Judged

"God has taken his place in the divine council," Psalm 82:1.

Yes, O God! You gathered all gods and goddesses in council and you judged them! You accused them all of their unfair judgements. You accused them of favoring the wicked. You accused their injustices against humanity. Against the weak and orphans. Against the poor and suffering. For failing to rescue the weak and helpless. Failing to deliver these from bad people. You, O Lord, judged the gods and goddesses for their ignorance of wisdom, their inherent darkness. You, O God, judged the gods and condemned them to die just as humans do. You judged them all to be no gods at all. You, you alone, O Lord, own all peoples.

With a brother or sister today we bow in humility before the one and only God of the universe. And, together, we give thanks to God for his one and only Son who made us brothers and sisters.

Compassion

"He said that these also should be set before them," Mark 8:7.

John, the apostle, in his gospel, had said that Jesus did so many things that if they were all written down he wasn't sure whether the world could hold all the books it took to write them. Here's an example of that level of detail. Crowds had not eaten for three days. Jesus feels deeply for them and calls for food. So his followers find seven bread loaves. Jesus gives thanks for the bread and has the fellows present the bread to the crowd. But wait! That's not all! They also had a few little fish. So then Jesus blessed these, too, and distributed them. At least four thousand souls had food enough with baskets full of leftovers. Compassion. Thanksgiving. Blessing. Abundance.

Answering to Jesus' compassion, we visit with a brother or sister today. And, together, we thank God he gives us a heart to share his abundance.

Dignity

"Jesus took him aside privately," Mark 7:33.

Took whom aside? A deaf guy. (Unsurprisingly, he also had a speech impediment.) Took him aside from what? From the crowd that had presented the fellow to Jesus to watch today's miracle side show. (Jesus asserted his dignity as a fellow human being, a child of God.) Then, with some weird actions and a word or two, Jesus rewired the guy's brain, ears, and tongue nerves and muscles: he could hear and talk just fine. People's amazement grew boundlessly.

Having had our own ears opened to hear God's word, we talk with a brother or sister today. And, together in thanksgiving, we speak openly of God's most excellent greatness.

Dogs

"He did not want anyone to know he was there," Mark 7:24.

He, Jesus, tried to hide. To escape notice. Hide where? In some house out of the country. On a retreat, from whom? Everybody. But he couldn't do it. Even here a foreigner, mother of a sick girl, found him. She begged him shamelessly to heal her. He said he didn't want to - not right to give kids' food to dogs. She said even dogs eat scraps under the table. He said, Done! Your daughter's demon's gone. And with that, even we Gentile dogs receive God's mercy.

In humility, we meet up with a brother or sister today to wonder at God's grace for all. And, together, we give thanks for such grace that deems us worthy indeed, Jew and Gentile, all God's kids.

Purity

"He declared all foods clean," Mark 7:19.

Jesus had already said: Everybody! Listen to me and understand! A person's spiritual health has nothing to do with food. No food we put into our mouths affects the purity of our hearts. But there is something that touches the heart. It's what comes out, not what goes in. Food goes to the stomach, not to the heart, and then passes on out. It's the stuff that comes out that makes a person dirty. That is, what comes out from inside the heart: mean thoughts, improper sex, robbing, murder, adultery, greed, and stuff like that. Don't confuse choosing between clean or unclean foods (they're all clean) with choosing between clean or unclean behaviors.

Having had our hearts purified by Christ's sacrifice, we meet with a brother or sister today to do good. And, together, we give thanks to God for turning our lives around to the good.

Religion

"Why don't your followers hold on to the traditions of the elders?" Mark 7:5.

Questions people ask Jesus. Questions religious authorities ask Jesus. Why don't your people do what our founding fathers taught? We follow the authorized traditions, your people don't. We eat minding our manners, but you don't. Because, Jesus said. Because your tradition, your religion, your culture, your worship fails. It fails God's test. It fails God's commandment. It betrays a heart dead to God. It's dead to God's own heart. It voids God's very word. That's why not. Said Jesus.

Our hearts revived by God's merciful grace, we meet today with a brother or sister. And, thankful together, we hold on to the new way of Jesus in faithfulness to God.

Animal

"I acted like an animal toward you," Psalm 73:22.

