Mark 1:38  Hearing God’s Will in your life!

Jesus answered, "We should go to other towns around here so I can preach there too. That is the reason I came." Mark 1:38  NCV version   

Let’s build the scene surrounding this Scripture.  Mark 1:29-39 fills us in with the circumstances leading up to Jesus’ statement in verse 38.   Jesus and His disciples are in the area of Galilee and Jesus has been healing people and casting out demons after leaving the synagogue in verse 29. The whole town gathers and seeks Jesus’ healing.  After a very busy evening, Jesus rises the next morning while it is still dark and seeks His Father in a “lonely place” where He prayed.  The disciples finally find him and I can almost hear the panic in their voices as they tell Jesus “everyone is looking for you!”  What need these people had!  However, Jesus’ answer stuns me when He replied that they should go to other towns around there.  Although there was still such a need in this town, Jesus had heard God’s Will during His quiet prayer time and knew that He needed to continue on so more would hear the Good News.

So I ask myself, how often do I run out to fill what I perceive as “needs” when God actually wants me somewhere else?!  In Mark 4:1-9, Jesus tells the story of the seeds that were planted, some on the rock, some in shallow soil, some among the weeds and some in good ground.  Looking at this from the perspective of the seeds being compared to time, I likened the parable to where I “sow” my time.  When I deposit my time into the places where I perceive I am needed to serve, it may be as though I am throwing my seed on the rocks or in shallow soil where a crop will not be produced.  When I spend time seeking God’s will, removing myself from the hustle and bustle of life, removing myself from all the “needs” that surround my heart, then I can hear my Father’s voice clearly directing me to the good soil where He wants me to deposit my time!  Sometimes what we see and perceive as the needs we are called to do, can actually be a distraction keeping us from God’s true will and purpose for our lives!

I want my “seed” of time spent to fall into good soil and produce a crop for the Kingdom.  It takes obedience.  I first need to “hear” God’s will, and then I need to be obedient and walk it out.  This sometimes requires me to follow God’s truth and direction instead of my heart which can be run by my emotions.  This “wisdom” of where to sow my seeds can only be found by spending time alone in prayer.  By finding the “lonely” place in verse 35: “Early the next morning, while it was still dark, Jesus woke and left the house. He went to a lonely place, where he prayed”.  The Scriptures have given us a clear example in Jesus’ life of how to “hear” God’s will.  So often, we see Jesus slipping off to be alone with His Father, and then following that time we see amazing miracles and Kingdom work done!  In Mark 1:39 it says, “So He went everywhere in Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and forcing out demons.”

In these Scriptures, Jesus gives a pattern we can follow to live fruitful lives!  Let’s seek God for every need in our life and let Him help us prioritize where we need to “deposit” our time spent.  God’s view of need is often the polar opposite to what the world around us tries to show us.  Only He knows what we really NEED!  As we look at each area of our lives, our emotional needs, spiritual needs and physical needs, we can find the answers we seek to live healthier and happier lives as we spend time with our Lord.  The time spent in prayer will have direct blessing back in our lives.  If all you can cram in is 5 minutes, then do it!  The time invested in prayer is like seeds sown into “good soil” and always produces a crop, 30, 60 and 100 times more!

Some other seed fell on good ground and began to grow. It got taller and produced a crop. Some plants made thirty times more, some made sixty times more, and some made a hundred times more."  Mark 4:8

Our prayer:

Heavenly Father; Please help each of us to find time alone with You each day.  Please help us to hear Your voice in our lives every day, in the small decisions and in the large decisions.  Holy Spirit, we ask you to guide us and help us to walk in obedience. Help us to follow Your will, Father, in Your truth and not by our emotions, so You can direct us in Your plan and purpose for our lives.  Help us to be strong and to not be swayed by other people’s opinions and needs that could distract us from what You want us to do each day!  Please show each of us where the “good ground” is so we may invest our seeds of time in Kingdom work beginning with our own families and then in telling other’s the Good News of Your love!  We want to be fruitful servants in all we do,  In Jesus’ name. Amen.