CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE DAILY DEVOTIONAL ON YOUTUBE
Mark 2:8-12
In Mark 2:6 (NKJV) the Bible teaches us that “the scribes were sitting there and reasoning in their hearts” about Jesus’ ability to forgive sins as He had said to the paralytic in Mark 2:5. In Mark 2:8 we learn that Jesus “perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves” and He questioned them about their doubt in Him and His power (Mark 2:9). Jesus challenges the scribes to choose which is easier, to heal physically or to heal spiritually. Then, Jesus, proving His power to them did both; He healed the paralytic physically and forgave his sins as well (Mark 2:5, 11). The end result was the same result that God intends us all to have when Jesus touches our lives as we learn in Mark 2:12 stating; “so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We never saw anything like this!’”
This is an example of the power of Jesus to heal both physically and spiritually.
There is a great debate about the relation of faith to reason that has gone on for many hundreds of years. Yet we see here in Mark 2 the connection between the two: the scribes reasoned in their hearts, which is to say within themselves, and is the same place in which we develop faith. We cannot see the actual reasoning process, nor can we actually see faith developing within ourselves, but we can see the proof of each in the results displayed from the internal development of both faith and reason. The point is that we demand to see the physical results without admitting the spiritual requirement of both faith and reason. The scribes were among those who knew of the coming Messiah, yet when He arrived, they were critical of His power to heal both physically and spiritually. We must not make this same mistake when God speaks to our hearts to reason properly that Jesus came to heal us too; He came into this world physically to prove His spiritual power to heal for eternity, if we will put our faith in Him.
Dear LORD,
You are the way, the truth, and the life. There is no other way to You except through Jesus (John 14:6). Please help us to open our hearts to reason in faith that it would be so in all our lives – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.