Dear God: When I was angry and sad, when I was senseless and ignorant, when I had almost lost my faith, when I was jealous of proud people, when I saw bad people doing fine, when I saw them not suffering, when I saw them healthy and strong, when I saw them without regular problems everyone else has, I then wondered why I had kept my heart pure, I wondered why I kept my hands from doing wrong. Yes, I did. But, O Lord, I also asked who else I have in heaven if not you? So, I'm sorry for my lousy attitude. I want nothing on earth, just you. Really, I am always with you! You hold my hand. Your advice guides me. You are my strength forever!

We encourage each other today, visiting with brother or sister. And, together, we give thanks for God's great mercy and kindness toward us: Thank you, Lord!

Healer

"As soon as he got out of the boat, they recognized him," Mark 6:54.

And folks went all over the place, the whole area, to collect sick people to Jesus. If he was in a village. Or the city. Or countryside. Wherever. They brought all the sick to him. They laid them out on mats in the marketplaces (the malls of the day, right?). They begged Jesus to let them just touch the edge of his clothes. And whoever touched his clothes got well. People in deep need need Jesus, the healer of all ills.

We visit with a brother or sister today recognizing Jesus, healer of all our sin. And, confessing Jesus together, we give thanks to God for his salvation.

Flabbergasted

"They did not understand about the loaves," Mark 6:52.

About five loaves feeding five thousand. They didn't get it. So when, rowing hard in their boat, they saw Jesus on the water strolling right past them against a stiff wind, they flipped out. So they felt terror like they never felt before, seeing a ghost! So they thought. So Jesus told them not to worry - it was just him. So he climbed aboard with them and the wind stopped. So they were flabbergasted. But why didn't they get it? Hardened hearts. Closed minds.

Opening our hearts to the son of man, to the son of God, we visit with a brother or sister today. And, together, we praise the Lord of skies who climbs into life's boat with us and calms the winds.

Inventory

"You give them food to eat," Mark 6:37.

That's what Jesus tells us when we tell him to send hungry people away so they can find food somewhere else. And so we tell him we don't have that much food to feed everybody, and, besides, it'll take too much money to buy it. And so then Jesus tells us to take inventory of what we do have. And then we tell him we were right, we've only got one picnic basket to feed thousands. And then Jesus tells us to organize the multitude into smaller groups. So we do. And then Jesus takes the food we found and says: Let's give thanks to God. Which he does. And then he divides the bread. And hands it out. And divides it. And it multiplies. And everybody's stuffed like at thanksgiving. Even with leftovers for later.

When we visit a brother or sister today, we thank God for his abundant provision. But, mainly, together, we praise him for the multiplied grace he distributes to all through faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. Even with grace to spare for later generations.

Bloodied

"Bring it to me now on a platter," Mark 6:24.

It? It what, on a platter? Baptizing John's severed head. That's what. A bloodied head on a serving plate. Who would've known? The girl could have asked for half a kingdom! Who would've known? Make no mistake: the ruler of this world orchestrates such evils. (That's what Jesus called the devil.) And judging by the daily news, he's pretty good at his worldly agenda. So what's God's plan to judge and destroy the devil and his minions? God allows the ruler of this world to hang his Son, nailed hand and foot, to die miserably on a tree. And for such heinous deeds, the eternal God of the universe (and beyond) assigns this temporary ruler of a temporary world worthy to rot hell-bound forever.

We meet with a brother or sister today. And, together, we marvel at God's wisdom in saving us from hell by the blood of a slain lamb. Who would've known? Amazing!

Face

"Jesus' name was now well known," Mark 6:14.

Famous. So people offered all sorts of theories about what gave Jesus such amazing powers. Some had already theorized the devil at work. But mostly, they said dead prophets had come back to life. Prophets like Baptizing John (King Herod had chopped off his head recently). Or centuries dead prophets. Like Elijah. Or other favorite saints. Really? What we humans come up with in order not to face the obvious: God at work! Indeed, Jesus stands amazed at humans: our lack of faith in God.

We visit with a brother or sister today to share in Jesus' God-given life. And, together, in faith, we glorify God who worked in Jesus' name to reconcile the world to himself.

Yields

"God, have mercy on us and bless us," Psalm 67:1.

Yes, O Lord! You do show us your kindness. Through that mercy, blessing, and kindness the world learns your ways! Every nation will learn that you save. All peoples will praise you. You, O God, do judge fairly! So the nations will be glad and will sing your praises. Everyone will. The earth yields its bounty - you do bless us! And the peoples from all over the earth will honor you.

