Read Mark 1: 21-28

Jesus begins his ministry in "church."  He called the first four disciples and now it is the Sabbath.

Some points to ponder came up as I read this.

He did this healing in a synagogue on the sabbath, and no one there had a fit! Why was that?

The reading doesn't mention any scribes or Pharisees as being present, so did the people just see release and relief for one of their own and not question "working on the sabbath"?  Sometimes we focus so hard on the "How" in doing 'church' that we forget the "Why." Read the healing at the beginning of Mark 3 and see the parallels, and the difference! (See Mark 3:4!)

The other thing was that this unclean spirit was in someone in the synagogue! Again, no one had a fit, it was unremarkable to them.

Sometimes we think of church as a "sanctuary." Yet the cares and struggles of this world are just as present here as they are in our homes and neighborhoods.  We might be better off if we stopped pretending otherwise, and that we could be more honest and open and struggle together- as opposed to feeling like you might be the only one going through....

I think of the Parable of the Good Samaritan and how the Priest and the Levite (lay minister) walked by out of fear of getting involved.

The reality is that we are all in need of a Savior, and there is no place where we do not need ALL of him to be, even in church, even in us, just as Jesus is out there in the people we meet.  Maybe a step forward is letting go of fixating on the "How" of healing, loving, caring, advocating, serving- and instead put all of that energy into the actual work of healing, loving, caring, advocating, serving? 

I wonder what a difference that might make in your life, and more importantly, the life of your neighbor?