March 11, 2012 Time for "Thank You"

Time for “Thank You”

Mark 6:45-46 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

YOU have seen before in Mark’s Gospel how Jesus got up early in the morning to pray before he began his work for the day. In this scene today, you see that Jesus work is done. And there he goes again, off alone to pray. Although you aren’t told what Jesus prays here, his prayer focus could be determined from the day’s events.
How do you respond when some really good things occur in your life? Do you say, “Thank you.” to people who have helped those things happen? Do you, perhaps say, “Thank you, Father for the good things that happened today.”
That easily could have been Jesus’ prayer. Perhaps as many as 10,000 people came to hear him that day (Scripture records 5,000 men, and then you add women and children.). Certainly it is the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit who moved people’s hearts to hear Jesus’ preaching.
Those thousands were fed with a very tiny food source. Certainly it is the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit who multiplied the loaves and fish. Jesus’ disciples, too, had learned a powerful lesson about their rabbit and about their God. Yes, certainly Jesus’ alone time that evening included a time of praise and thanksgiving to God.
On this day, what is a good thing to include in your prayers? Certainly there are issues in your life and/or lives of loved ones that are difficult to deal with. But remember the reasons you have to say to the Father, “Thank you for the ….” Pray thanksgiving, and praise the Father.


Pause and consider that “thank you” is pleasing to God.