MERRY MONDAY- Parris Bailey
“And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. And all the city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth. And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.” Mark 1:1
In Mark’s gospel he straightway, in the first chapter, begins to show the compassion and power of the Lord Jesus. He tells of Jesus taking Simon’s mother by the hand, touching the leper, speaking to the Centurion’s daughter and taking her by the hand, putting his fingers into a deaf ear and putting His salvia on a stammering tongue, and creating clay for the blind man who saw men as trees walking. He was Panpharmacon- a salve for every sore. I believe Mark was not only describing Christ’s compassion, but in each of these people we see some of ourselves. There was the demonic boy who often cast himself into the fire- Jesus touched him also. Lets stop for a moment-just a brief moment in time, close your eyes and feel the touch of Christ. There is so much in His touch! Jesus comes and touches our filth and sets the contagion free. The gospel sole purpose is to touch us in our brokenness, for we are the leper, the blind, the deaf, the demonized and the dead. He is more than enough my friend. The leper, falling down before Jesus, said-“if thou wilt, make me clean”. Jesus said, “I will, be thou clean.”
“Let your touch answer to His, as He lays hold of us, in His incarnation and His death, let the hand of faith clasp His outstretched hand, and though our hold be as the timid woman who once laid her hand on His garment’s hem, the blessing which we need will flow into our veins from the contact.” (Macclaren) Jesus comes to touch the very thing thats been hidden in darkness for so long. Fall down before him and believe!