A Prayer To Be Healed So We Can Be Amazed And Blessed By True Authority

Boris Johnson was seen riding his bike at a distance from his home that went beyond the restrictions he put in place.  Donald Trump continues to startle us with his comments. There’s a great outcry here in Canada over the growing list of politicians and health officials who have admitted to jetting off to the sunshine in the last month or so while so many of us gave up the chance to do that and to be with our loved ones.  Double standards it seems.  In a day and a time where we are exposed to the frailties and faults of our leaders, when is the last time we were AMAZED by what someone said or did? 

Today we have a little story from the Gospel of Mark that has people amazed over and over again.  Listen to these words

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Mark 1:21-22

Everyone who surrounded Jesus was amazed.  Why aren’t we?  Are we simply too familiar with the words and stories?  Are we too jaded by the failure of so many we held in high esteem only to have their personal lives reveal a darker side to them?  Are we too small in our faith believing only what we see around us?  Are we unwilling to accept any authority outside ourselves as society’s message infiltrates our thinking?

People were amazed both by what Jesus had to say and by the authority with which he said it.  Maybe it’s time we asked the Holy Spirit to help us see and hear the words of Jesus in a fresh way today and let the amazing truth He is revealing come alive in us again.  Jesus is God and He is speaking to ordinary little folks like us.  That in itself should amaze us.

Lord, even before we read the next verses we want to pause and do just that.  We agree that You have the words of eternal life and we hardly hear them anymore.  We hold Your words too ordinary and we ask forgiveness for that.  Open our ears, our eyes, our hearts, so we can hear in a fresh way what You are saying to us and all that it means.  Heal our hearts and minds so we can be amazed that You, the Holy God of heaven wants to communicate with us and finds a way to do that.  Holy Spirit help us to understand what You are saying and enter into these life-giving words. Amen

Now, it wasn’t just what Jesus was saying that amazed the people.  Let’s read on:  

Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

“Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.  The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.  Mark 1:23-28

Now people are also amazed at the authority that is demonstrated by Jesus.  When he tells impure spirits to leave a man they go.  They don’t argue.  They don’t stand their ground. They go at His command.

Both occasions of amazement are linked to the authority of Jesus.  In a time when authority is misused by many in power and when any authority other than ourselves is suspect to the majority of society, we have good news to share.  True authority rests in Jesus Christ.  As we live and move and have our being in Him, we will find the true authority that brings hope and freedom.

Loving God, all authority is Yours and we need to recognize and acknowledge that today.  You proved that You have authority over evil spirits in what we just read.  When you healed a paralyzed man you said that you did it that we would know that You had authority on earth to forgive sins.  “I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Matthew 9:6   You told your disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”  Matthew 28:18

Our prayer today comes from Paul who said it better than we could:   I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.  Ephesians 1:18-23

Fill us with Your power.  Help us to stand under Your authority and then live and speak with authority in Your name so blessing and healing and truth fills the lives of those we come in contact with.  Amen