Fasting with Jesus — Day 13
A Lesson for All: Mercy Over Rules, Calling Over Comfort
Mark 2:28–3:35 is not just a story about Jesus—it is a mirror for every heart. Look closely, and you will see yourself: sometimes the Pharisee, sometimes the withered man, sometimes the misunderstood family, sometimes the called disciple. These verses teach three truths for every believer—truths that fasting helps us live.
1. The Sabbath (and every rule) exists for healing, not for hiding.
“Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” (Mark 3:4)
The Pharisees stood silent while a man stood suffering. They had the Law, but they had lost love. Lesson: God’s commands are never an excuse for indifference.
- If your “discipline” keeps you from helping someone, it is no longer discipline—it is pride.
- If your “quiet time” makes you too busy to answer a cry for help, it is no longer devotion—it is selfishness.
Fasting Application: When you skip a meal, ask: “Am I fasting to look holy, or to make room for mercy?” Let hunger remind you: People matter more than programs.
2. Jesus chooses the unlikely—and then makes them ready.
He appointed twelve… that they might be with Him. (Mark 3:14)
Peter denied. Thomas doubted. Judas betrayed. Yet Jesus called them first to be with Him, then to be sent. Lesson: You do not need a perfect past to be chosen—only a surrendered present.
- The tax collector became an apostle.
- The fisherman became a fisher of men.
- The failure became a foundation stone.
Fasting Application: Every pang of hunger is a reminder: “I am not enough—He is.” Fast from self-sufficiency. Let emptiness teach you dependence, not despair.
3. Family is redefined by obedience, not blood.
“Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:35)
Jesus’ own mother and brothers thought He was crazy (Mark 3:21). They came to take Him home. But Jesus looked at the crowd sitting around Him and said, “Here is my family.” Lesson: The deepest bond is not DNA—it is doing the Father’s will.
- Your sharpest critic may share your last name.
- Your truest ally may be a stranger who prays with you at 2 a.m.
Fasting Application: Fast from the need for approval—from parents, friends, or followers. Let silence teach you: Only one voice matters. When you hunger for human praise, lift your eyes to the One who says, “Well done.”
A Prayer for All of Us – Day 13
Lord Jesus, We are the Pharisees—clinging to rules while ignoring wounds. We are the withered—needing Your touch more than we admit. We are the family—sometimes loving, sometimes controlling. We are the called—ordinary, afraid, but chosen.
Teach every one of us:
- Mercy is the point of every law.
- Weakness is the doorway to Your power.
- Obedience is the tie that binds us closer than blood.
As we fast, strip away:
- Our excuses for inaction.
- Our pride in being “qualified.”
- Our fear of being misunderstood.
Fill us with new wine—wine that overflows in healing, in courage, in love that cannot be contained. Make us a family that sits at Your feet, stretches out withered hands, and says together:
“Your will, not ours. Your kingdom, not ours. You, Lord of the Sabbath—and Lord of us all.”
Amen.
About the Author
Wow… what a powerful reminder that mercy always outweighs rules and that our calling is worth more than our comfort. 🌿 Such a beautiful reflection — it truly stirs the heart and refocuses the soul. Thank you for sharing this truth! 🙌