by Gayle Francis

I was blessed the other night as I read chapters four and five in Mark’s gospel. One evening Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and headed toward the country of the Gadarenes. On the way there, He calmed a storm at sea and in his anxious disciples. Upon arrival, He was immediately confronted with a demon-possessed man and delivered him. That miracle upset the people so much that Jesus had to turn around and quickly make the return boat trip. There was still no time to rest because a large crowd was waiting for Him. Before He had a chance to stop, he healed the woman with the issue of blood and raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead.

Then I mentally rehearsed my day. First my devotions were interrupted by a phone call from a friend who explained difficulties over which she seems unable to get victory. I had just returned to my quiet time when the phone rang again. The man for whom we had been “dog sitting” let us know he was ready to come get his pet. During the six weeks that we had kept his dog, my young daughter had become attached to the animal and the parting produced tears. The time needed to calm her torn emotions and change her mind-set took the remainder of the morning. Before I realized it, I was involved in the necessary push of preparing lunch. That afternoon was filled with the line-by-line condensing and editing of study material to be translated into the language of a country where there is a famine of available printed scriptural data. Then there was the dental appointment for my fourteen-year-old son to be fitted with braces. Later more time was spent in working on an article for publication. Evening found us attending Bible study and intercessory prayer time at a local assembly.

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