I invite you to take a few moments with me to reflect on today’s Upper Room Devotional below.
Thank you for sharing this early moment of your day with me, with God, and with the thoughts and words of this reading that I hope you will carry with you throughout the coming day and night.
Today’s Scripture:
Mark 1:29-39 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Jesus Heals Many at Simon’s House
29 As soon as they[a] left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. 31 He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
32 That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. 33 And the whole city was gathered around the door. 34 And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
A Preaching Tour in Galilee
35 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. 36 And Simon and his companions hunted for him. 37 When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” 38 He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” 39 And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Tim’s Devotional Reflection for Today
The house of Simon and Andrew was home base for Jesus and the disciples in Galilee. It was in the town of Capernaum on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. You can visit the archeological site of Capernaum today and see the remains of the house that may well be the house of the two brothers and Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. Today there is a modern church built in such a way that it straddles the archaeological site. You can see the remains of an octagonal Byzantine church that was built on top of the site of the house. You can read more about the house here and see multiple pictures of it before and after the modern church was built here.
Simon Peter’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and Jesus “took her by the hand and lifted her up.” It is what Jesus did time and time again. Either literally—as here—or figuratively—as in many other places—Jesus took people by the hand and lifted them up. He took people by the hand and lifted them up to a new life, to new hope, to a new beginning, and to full wholeness. The Risen Christ does that today, too. Wherever your life has taken you, no matter who you are, Christ can take you by the hand and lift you to a new life and guide you in your living.
Notice that Jesus got up very early, while it was still dark, and went out to a deserted place to be alone and to pray. He did this often—even in the busy times when needs were great.
As we think about what it means to follow Jesus, there are lessons for us here. To follow Jesus means that we, too, are called to lift people up, not put people down. It means that we, too, can contribute and work in every way we can to help bring healing to others in all the ways that healing can take place. It means that we, too, need regularly to go to a “deserted place” to be alone and to pray—even when we are busy, and our schedules are full.
There is a lot of theology woven in to hymns. To enhance today’s reading, I recommend listening to “When Jesus the Healer Passed Through Galilee”. I hope you will take a few moments to let the words of this message and the emotion that always connects us to music connect with your soul.
Thank you for sharing this early moment of your day with me, with God, and with the words and music that I hope you will carry with you throughout the coming day and night.
I am so grateful for you, for our church, and for the Love that will see us all through this very difficult time. Please stay safe and well and we’ll be together again in spirit tomorrow morning!
Grace and Peace,
Dr. Tim Bruster
Senior Pastor
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When Jesus the Healer Passed Through Galilee
- When Jesus the healer passed through Galilee,
Heal us, heal us today!
the deaf came to hear and the blind came to see.
Heal us, Lord Jesus.2. A paralyzed man was let down through a roof.
Heal us, heal us today!
His sins were forgiven, his walking the proof.
Heal us, Lord Jesus.
3. The death of his daughter caused Jairus to weep.
Heal us, heal us today!
The Lord took her hand, and he raised her from sleep.
Heal us, Lord Jesus.
4. When blind Bartimaeus cried out to the Lord,
Heal us, heal us today!
his faith made him whole and his sight was restored.
Heal us, Lord Jesus.
5. The lepers were healed and the demons cast out.
Heal us, heal us today!
A bent woman straightened to laugh and to shout.
Heal us, Lord Jesus.
6. The twelve were commissioned and sent out in twos,
Heal us, heal us today!
to make the sick whole and to spread the good news.
Heal us, Lord Jesus.
7. Thereis still so much sickness and suffering today.
Heal us, heal us today!
We gather together for healing, and pray:
Heal us, Lord Jesus.
