Without Delay

 Mark 1: 14-20

Jesus Announces the Good News

¹⁴ 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!”

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

¹⁶ As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ¹⁸ At once they left their nets and followed him.

¹⁹ When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. ²⁰ Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

"The time has come".  Jesus said this 2,000 years ago as he began his ministry. His career as a carpenter was over, John was imprisoned, now it was his turn, and he lost no time, at least according to Mark. The shortest Gospel moves very quickly from scene to scene, event to event, almost taking our breath away as we read it.  The core of the messages is "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news." To help spread this message he quickly recruits Peter, Andrew, James and John, who as quickly leave all to follow him.

What about us?  Do we hear these words addressed to us?  Can we leave our habitual ways, our plans, even our jobs to answer the call of Jesus?  Perhaps being stripped of our usual way of life by the Pandemic, we have learned that we CAN get along without  what we thought were necessary things and break out of habits we thought were essential to answer a higher call? The statement, "The time has come", is as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago.  Can I answer as swiftly, "without delay" as these first disciples?  What is God asking of me TODAY?

Bro. Rene