5:1 Jesus and the disciples continue to move throughout the populations of people. Jesus is giving and compassionate and He wants to share His message and His abilities with as many as He can. Let's take a bit of time to remember why Jesus is so passionate and purposeful (not even wasting a minute of time!):
Having Jesus' message is especially important to our individual lives because it helps us to get through the difficult aspects of our lives. Jesus gives us reason to be strong, direction with which to walk, and companionship as we make our way through life. He provides the opportunity to forgive, love and mature ourselves as well as others.
Without purpose, humans get themselves into a lot of trouble. People who have no love for themselves and no purpose for their own lives often become inclined to negatively taint others -- they are impatient, frustrated, angry, vengeful, desperate, selfish. Our souls and bodies were made to be productive in compassion and when we do not feed that innate thirst, our entire systems become lost and confused.
Jesus came to save you every day, not just at the end of your life here. He saves you from yourself and from others who might hurt you. This message was so needed in the world. This message is so needed in the world today. There is so much we have on our shoulders: global violence, disrupt and displacement are at the forefront of our minds every day. We have national, regional and local troubles as well. When we listen to what Jesus said, without even ascribing a religion to His words, we can find a path on which to walk. Jesus' path teaches us to feed and satisfy our souls by discarding negativity in our own lives (that which we produce and receive) and bringing positivity to others' lives.
We must secure the abundance of love and good in the world.
Throughout history, certain humans have committed unspeakable tragedies against each other, against animals and the Earth as well. Jesus came here, He saw and experienced what happens here. Jesus knows what happens when God gives the gift of freedom. And because He knows so well and uniquely what life is like on Earth, He truly provides us the love and courage to persevere.
Do not be afraid of anyone or anything. I am going to refer you to Matthew 28:20. Feel the love and power of your Father, your Universe, your beautiful, compassionate God as He, through Jesus, expresses His permanence in your life.
We need courage in today's world and God gives it to us abundantly when we find truth in Him. Always remember that when we leave our place on Earth, we reappear immediately in and with God. And so do our loved ones. Nobody can take your Heaven away from you. 2 Corinthians 5:8.
We must remember the magnitude of the reasoning behind Jesus' time here. Each verse specifically applies to our lives. It reads like a beautiful story but we must not forget it is our beautiful reality. We will continue with this in mind: Jesus came so that right now, today, in this moment, you would be able to feel God's love and to be courageous in facing the next day, the next moment. Luke 12:7 Jesus try to explain to us how emphatically God loves us. God loves us beyond our imagine -- He knows every minute detail about us. We are His children. You are His child -- your life, your journey is on His mind right now... you have His attention.
Our return to Mark, Chapter 5:
5:2 Jesus meets a man who is suffering what I believe is a mental illness. We do not understand much about mental illnesses even today but back in these days, a person with a mental illness was completely misunderstood. God can heal any and all of our ailments: physical, physiological, mental, emotion. God restores us in so many ways. In heaven especially, God ensures that no ailments or troubles even exist.
5:3-5 This particular man had lost control over his own mind and body. He could have been delirious with fever, infection or a myriad of other things but the point is that he could not stop or save himself and no other person could help or save him either...
I always like to think of verses metaphorically as well: without God we are delirious. So many forget their purpose and their direction and even spiral into addictions or greed, crime, hatred... some people in the world are so far gone that they cannot be healed or even contained by other humans (hate groups and organizations for example). It takes the Hand of God to restore peace and stability.
5:6 Here we see that this man wanted help. He wanted help and he recognized and trusted Jesus to help Him. Do you recognize Jesus? Do you know what He stands for and why? Do you trust God? Do you truly trust God to rescue you from all situations? This man did.
By recognizing God, we express to Him that we have spent time trying to be produce and compassionate. By recognizing God, we express that we have communicated and worked with Him. God helps us in our lives when we allow Him to. You cannot communicate with something/one you do not believe in. If you don't feel God in your life... it is not because He isn't listen... it's because you aren't speaking to Him.
5:7 This verse teaches us that Jesus and God are a formidable opponent against evil and ailment. We also learn that this man is humble. This man loves God so much that he does not feel worthy of the perfect, pure, strong love of God. This is something that is familiar to children of God: often we feel so tiny in comparison to how big and unimaginably wonderful God is.
