The Daily Guide. grow. pray. study. The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection of Leawood, Kansas, United States for Monday, 18 April 2016 - “He threw out many demons”
Daily Scripture: Mark 1:21 They entered K’far-Nachum, and on Shabbat Yeshua went into the synagogue and began teaching. 22 They were amazed at the way he taught, for he did not instruct them like the Torah-teachers but as one who had authority himself.
23 In their synagogue just then was a man with an unclean spirit in him, who shouted, 24 “What do you want with us, Yeshua from Natzeret? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” 25 But Yeshua rebuked the unclean spirit, “Be quiet and come out of him!” 26 Throwing the man into a convulsion, it gave a loud shriek and came out of him.
32 That evening after sundown, they brought to Yeshua all who were ill or held in the power of demons, 33 and the whole town came crowding around the door. 34 He healed many who were ill with various diseases and expelled many demons, but he did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew who he was.
Reflection Questions:In Jesus' day, most of today’s medical and psychological insights into human pain didn’t exist. Nearly all inexplicable ills were called “demon possession” (like a probable case of epilepsy reported in Mark 9:14-27). On the other hand, nothing we know about epilepsy or mental illness would automatically lead a person to rightly identify Jesus as “the holy one from God.” The central reality is the same, however much or little we believe in literal demons. Then, and now, humans need physical, emotional and spiritual healing.
- Verse 34 used a Semitic idiom that implied that Jesus healed everyone brought to him. In his day’s view, that also took in nearly every human ailment: he healed “all kinds of diseases” and cast out “many demons.” Today, God usually works through people with human training in physical and emotional healing—but it’s still God at work. What hurt(s) do you bring to Jesus today? Are you open to whatever type of help and healing he gives you?
- Scholar N. T. Wright said Jesus came to rescue people “from the destructive forces that enslaved them. So whether it was shrieking demons, a woman with a fever, or simply whatever diseases people happened to suffer from, Jesus dealt with them all….Jesus had joined in a struggle against the forces of evil and destruction.”1 Are you ever tempted to shrug off the forces of evil that cause suffering and destruction as “the way things are”? In what ways, as a follower of Jesus, have you joined in his struggle against those forces?
Lord Jesus, you did not stay comfortable and safe while destructive forces were loose in the world you created. Give me the caring and courage to enlist as one of your servants in working with you to heal those who hurt for any reason. Amen.
1 N. T. Wright, Mark for Everyone. (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2001, 2004, p. 13.)Insights from Roberta Lyle
Roberta Lyle has been on the Resurrection staff since 2006. She serves as the Program Director for Local Impact Ministries, concerntrating on Education, Life Skills and Youth Focused Ministries.
At least once a month I spend time visiting with kids who have been removed from their parents’ custody due to abuse or neglect and are under court supervision. My volunteer role as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) is to get to know the children and everyone in their lives so that I can make an independent recommendation to the court about the best option available to let the children can grow up in a safe, permanent home.
In addition to visiting with the children, I also meet with custodial and non-custodial parents. In a recent case the first time I visited with the children’s mother she was angry, bitter and anxious. It was clear that she loved and missed her kids, whom she lost due to physical abuse and emotional issues. The court ordered that she undergo counseling, attend parenting and substance abuse classes and regularly submit to drug testing.
Several months later I visited again in preparation for an upcoming court hearing. I found her to be much more upbeat, positive and calm. In preparation for the hearing I read her counselor’s report which indicated she had been the victim of abuse as a child which left her with PTSD. She also suffered from depression and had been self medicating to cope.
As we talked she told me she had come to the realization that she had to let go of the resentment and anger that she harbored for many years about her awful childhood. She benefited from counseling and daily medication to manage her depression. She even smiled a little when she told me that friends tell her she is a lot nicer person now, and that she likes herself a lot more as well. Most importantly, the court also recognized the progress she had made and allowed her to have more frequent contact with her children.
I don’t yet know if this family will be permanently reunified but I am much more hopeful about that now than I was at the beginning of the case. I’m hopeful that a pattern of abusive behavior going back at least one and maybe more generations has been broken, and that these children will go on to thrive and reach their full potential. God didn’t step in and turn this family around overnight, but I know is God working every day through the many who involved in their care. I see God at work through the gifted and caring case workers, doctors, therapists, attorneys and judges helping this woman have a second chance to be the mom I know she wants to be.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
At least once a month I spend time visiting with kids who have been removed from their parents’ custody due to abuse or neglect and are under court supervision. My volunteer role as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) is to get to know the children and everyone in their lives so that I can make an independent recommendation to the court about the best option available to let the children can grow up in a safe, permanent home.
In addition to visiting with the children, I also meet with custodial and non-custodial parents. In a recent case the first time I visited with the children’s mother she was angry, bitter and anxious. It was clear that she loved and missed her kids, whom she lost due to physical abuse and emotional issues. The court ordered that she undergo counseling, attend parenting and substance abuse classes and regularly submit to drug testing.
Several months later I visited again in preparation for an upcoming court hearing. I found her to be much more upbeat, positive and calm. In preparation for the hearing I read her counselor’s report which indicated she had been the victim of abuse as a child which left her with PTSD. She also suffered from depression and had been self medicating to cope.
As we talked she told me she had come to the realization that she had to let go of the resentment and anger that she harbored for many years about her awful childhood. She benefited from counseling and daily medication to manage her depression. She even smiled a little when she told me that friends tell her she is a lot nicer person now, and that she likes herself a lot more as well. Most importantly, the court also recognized the progress she had made and allowed her to have more frequent contact with her children.
I don’t yet know if this family will be permanently reunified but I am much more hopeful about that now than I was at the beginning of the case. I’m hopeful that a pattern of abusive behavior going back at least one and maybe more generations has been broken, and that these children will go on to thrive and reach their full potential. God didn’t step in and turn this family around overnight, but I know is God working every day through the many who involved in their care. I see God at work through the gifted and caring case workers, doctors, therapists, attorneys and judges helping this woman have a second chance to be the mom I know she wants to be.
Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
---------------------
---------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment