Ordinary Time 
Pause
There are a lot of uncertainties in our lives. Relationships don’t always last. Possessions can be taken away or lost. Our abilities can change or even leave us over time. Nothing on this earth is unconditional and true.
And yet, over and over God proves that we can trust in the Lord for all of our needs. We can find rest for our souls in knowing that God always does what is promised. God always loves us, God always shows us the path we should follow, and God blesses us when we simply trust in who God is.
Listen
Jesus and his followers went into Capernaum. Immediately on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and started teaching. The people were amazed by his teaching, for he was teaching them with authority, not like the legal experts. Suddenly, there in the synagogue, a person with an evil spirit screamed, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are. You are the holy one from God.”
“Silence!” Jesus said, speaking harshly to the demon. “Come out of him!” The unclean spirit shook him and screamed, then it came out.
Everyone was shaken and questioned among themselves, “What’s this? A new teaching with authority! He even commands unclean spirits and they obey him!” Right away the news about him spread throughout the entire region of Galilee.
Mark 1:21-28
Think
We don’t often find ourselves talking much about evil spirits. That seems like something that only happens in the movies. But, aren’t there things in your life that keep you from fully loving God? Is there an attitude or behavior that keeps you from experiencing and showing God’s love? Maybe you find it easy to lie to others, maybe you have a hard time not gossiping about folks around you, perhaps you struggle with an addiction of some sort. Whatever the thing is that keeps your heart from being committed to God is a type of evil spirit. And Jesus wants to relieve us all of those spirits!
Spend some time thinking about what you need to offer to Christ. Is there something holding you back from God that Jesus would tell to silence and leave your heart and mind in exchange for God’s love and grace?
Courtney Jones Willis
Pray
Dear God, forgive those tough places in me — my thoughts and my actions that aren’t reflections of you. Show me how to let Christ fill those places with love and goodness. Amen.
Go
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
"Trust and Obey" by John H. Sammis
