Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Motivate!
February 7, 2024
Pause. Pray. Read. Be still. Write. Pray.
Read Mark 3:7-12
Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him, for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” But he sternly ordered them not to make him known (NRSV).
Be Still: The crowd heard that Jesus had made others well – this information was the motivating factor that not only led people to talk about all the things that Jesus was doing, but it also motivated them to travel from their respective hometowns to see for themselves if he truly had the power to heal.
One thing I have witnessed in all my years in ministry when visiting the sick, is how one’s physical presence, whether it is a pastor, friend, or family member, simply by being present encourages and gives hope to the sick. John Wesley emphasized the need to practice physical presence because it aids in the healing of the sick individual to be restored to better health. What a beautiful reminder of how one’s presence becomes a motivating factor in the healing process of another.
If you know someone who is feeling ill, or recuperating from surgery, give them a call to see if you can stop by for a brief visit. You never know, your physical presence may be the motivating factor that gets them over the next hurdle toward healing and wholeness.
Prayer: Healing God, thank you for the gentle reminder of the healing power of physical presence. Open our eyes to see and ears to hear how our presence can be a motivating factor in one’s healing. Amen.
Pastor Kellie