Mark 2:23-28
Find a way to separate yourself from whatever’s going on around you so you can fully enter into today’s passage. if you haven’t read the introduction to Mark’s Gospel, read it here.
Read Mark 2:23-28 a couple of times paying attention to the physical details of the story.
The Sabbath, the seventh day of the week, was a sacred day according to Old Testament law given by God to Israel. On the Sabbath, people were commanded to stop working so they could rest and be restored. It was a gift to people, but just like the practice of fasting, it appears from this story that the container had become more important than the contents.
Jesus and his closest followers are taking a leisurely walk on the Sabbath, but they are not alone. The religious leaders are right on their heels watching their every move…in a grain field. When the first pangs of hunger surface, Jesus’ followers reach out for the food that is all around them, breaking off the grain spikes and rolling them in their hands to remove the chaff and get to the grain inside.
The religious leaders pounce: “Your followers are breaking the law!” And Jesus’ response is nothing short of astounding. He reminds them that it is the contents of the Sabbath that are important: restoration of body and spirit. The container was made to serve people not the other way around, and anyway, people are made to serve God, the Lord of the Sabbath - and he is right there in the field enjoying the exercise.
Read Mark 2:23-28 again letting Jesus’ final words sink in.
Who was working harder in this story: Jesus’ followers or the religious leaders?
Is there anything you are doing habitually that used to bring you joy but is now a chore or an empty regimen or ritual? Take a moment to talk to Jesus about this.
Is it possible that life-giving sustenance is all around you, but you are too focused on your regimens, rituals, worries or habits to see it?
How is Jesus inviting you to see differently today?
If these meditations are helpful to you, please forward them to couple of friends.
Interested in going deeper? Check out The Everyday Jesus Follower’s Guide and blog.