But God loves us. He loves us despite our vulnerability and our mistakes. He compensates for our tininess. If you love God and what He stands for, you never have to be ashamed of your mistakes because God is supportive and understanding. God knows when we are sincere in trying to be and do better.
Good and evil recognizes God, the Highest... the Universe. Each are aware of God's superiority and neither are haughty enough to believe they have a chance against Him.
Good and evil recognizes God, the Highest... the Universe. Each are aware of God's superiority and neither are haughty enough to believe they have a chance against Him.
5:8 Let's layer onto this another metaphor: that which Satan stands for and represents (delirium, hate, confusion, violence...) is muted by God, and in this verse, by God through Jesus. There are some things humans have difficulty eliminating, sometimes evil is so prevalent... but there is no task God cannot handle. With ease, God eliminates evil.
5:9 Jesus wants to continue this metaphor for our benefit. He wants evil/ailment to name itself so that you will recognize it. Evil and ailment will at times throughout history appear to be multitudinous. An evil person or group might claim or boast to be broad and powerful to induce fear. Jesus is not afraid of any number of people, evil or ailment.
5:10 Evil wants to stay in the world. Some people continuously make the decision to foster and promote evil. It does not want to be sent away -- as with an selfish entity. These things are begging Jesus (even though they go against Him they recognize His power) to let them continue to live.
5:11 There are a bunch of pigs around while this is taking place... let's find out why.
5:12 We can learn from this that evil and greed are so desperate to BE that they will take any opportunity they can get. Evil and greed are even willing to jump into and corrupt the innocent and unsuspecting (which is what these pigs represent).
5:13 To prove a point, Jesus allows their request. The swine immediately choose "death" over living on Earth under the corruption of evil. We also should choose to return to our Father when the alternative is selling our souls to evil. So, even these animals (beloved by God... as we all are) are wise enough to reject this corruption. It's a lesson for us to realize that Satan will try to taint and control anyone and thing he can. We have to be watchful of the world and of ourselves so that he fails.
5:14 The people who were caring for the pigs were caught in the middle. All of this unfolded around them and they have no idea what was going on. Likely, these people were middle-men, neither supporters of Jesus or of Satan (and their ideologies respectively) And because of this...
5:15 They returned to their land and saw Jesus with the healed men and were awestruck... and a bit fearful because they did not understand. They had no ears to hear. They missed the lesson.
5:16 The people around talk about and gossip about what took place.
5:17 They asked Jesus to leave -- they did not understand. God does not force Himself on anyone.
5:18 Jesus adhered to their request and began to leave. The man He had healed wanted to join Him.
5:19 Jesus is brilliant and wise beyond anything we can understand. Jesus needed the healed man to stay and teach those who were afraid. Jesus wants to bring truth and comfort to everyone. This man became crucial to Jesus' plan. God will not leave anyone in the dark... He will always provide an outlet for truth. This man needed to stay in order to fix the fear of the people... they needed to understand (and this man's account would help to teach them over time).
5:20 We get confirmation that the man (WITH God and Jesus) was successful in leading others to the truth. Marvelous indeed.
5:21 Jesus continues moving and the crowds stay with Him... their love and awe for Jesus was not diminished.
5:22-23 Jairus loves Jesus and believes that Jesus can and will heal his daughter. Do not read over that: this man believes. His faith is strong and therefore he is readily able to communicate with God and receive His blessings.
5:24 Jesus followed him and the multitude followed Jesus. Jesus follows us when we follow Him.
5:25 During his travels with Jairus toward the daughter, a woman with an affliction comes to be with and near Jesus.
5:26 This woman was very ill -- she had multiple ailments that the people around her could not cure.
5:27 This woman touched Jesus. We need to think of this more deeply: this woman reached out to Jesus. This woman sought Jesus because she had solid faith in Him. When we actively SEEK God and develop our SOLID FAITH, He cures and cleans our soul.
5:28 She believed. If only, she is saying, I reach out to Him... I have faith that I will be healed. When you reach out to Him with faith you are also healed (through the process of development of faith and understanding.)
5:29 She is healed... IMMEDIATELY. There are no games or gimmicks... When God does something, when Jesus does something... it is immediate and effective.
5:30 Jesus is aware of all things, He can feel when a person accepts some of the love He is offering. He wants this woman to make herself known so that others can learn from her faith.
