Crowd Wanting to be Healed

Mark 6:53–56
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A fascinating study on the principle of the Golden Rule was conducted by Bernard Rimland, director of the Institute for Child Behavior Research. Rimland found that “The happiest people are those who help others.” Each person involved in the study was asked to list ten p … More

Selfishness

We find Jesus arriving back on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee not very far from Capernaum in the plain of Gennesaret (v. 53). This was one of the most fertile areas in all Palestine. No sooner had He landed than He was surrounded by a crowd of people (v. 54). Many of them came to be healed and were trying to just touch the hem of His garment (vv. 55-56). This was a blue banded fringe which the Law required every male Jew to have on his outer garments (Num. 15:38) that distinguished the Jews from the Gentiles.

There were very few in the crowd who had not come to get something from Jesus. In our selfishness it is only human nature to come to Jesus to get things from Him, but it is shameful to always be asking and never giving anything to Him. They simply wanted to use people and the same is true in their relationship with God. They never remember him unless they need him. Their only prayers are requests, or even demands, made of God. There are also those who simply make use of the church. They desire the church to baptize their children, marry their young people and bury their dead. They are seldom to be seen there unless they wish some service. It is their unconscious attitude that the church exists to serve them, but that they have no duty whatever towards it. If we examine ourselves, we are all, to some extent, guilty of this same selfish attitude.

Application

In my prayer time I need to be thanking the Lord for all He has done for me and not in my own selfish way asking Him for anything during this time.

Mark 6:53-56 (English Standard Version)

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