Dearest e-votees-
This coming week I will be in New Orleans with 35,000 some youth and adults for the national ELCA youth gathering. Please pray for all of us for safe travel, open hearts and changed lives.
This is coming out early so that I can be more like Mary and less like Martha in New Orleans.
Peace,
Karl
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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.
The apostles gathered around Jesus. Jesus invites them to come away to a deserted place to rest. They had been so busy that they hadn’t even had time to be properly fed. So the apostles and Jesus went. But many others also were tired, hungry and needing sustenance. They needed spiritual food. And soon they needed physical food. And the apostles shift from Marys sitting at the feet of Jesus to Marthas trying to take care of all the hungry mouths.
The point of the first part of our lesson is that Jesus regarded the people needing sustenance as sheep without a shepherd so he provided for them both spiritually and physically. Through his teaching they, like Mary at his feet, were sustained.
As Jesus and the apostles go on the move again they are swarmed by all the residents of the region who needed healing. People who were fed and nourished have shared the word and others are flocking to be fed, nourished and healed as well.
We are called to gather around Jesus—whether for a season like the upcoming youth gathering in New Orleans or in regular devotion time or in worship. Jesus invites us to come to a deserted place and rest. We are beckoned to eat our fill. Others may come and their needs might disrupt our scripted meals and programmed quiet time. Jesus’ heart will be drawn to those like sheep without a shepherd—ours should too.
If we, and others, who have had our fill, our healing and our touch from Jesus then we will find ways to give testimony. Word will spread. More will come. Just as we rave about the latest restauarant we have unearthed to all who might hear God wants us to rave about Jesus and about the sustenance we have received from him. When we do God will bless those words. People will come from all places to see if this Jesus we make known is real. May we welcome them as they take their place at the feet Jesus next to us and to Mary.
God, help us hear your call to us today. Help us find quiet place to rest and be sustained. Amen.
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