By the Sea

Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. “No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.” Mark 2:13-22

There is something about sitting by the water which calms the spirit and helps us listen. Jesus often chose a spot by the water, sometimes teaching from a small, moored boat. I find when my heart is troubled and life overwhelms, a trip to the seaside brings me peace and healing. Just breathing in the salt air and listening to the crashing waves changes my whole perspective. Jesus wanted his words to be heard in their hearts and sitting by the sea brought them all together. Most of the crowd was aching for healing, although some resisted. Let us be those who come to the waters, knowing our brokenness and seeking the healing love of Christ.

Loving Creator, your heart is love,

you weave us into communities,

set us in places of healing and hope

and call us to draw close together.

We often isolate and hide ourselves,

yet you see through all of our masks,

you see the hurting and the great need,

and offer your loving, healing touch.

Help us today to be always child like

asking out loud for the need we have,

admitting to our very broken places

and trusting you to heal every one of us. Amen.