We meet with a brother or sister today and tell of God's bountiful mercy. And, together thankful, we praise him for his eternal kindness toward us in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Accept

"He laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them," Mark 6:5.

That's right. Jesus could do no mighty work there. Yeah. He just healed a few folks and no more. And why not? Well, most of them took offense with Jesus. They didn't accept him. And Jesus was amazed at the lack of faith. So what made the difference between the few he did heal and the bunch that he didn't? Easy: Jesus gladly healed whoever believed he could. And who wanted him to. And who came to him. And who let him put hands on them. Those who didn't believe; they didn't want; they didn't come; and they didn't receive his hands. So he didn't.

We gather with a brother or sister today having been healed by Jesus' nail-scarred hands from sin's ravages. And, together, we give eternal thanks to God that he receives our faith in exchange for his grace.

Random

"And he told them to give the girl some food," Mark 5:43.

So Jesus had healed a girl from death, and returned her to her overwhelmed parents. Amazing! Yes. Then there's just such an apparently random level of ordinary detail presented that really gets me. You know, like, to mom and dad, Be sure to feed her. Or again, somebody thought to write down Jesus' very words to the girl in the old language (talitha koum!). Did we need to have these itemized? What's our lesson in these tidbits, readers of two thousand years later?

We meet up with a brother or sister amazed at the attentiveness of the scriptures. And, together, we praise God who attends to every detail of our lives, and who loves us so.

Daughter

"Daughter, your faith has made you well," Mark 5:34.

Jesus had said whoever does the will of his Father is his mother, brother, sister. What is the will of his Father? What makes Jesus call a sick woman, daughter? In this case, her faith, a faith she lived out like this: She heard about Jesus. She thought if she just touched his clothes she'd get healed. She pressed her way through the throng crowding Jesus' path. She caught up behind him unnoticed. She reached out and touched his clothes. She got well. That's what Jesus is talking about. His daughter who did the will of his Father: she believed in Christ.

We visit with a brother or sister today in a faith that moves us to go with Jesus in peace. And, together thankful, we praise God for healing us of all sin.

Intractable

"My little daughter is dying," Mark 5:23.

Words nobody wants to have to say. Any parent knows the despair brought on by a child with an intractable disease. Indeed, most any adult feels it concerning distressed children. So we get it how a dad, on his knees, begs Jesus over and again to heal her. Jesus heals her, of course, and everybody's stunned. (Thank you, Lord!) But what of the parents whose children don't get well? Who first say to their child: Hello, beloved, welcome to our family! Who must then turn around and say: Goodby, dearest one, we loved you so. (We don't get it.) So, we plead with Jesus in desperate hope of an age to come when every ill is healed forever.

We meet with a brother or sister today even in our distress, to receive and share consolation in hope. And, weeping together, we sacrifice to God the words of our confession, Jesus is Lord.

Faculties

"What is your name?" Mark 5:9.

Jesus hardly ever asks somebody their name. But here Jesus distinguishes between a man, an actual human being, who was on his knees in front of him, and unclean spirits, spiritual forces, that had taken over the man's faculties. So. The unclean spirits identify themselves: Legion. (They must answer to the Son of God!). They beg Jesus permission to enter a bunch of pigs when they leave the man. (They have no power but to do Jesus' bidding.) Jesus grants it. Unclean spirits enter unclean beasts. And they all run down the bank into the sea depths and drown. (Up against the Son of the Most High God, no contest!) No longer Legion, the restored human being tells everybody around of Jesus' deliverance.

We look forward to meeting a brother or sister today ourselves having been cleansed totally. And, giving thanks together to the Most High God for his Son's deliverance, we tell everyone his name: Jesus.

Falter

"God, hear my cry, listen to my prayer," Psalm 61:1.

We call to you when our hearts falter even at land's end. And you hear us. You carry us to a higher rock! To the high mountain! You have always been our refuge, our protection. You! The strongest tower, our defense against hostiles. You give us eternal place in your Holy Tent. You protect like their mother's wings shelter her chicks. You hear our respectful promises. And in Jesus you make us heirs of yours. Praise you forever, O God!

We visit a brother or sister today keeping the promises we have made with our God. And, together, we give thanks to our Father for hearing our prayers in Jesus, High Priest into eternity.

Hush

"Why are you afraid?" Mark 4:40.

