Mark 1:14-20 (NRSV)
Read Mark 1:14-20 on biblegateway.com
Verse 14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God,
Verse 15and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."
Devotion
Several years ago, at an Ignatian retreat, we were encouraged to use our imaginations to enter into the biblical narrative. The reading included the scene of Jesus walking along a road talking with his disciples and others. Soon my imagining seemed to take on a life of its own and I was literally following Jesus along a hot, dusty and crowded road in Galilee. Suddenly Jesus turned and looked back at me, beckoned me to come up and walk alongside him and at one point even put his arm around my shoulders.
But then unexpectedly he prodded me to walk in front of him and sort of pushed me out to walk ahead. The sense of the gesture was to say, "OK, now you go. I’ll be right here, but you take the risk and responsibility for doing what needs to be done." I can still remember the uncertainty and exhilaration of moving into that new way of following. The "imagining" ended there, but left me with the awareness that following also includes being sent and encouraged to trust and risk that Jesus knows what he is doing by setting me free to lead.
Prayer
Lord, I am amazed how much you trust us to be your followers and to use our creativity, energy, wisdom, knowledge and experience to be the ones to carry out your work of bringing the gospel that the Reign of God is at hand. Amen.