Listen

After leaving the synagogue, Jesus, James, and John went home with Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed, sick with a fever, and they told Jesus about her at once. He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she served them.

Mark 1:29-31

Think

Mark begins his gospel by quickly jumping into his healing narratives. We’re introduced to Simon’s mother-in-law who is sick with a fever. One of the interesting things about her is that although she is not named, she is the first individual person who is healed in Mark’s gospel. In the culture of those days, women were expected to provide hospitality to anyone who visited. If she hadn’t been sick, Simon’s mother-in-law would have greeted Jesus and the other guests and made them feel welcome. Illness in whatever form, physical or otherwise, can stop people from being able to do anything for themselves or anyone else. Mark’s gospel reminds us that Jesus is the one who heals. In this story, he heals through touch. In our world, the work of Jesus may look different, but Jesus is still working. Healing is what makes us whole again, to do whatever it is we are called to do. So while healing may look different for each person in each circumstance, what remains the same is Jesus.

Stephanie Bohannon

Question to Ponder:

What might the healing work of Jesus look like in our world today? What might that healing work look like for you?

Pray

God, you know better than me how much healing our world needs. The despair, disease, and illness in our world can sometimes paralyze me so that I cannot do what needs to be done. Help me to remember that it is not my strength or ability that heals our world, but yours. Give me the wisdom and courage to find you moving and working in our world. Amen.

Go

When life feels too heavy to keep moving forward, may we remember our hope and strength are in Christ.