5:31 The disciples have no idea what is going on. They try to remind Jesus that there are tons(!) of people around Him and that it could have been anyone. Wrong! God is particularly, acutely aware of each of us. We are not a sea of faces to God... we are individuals and He sees each of us as unique.
5:32 Jesus will not continue without speaking with this woman -- because He loves her and He does not want her to fear. She has done a blessed thing with her faith in action.
5:33 The woman is truthful and brave. In the presence of Jesus Himself, she is humbled.
Perhaps this woman was thinking that someone so powerful as Jesus might be conceited or demanding but Jesus is selfless and demands nothing of us. Jesus wants and loves to have us LOVE Him back. He loves when return the love He freely gives to us. That is what is amazing about our God -- He is humble and selfless. God is all-powerful but does not use His power against anything but the evil.
5:34 Jesus highlights the power of Faith, wishes her well and solidifies her healing. Jesus gives freely and happily. It warms His heart to help and heal and He wants to teach us that our Faith awards us those things.
5:35 A man comes and harasses Jairus. This man tells Jairus that he is wasting Jesus' time... that the daughter is dead. This man has no idea of the power of God. He believes that once a person dies... they are gone forever. We know that is not true and Jesus will teach us that lesson again:
5:36 Do not be afraid, Jesus teaches us... believe in God, believe in life.
5:37 Jesus reduces the crowd so that He can help Jairus and the daughter.
5:38 Jesus enters the house and everyone there is sad and depressed at the loss of the daughter.
5:39 Jesus is confused as to why everyone is so upset -- Jesus knows that there is no death. Jesus knows that we are with God always. When our bodies are inanimate, they are sleeping because our souls come alive elsewhere (with God).
5:40 These people did not understand or believe in God so they thought He was crazy... not so! Let's see why. Jesus takes the mother and father of the daughter into the private space where the child is.
5:41 Jesus calls this little girl by name, because God knows every human intimately (by earthly name and spiritual spirit) and has her arise into her body.
5:42 This little her awakens in her body and walks as though having no ailment whatsoever. This is God. God is health and life.
5:43 Jesus is not sure if everyone is ready for this lesson -- if they hear gossip about it, they especially will not believe because it is such a miracle. Jesus put this little girl's spirit back into her body. God can do amazing things with our faith.
Metaphorically: God can do anything. God can heal us from anything. No matter how far gone we think we or someone else is, God can bring us home. God can awaken us when we speak with Him. We are with Him in heaven and Earth. There is no death when you love God.
5:9 Jesus wants to continue this metaphor for our benefit. He wants evil/ailment to name itself so that you will recognize it. Evil and ailment will at times throughout history appear to be multitudinous. An evil person or group might claim or boast to be broad and powerful to induce fear. Jesus is not afraid of any number of people, evil or ailment.
5:10 Evil wants to stay in the world. Some people continuously make the decision to foster and promote evil. It does not want to be sent away -- as with an selfish entity. These things are begging Jesus (even though they go against Him they recognize His power) to let them continue to live.
5:11 There are a bunch of pigs around while this is taking place... let's find out why.
5:12 We can learn from this that evil and greed are so desperate to BE that they will take any opportunity they can get. Evil and greed are even willing to jump into and corrupt the innocent and unsuspecting (which is what these pigs represent).
5:13 To prove a point, Jesus allows their request. The swine immediately choose "death" over living on Earth under the corruption of evil. We also should choose to return to our Father when the alternative is selling our souls to evil. So, even these animals (beloved by God... as we all are) are wise enough to reject this corruption. It's a lesson for us to realize that Satan will try to taint and control anyone and thing he can. We have to be watchful of the world and of ourselves so that he fails.
5:14 The people who were caring for the pigs were caught in the middle. All of this unfolded around them and they have no idea what was going on. Likely, these people were middle-men, neither supporters of Jesus or of Satan (and their ideologies respectively) And because of this...
5:15 They returned to their land and saw Jesus with the healed men and were awestruck... and a bit fearful because they did not understand. They had no ears to hear. They missed the lesson.
5:16 The people around talk about and gossip about what took place.
5:17 They asked Jesus to leave -- they did not understand. God does not force Himself on anyone.
