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October 24, 2023
General

Reading

Mark 3:21-35 - His brothers and His mother: Perhaps these relatives of Jesus sent to Him to carry out the plan described in Mark 3:21, to lay hold of Him, thinking that Jesus was out of His mind. Who is My mother, or My brothers? We might have expected that Jesus’ family would have special privileges before Him. It almost surprises us that they do not. Yet the brothers of Jesus never seemed to be supportive of His ministry before His death and resurrection (John 7:5).

Summary

This passage describes a time when Jesus' family came to see Him while He was teaching, but could not reach Him because of the crowd. Some thought Jesus was out of His mind. Jesus used the opportunity to teach that His true family are those who do the will of God. He prioritizes obedience to God over human relationships.

Reflection

It's striking that even Jesus' own family did not understand His calling and ministry at first. As the eternal Son of God, Jesus' true family are those who follow Him, not just biological relations. This shows that following Jesus requires putting Him above all human loyalties. It is not always easy, but Jesus deserves our highest devotion. As His disciples today, we must still prioritize obedience to God over pleasing even family. Jesus will give us the spiritual family of all believers if we put Him first.

Prayer

Father God, thank You for adopting us as Your children when we trust in Christ. Help us to see all believers as our spiritual family. Give us wisdom to balance our family duties with obedience to You. Remind us that You deserve our highest loyalty. Strengthen us when obedience to You is difficult and costs human relationships. May we find our identity and family in Christ alone. Amen.

Generated Image(s)

A serene mountain landscape This beautiful landscape shows a serene mountain scene beside a clear blue lake, with puffy clouds in a bright blue sky. The gorgeous natural surroundings provide a sense of peace and calm reflection. One could imagine Jesus teaching his disciples here about prioritizing obedience to God, even if it means misunderstanding from family. Though relationships are important, our true family is all who do the will of the heavenly Father. In quiet nature like this, one can feel close to

A serene mountain landscape This beautiful landscape shows a serene mountain scene beside a clear blue lake, with puffy clouds in a bright blue sky. The gorgeous natural surroundings provide a sense of peace and calm reflection. One could imagine Jesus teaching his disciples here about prioritizing obedience to God, even if it means misunderstanding from family. Though relationships are important, our true family is all who do the will of the heavenly Father. In quiet nature like this, one can feel close to

This image was generated by AI from the devotion text.

A serene mountain landscape This beautiful landscape shows a serene mountain scene beside a clear blue lake, with puffy clouds in a bright blue sky. The gorgeous natural surroundings provide a sense of peace and calm reflection. One could imagine Jesus teaching his disciples here about prioritizing obedience to God, even if it means misunderstanding from family. Though relationships are important, our true family is all who do the will of the heavenly Father. In quiet nature like this, one can feel close to

This image was generated by AI from the devotion text.