God summoned Moses to Mount Horeb; Elijah found God outside
a cave on a mountain.
The crowds are pressing in on Jesus and what does he do? He
retreats up a mountain. That was what people did when they wanted to be near
God.
Although Jesus does something completely predictable by
going up a mountain, he does something equally unpredictable. He doesn’t go
alone. He goes up the mountain and calls to him “those he wanted.”
What follows are a series of passages in which people close
to Jesus and people thought to be close to Jesus are named. Twelve apostles,
Beelzebul, Satan, the scribes, his brothers and mother, crowd…who is actually close
to Jesus and whom are “those he wanted”?
It seems that people can’t see Jesus the way he is. They see
him the way they are. Those who are ignorant see him as wise. Those who are ill
see him with healing power. The scribes see him as possessed and threatening. His
family sees him as delirious.
As accusations, inquiries, and demands swirl around him,
Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and
whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin.”
What is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
Naming God in our image. Seeing God as we are, and not as
God is.
The only characters with clear vision in Mark’s gospel,
aside from Jesus himself, are the unclean spirits and the readers. Can we keep
ourselves from the blasphemy we see throughout the gospel? Can we see Jesus as
he really is, and not as we want or need him to be?
Text for the
day:
Things to
think about:
What are you demanding from Jesus? What is he trying
to give you?
Things to do:
Pray for yourself and the people around you, that God
will provide the things they need today, whether or not they know what they
are.
Jesus, give me eyes to see you as you are.
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