When I think of these crowds coming from all directions, clamoring to get near Jesus, some sick, others with impure spirits, the word that comes to mind is chaos. Mark includes a specific detail in this passage that Jesus asked for a boat.

When was the last time you encountered someone in need? This could have been a physical, financial, emotional, or spiritual need. Now picture that person.

I loved to lead off in baseball; I would plan how it was going to look, stealing a base, and it was awesome. Overall I was a great base runner, yet one day the girl I liked was at my game.

The other day, I was officiating a wedding, and right before the ceremony began, a beautiful bald eagle flew right over the lake in front of where the ceremony was happening. We joked that America was in full support of this new marriage.

There are people who leave churches that are filling up with people who are new in their faith in Jesus. This happens because long-time Christians forget that these amazing new believers do not have a cultural understanding of church language and behavior.