Mark 2:29-39

"And immediately..."

Mark likes to use that phrase, or at least translators like to use it. Jesus has just had his "fame spread" and he leaves the synagogue immediately!! This is the first we read of him visiting one of his disciples homes and it's the first disciples he called, Simon and Andrew.

Simon's mother-in-law was sick. The disciples have recently seen Jesus cast out a demon so they talk to him about her. Isn't interesting that it's the mother-in-law? Which means the Simon is married, something I always forget about. It wasn't just the disciples traveling and ministering with Jesus, it was their wives and children as well. Or would they have stayed home, not knowing when they would get to see their loved ones again?

Simon has concern for his mother-in-law and Jesus goes to her house and heals her...and "she began to serve them" (vs 31). It's a beautiful picture really. Jesus and the disciples have been walking to get to the house. They're tired, hungry and dirty. When they arrive, Simon is told his mother-in-law isn't doing well, so they go to her house...or would she have been living in the same house as them? I'm not sure what the custom was. Anyway, I'm sure they would have loved to sit down and rest/relax, yet they go to her. And as soon as Jesus heals her, she begins to serve them. I'm assuming that means takes care of their needs: food, drink, sleep, etc. Even the disciples and Jesus had the care of a mother...probably of all the mothers.

The disciples must have been in awe of this because they go around town collecting everyone who is sick/demon possessed and bring them to Jesus (vs 32). While their gathering people, words spreads, or I guess it already has spread, about what He can do so the whole town gathers to watch.

He didn't heal everyone. It says, "he healed many" (vs 34). Which is interesting. What would it be like to be someone who wasn't heal, or to be their family. And why didn't Jesus heal them all?

It's also interesting that Jesus silences the demons "because they knew him". It's like he wants to keep His identity a secret, yet word is already spreading.

I wonder if Jesus was an introvert, or if He even had those tendencies, fully God, yet fully man. Early the next morning after a night of healing people and casting out demons, Jesus retreats "to a desolate place" to pray (vs 35). A desolate place...what would that look like? I like to retreat to a place of beauty, a forest, lake, etc. Devoid of human interference, yet not what I would call desolate. I bet alot of places are desolate early in the morning. The world doesn't like to wake up earlier than normal.

The disciples wake up, find Jesus missing and being looking for him. When they find him, I can hear the scolding in their voice, "Everyone is looking for you." (vs 37). "Why did you put us through this? We thought we had lost you!" Etc. Jesus doesn't defend himself, or tell them they don't understand, he just asks to go "to the next town...to preach there also, for that is why i came out". That is why i came out...interesting phrasing there; coming out.

That's just what he did, throughout Galilee, preach in the synagogues and cast out demons. Teaching people about God's love, filling them with His truth and removing them from the evil presence of Satan.