been so long since I felt like visiting, and I missed everyone.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Hi Cori

Hope all is well! This was a beautiful doevotional to read ..thnak you for sharing!
♥ Pat

GwendolynKay said...

This is a great devotion. Thanks for sharing.
Blessings!
Gwen

p.s. love the new header.

http://afancifultwist.typepad.com said...

Helloooo sweet wonderful friend, the heavens hear your sharing and delight!!

Much love your way ;) Thinking about you xoxo

Simply Heart And Home said...

Wonderful devotional. Brings back sweet memories. Years ago, I taught Preschool when Horizon was still Calvary Chapel.

Have a lovely weekend.

Gina

Melly said...

What a beautiful devotion, thank you so much Cori, for sharing it. I do hope all is well with you and that your weekend is beautifully blessed.
God bless you!
Melly:)

Seawashed said...

hey Gypsy Rose,

is something going on with your computer cause you appeared on my blogroll this morning with a weird code...you can come to my blog and look at it yourself. I haven't pushed on it in case it is a virus. Let me know what you think. ox~ Fairmaiden