Daily Devotions – Seek Jesus

Daily Devotions – Seek Jesus

Photo by Emmanuel Phaeton on Unsplash

 

 

Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:

 

Mark 3:7-19 (NIV)
Crowds Follow Jesus
7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. 11 Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

Jesus Appoints the Twelve
13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

 

What motivates you to seek Jesus?

 

Holy Jesus, I love You. You are my Savior, Redeemer, Defender, Sustainer, and Friend.  You called me by name to be Your child. You carried my sins to the cross to be crucified with You. You endured extreme pain and suffering for my benefit. You set me free from condemnation and death. It is through Your blood that I have been given everlasting life.  There is nothing that I want more than to please You. I want to make You smile. I long to feel close to You and hear Your voice. I desire a deep relationship with You. When I am close to You, Your love and joy swell in my heart. You transform my dissatisfaction into contentment. You replace my selfishness, greed, and pride with humility in Your presence. You will never leave me or forsake me no matter what I have done, or what I am going through, I know that You are near. Only You can give me fulfillment, happiness, and meaning in life. You have a plan for me and made me for Your purpose. Out of my gratitude, I am inspired to serve You and to do Your will. I yearn to be more like You.  The closer I am to You, the more I will be like You. The more I am like You, the less I am like me. Lord Jesus, I seek You because I love You. Don’t let me disappoint You. I want You to find me faithful. I look forward to the day when You greet me by name, smile, and say well done good and faithful servant. Amen