Contemplative Bible Reading

Mark 6:30 (New Living Translation)

The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught.

At one point, Jesus sent out pairs of people to tell everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God (verse 12). Later, these people returned to Jesus and told him what they had done and taught. This translation of this sentence called it a “ministry tour.”

I guess we call these “mission trips” in some circles today. I guess. And what do we tell the folks we meet on these “mission trips?”

There was a simple message in the time of Jesus: don’t do the same old sins; turn to God instead.

Well, uh, see, we don’t like to talk about “the same old sins.” Put down that alcohol. Don’t clench that fist. Stop cheating those who don’t realize what you are doing. The list is long. The list can be too specific for my liking. Sooner or later the list will include my sins.

Still, this is what these people did on this ministry tour. It is my guess that the folks they met liked being healed of illness. I am not so sure about the “repent of your sins” part. I am not sure about the “turn to God” part, either.

The message remains the same many centuries later. Turn to God. Toss aside the old sins. We don’t need those sins. They don’t do us any good. Just move towards God everyday.

Simple. Somehow we make these things complicated.