Transformation

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
- Mark 1:14-15

The beginning of Jesus' public ministry offers profound insights into how His actions and teachings remain incredibly relevant for us today. We are challenged to live with a sense of urgency and purpose, understanding what it means to repent and believe the good news in our contemporary context. Next, we are called to reflect on Jesus calling of ordinary fishermen to follow Him. It is ordinary people like us, not the wise or wealthy, that are called to action by the Good News of the Kingdom. Jesus calls each of us, regardless of our background, to prioritize our relationship with Him.

Jesus has authority and power over the evil and brokenness in this world. He invests that power into us. We are encouraged to rely on Jesus' authority to overcome our personal struggles. Jesus’ compassion and power to heal is unique in history. We too can seek healing in our own lives and become agents of Jesus' healing in our communities.

To draw on this healing power, to stay focused on the mission we are called upon in a distracting world we need to incorporate regular prayer and reflection into our lives and align our priorities with God’s purpose.

Finally, as the story of Jesus cleansing a leper shows us His willingness to make us whole. Not just in our body but in our relationships with those around us. We are encouraged to trust in Jesus’ power to transform our deepest issues and share our stories of transformation to inspire others.

Spend some time with Jesus and ask him what he wants to do in your life today. You may be surprised with what he has in store for you!

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity