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30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34 As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things. 53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54 When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, 55 and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed. (Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 NRSV)
Happy and Blessed Monday, ConCafe Family. May the strength of the Lord bless you, dear friend today and all days is my prayer for you, in Jesus' name, amen. I ask your prayers for me as this coming Sunday I will be preaching for the first time in about 15 months, and I will have the honor of baptizing our grandson, Eli Ryan Munoz. Most of you have been praying for him for over ten months, and for Nellie and me as we shared our lives with him and were so blessed in watching him grow and blossom. May God give me the word, on this passage for the people of God and the congregation of St. Luke's United Methodist Church of Corpus Christi. Pray for the needs shared with you, and make time to pray for your needs before the Lord.
One dream I have is to return back to Israel and take a photo of a shepherd with his sheep in the fields outside of Jerusalem. The last time we were there we saw a few but at about 50 miles an hour which makes for bad photo. Of all the photos and paintings of a shepherd and flock the one used today is one of my favorite. When I was district superintendent of the Coastal Bend District, I was able to take the above and integrate into the faces of the pastors and spouses of the district. It is quite amazing the webpage that allowed that to be; but the story it told was even more amazing. We are all the flocks of His pasture. And we enjoy Him, as the Good Shepherd. Of the two churches that were part of my formative years, both were named, El Buen Pastor, which is Spanish for The Good Shepherd. It was in them that I was exposed to preachings and teachings that allowed me to learn first, the 23rd Psalm en espanol, but more importantly to come to know the shepherd Himself. This passage is a brief reminder of the vast love Jesus has for you, and for me. His ministry was to bring the sheep of God back to God. Re-read verse 34 and read there these words, "As He went ashore, He saw a great crowd; and He had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. As this devotional is about fixing things, one of the main things that we need, as His sheep, is direction. A good shepherd leads. A good shepherd knows where to find a secure and safe spot to rest; the best places to eat, and offers always, His protection for His sheep. "I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.." (Psalm 23). "The good shepherd lays down his life for his flock." (John 10:11).
The second thing a sheep needs is healing and wholeness. Sheep are prone to wander off, and sometimes off cliffs, injure themselves, and need to to be lifted up out of ravines and carried home where wounds and injuries can be addressed. The psalm mentions a rod and a staff; the crook fo the staff was used to lift up the sheep and the rod to fend off predators; Jesus still offers that to us when we face our enemies and when we need to be lifted up. And the Lord's healing touch is still very much real and present and works according to God's will. As we read in this passage, the people came to realize that in Jesus they could find the healing and wholeness they needed; which explains their laying the mats and beds of the sick in the marketplaces, and their asking for Jesus to at least touch His garment, for all who did were healed. I remember as first-time parents when our newborn had a fever the panic that set in, and how quickly we dialed our pediatrician's phone knowing he had an after-hours service and how thankful we were that it was he on duty that night. He calmed us down and soon the fever was gone and our baby was fine. We have been anxious, nervous, worried, scared at tests and results and we vow to do all we can to get well. In Jesus' time, they had none of the luxuries that we enjoy now when it comes to medical care. I still remember doctors when they made housecalls. The appearance of the big black car and the doctor with the black bag meant only one thing for me; his stainless steel syringe would soon be out and for whatever I was ailing, I would get a shot. All of which the ancients would have loved. To touch Jesus was their ambulance, air flight, urgent care, and ER rolled into one.
Jesus came so that we could have life, and that in the fullest. His mission was to take us from merely existing to a life with meaning and purpose. Jesus also taught us that this plane of existence is not the only reality. Jesus came from Heaven to teach us about Heaven. Jesus taught us about the supernatural, the unexplainable and that we are indeed, supernatural people. Reference this in John 3:16ff, Jesus tells Nicodemus that we "must be born from above." Only the spiritually alive can fully understand the movements of God in our midst. The real presence of Jesus in our lives can lead us to where others will soon ask why we are the way we are and even may ask how they can come to that same feeling.
Let us be people who seek the direction and leading of the Shepherd; those who come to more fuller trust in Him to provide and protect us.
PRAYER: Loving God, let our lives affirm the faith of David in his psalm and the healing available through Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. May You lead us to share where we might to those in need; this we pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be one who shares about the wholeness to be found in Christ Jesus!
Receive my blessings of grace and peace,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
