Tell Jesus

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

TELL JESUS

Mark 1:29-31

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

NIV

Well, we do see that the disciples did have homes, and apparently they stopped by them from time to time as we are told here. It doesn’t appear that Simon and Andrew left their families behind, just their work in the family business. But nevertheless that is not the point of this statement about what happened. Their mother was in bed with a fever and they already thought Jesus could do something about it. They surely had just seen Jesus cast out an evil spirit with authority and were convinced that he must also have authority over a simply sickness of fever. Now we should also remember that in those days a fever could be deadly and this mothers two sons were concerned about her. They told Jesus about her. The lesson for us here could well be that we should bring the needs, at least the health needs, of others to Jesus. Yes, we should bring our own needs to Jesus, but we should also be concerned about those who are sick and talk to Jesus about them. It is apparent that when Jesus heard what they had said about her, he went to her and helped her up, which means he healed her from the fever immediately because she began to wait on them. Should we not expect an immediately healing as well? Do we use the excuse that Jesus uses doctors today to heal us? Do we not bring our needs to him, but to the doctors? Do we claim that Jesus gave us doctors therefore he intends for us to be healed by them? There were physicals in those days because after Jesus healed the leper he told him to go show himself to the doctor. Maybe, just maybe, we should tell Jesus about that fever first, rather than the doctors. Of course maybe the doctor had already made his house call and could do nothing about this fever. Now we shouldn’t exclude Jesus from using the doctor, if that is what he has told us to do. But again, if we are to refrain from the ways of the world, would that include relying on doctors for our every illness? We know it is a fact that Jesus healed this woman, as well as many others. So why is it so difficult for us to completely trust in his healing power today? Maybe, just maybe we don’t actually believe he heals. But that can’t be true because we are believers. Could it be that we have some doubts? Could it be we have never actually seen or experienced a divine healing? Some of us have both seen and experienced healing by Jesus. We need to tell others, build up others in their most Holy faith. When illness occurs we need to tell Jesus.