That's what Jesus asks us when things get scary. When we say to him, Don't you care? Waves break over the bow! Water's filling our boat! We're dying! Don't you care? Yeah. So. The awakened Lord of the skies commands the air, Hush!; the Lord of the seas orders the waters, Shush! And they obey him suddenly, a great calm. That's when Jesus says to us: Don't you have faith yet? Oh, indeed, with even greater fear we ask, Who is this who's in the boat with us?

We meet with a brother or sister today calmed in our hearts from life's storms because Jesus sleeps among us. And, together, we give thanks that all creation knows its Creator.

Automatically

"The earth grows fruit by itself," Mark 4:28.

Yes, it produces automatically. That's what it's designed to do. A farmer plants seed, and the earth does its thing: the earth just grows the seed into maturity ready for a rich harvest. No matter how much the farmer worries over it, the earth just does what God made the earth to do. Produce fruit. And that's the way the kingdom of God is. Somebody puts the word out there, and human hearts respond as God designed hearts to respond. They grow the seed to rich harvest yielding the love of Christ.

When we visit with a brother or sister today, we tell the story of Jesus. And, together, we give thanks to God that God designed us to mature into the story of his love.

Works

"The sower sows the word," Mark 4:14.

Ever wonder how God's kingdom expands throughout the world? Well, that's how. Yeah. God's rule grows like a farmer's crop grows by throwing out seed all over a field. Now, related to his kingdom, somebody announces God's message into the world. Distracted listeners don't get it as Satan snatches it right now. Light-hearted listeners get it, but drop it when they get challenged. Double-minded listeners hear the message, but let the world's cool stuff suck them away. But. Listeners who so choose, hear the word, receive it, grow to bear fruit. So, says Jesus: Listen up! That's how the kingdom works.

We visit with a brother or sister today allowing God's word to land in us. And, together, we praise God who plants his message securely to save our souls.

Perceive

"So that they may see but not perceive," Mark 4:12.

This is so bizarre. (?). That's why Jesus spoke in parables. Jesus made distinction between his closest followers, the twelve apostles, and outsiders. He gave the secret meaning of God's kingdom only to them. But outsiders only got the parables. Why? Because if the outsiders got it, they might turn and be forgiven. So said Jesus. Yeah. So. After the cross, they fully got it. And after being empowered by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, they proclaimed it to the rest of us. And now we, too, can get it.

We meet with a brother or sister today having heard of forgiveness through the cross of Christ. And, together, having turned, we praise him for forgiving all our sins.

Audience

"Whoever's got ears to hear with, listen up!" Mark 4:9.

So says Jesus. But first, a note or two about words like audience. Comes from the ancient word, aud-ire, to hear. An aud-ience is a group of people who hear, they're listeners. An aud-itorium is a place where people gather in order to hear; a hearing place. So. Jesus' auditorium here, the listening place, is a beach; Jesus' podium is a boat. Jesus' audience is the crowd gathered there. Jesus says to his audience, his listeners, his hearers: Listen up! The words he speaks give life. But not if they are not heeded. Hear! Says Jesus.

We gather with a brother or sister today to hear afresh Jesus' life-giving words. And, together, we give thanks to God for giving us ears to hear with, so as to heed him into forever life.

Mercy

"I trust God. So, I am not afraid. What can humans do to me?" Psalm 56:4.

Yes, O Lord! Your mercy overcomes our enemies! When we get scared, we put our trust in you. We praise your word. Though the wicked oppress without let up, we call on you and you defeat them. You defend us. We praise your word, O God! We trust your promises. Our fear goes away. People have no power over us. We give you thanks! You have delivered us again. You keep our feet from stumbling. You keep us walking in the light of your life.

When we meet up with a brother or sister today, we turn heart, soul, and strength to our God's praise. And, together, we step forward in the peace of God's upward path.

Mother

"Who is my mother?" Mark 3:33.

Jesus' mother, with her sons, came to take him away. When somebody told him, that's when Jesus asked the group sitting around him that question. Sounds a bit disrespectful at first blush, doesn't it? And, humanly speaking, it was. Though Jesus had taken care of his mother (and continued to provide for her even after his death), he made a clear distinction between human relations whether family, tribe, or culture, and the mission he had from God. His true family extended beyond blood lines and cultural ties into the will of God, into whomever might do the things God wants. That's Jesus' genuine family, brother or sister or mother. Doers of God's will.

As we get together with a brother or sister today, we commit to God's business. And, together, we give thanks that Jesus shows our true belonging place in God who created us.