Genesis 47:1-26
Psalms 88, 91, 92
1 Corinthians 9:16-27
Mark 6:47-56
In this passage from Mark, I am reminded of two very important convictions for which we, as Christians, should all be equipped: faith and responsibility. With the birth of my daughter this past summer, I suddenly felt the weight of being responsible for another human being. Yes, as a daughter, wife, stepmother, granddaughter, friend, and colleague, I have felt the keen sense of duty, loyalty, commitment, and obligation, but as a mother, I feel the weight of being responsible for someone unconditionally. Jesus in this passage here is seen as rescuer, healer, miracle worker, leader, the wearer of many hats, but what comes through is his sense of responsibility for everyone he meets or touches, whether it be his own disciples or the sick and dying that were laid before him.
Mark writes that all who touched Jesus’s cloak were healed, and that the people all gathered wherever He went. People had such faith in His power and authority, a precedent we should all follow. As Christians, faith can carry us through not only difficult times as we see with the sick in this passage but also the times when we feel vulnerable or frightened as the disciples must have felt in their boat far from shore. However, faith also enriches the times when we are joyous and hopeful. I aspire to teach my daughter these two very important intentions, faith and responsibility, that is our duty as Christians.