5:18 Jesus adhered to their request and began to leave. The man He had healed wanted to join Him.
5:19 Jesus is brilliant and wise beyond anything we can understand. Jesus needed the healed man to stay and teach those who were afraid. Jesus wants to bring truth and comfort to everyone. This man became crucial to Jesus' plan. God will not leave anyone in the dark... He will always provide an outlet for truth. This man needed to stay in order to fix the fear of the people... they needed to understand (and this man's account would help to teach them over time).
5:20 We get confirmation that the man (WITH God and Jesus) was successful in leading others to the truth. Marvelous indeed.
5:21 Jesus continues moving and the crowds stay with Him... their love and awe for Jesus was not diminished.
5:22-23 Jairus loves Jesus and believes that Jesus can and will heal his daughter. Do not read over that: this man believes. His faith is strong and therefore he is readily able to communicate with God and receive His blessings.
5:24 Jesus followed him and the multitude followed Jesus. Jesus follows us when we follow Him.
5:25 During his travels with Jairus toward the daughter, a woman with an affliction comes to be with and near Jesus.
5:26 This woman was very ill -- she had multiple ailments that the people around her could not cure.
5:27 This woman touched Jesus. We need to think of this more deeply: this woman reached out to Jesus. This woman sought Jesus because she had solid faith in Him. When we actively SEEK God and develop our SOLID FAITH, He cures and cleans our soul.
5:28 She believed. If only, she is saying, I reach out to Him... I have faith that I will be healed. When you reach out to Him with faith you are also healed (through the process of development of faith and understanding.)
5:29 She is healed... IMMEDIATELY. There are no games or gimmicks... When God does something, when Jesus does something... it is immediate and effective.
5:30 Jesus is aware of all things, He can feel when a person accepts some of the love He is offering. He wants this woman to make herself known so that others can learn from her faith.
5:31 The disciples have no idea what is going on. They try to remind Jesus that there are tons(!) of people around Him and that it could have been anyone. Wrong! God is particularly, acutely aware of each of us. We are not a sea of faces to God... we are individuals and He sees each of us as unique.
5:32 Jesus will not continue without speaking with this woman -- because He loves her and He does not want her to fear. She has done a blessed thing with her faith in action.
5:33 The woman is truthful and brave. In the presence of Jesus Himself, she is humbled.
Perhaps this woman was thinking that someone so powerful as Jesus might be conceited or demanding but Jesus is selfless and demands nothing of us. Jesus wants and loves to have us LOVE Him back. He loves when return the love He freely gives to us. That is what is amazing about our God -- He is humble and selfless. God is all-powerful but does not use His power against anything but the evil.
5:34 Jesus highlights the power of Faith, wishes her well and solidifies her healing. Jesus gives freely and happily. It warms His heart to help and heal and He wants to teach us that our Faith awards us those things.
5:35 A man comes and harasses Jairus. This man tells Jairus that he is wasting Jesus' time... that the daughter is dead. This man has no idea of the power of God. He believes that once a person dies... they are gone forever. We know that is not true and Jesus will teach us that lesson again:
5:36 Do not be afraid, Jesus teaches us... believe in God, believe in life.
5:37 Jesus reduces the crowd so that He can help Jairus and the daughter.
5:38 Jesus enters the house and everyone there is sad and depressed at the loss of the daughter.
5:39 Jesus is confused as to why everyone is so upset -- Jesus knows that there is no death. Jesus knows that we are with God always. When our bodies are inanimate, they are sleeping because our souls come alive elsewhere (with God).
5:40 These people did not understand or believe in God so they thought He was crazy... not so! Let's see why. Jesus takes the mother and father of the daughter into the private space where the child is.
5:41 Jesus calls this little girl by name, because God knows every human intimately (by earthly name and spiritual spirit) and has her arise into her body.
5:42 This little her awakens in her body and walks as though having no ailment whatsoever. This is God. God is health and life.
5:43 Jesus is not sure if everyone is ready for this lesson -- if they hear gossip about it, they especially will not believe because it is such a miracle. Jesus put this little girl's spirit back into her body. God can do amazing things with our faith.
Metaphorically: God can do anything. God can heal us from anything. No matter how far gone we think we or someone else is, God can bring us home. God can awaken us when we speak with Him. We are with Him in heaven and Earth. There is no death when you love God.
