Today’s verse from Mark 3:2 really gets me. It says this: “Everyone was watching Jesus closely to see if He would heal the man on the Sabbath, giving them a reason to accuse Him of breaking Sabbath rules” (TPT). People were watching Jesus closely to see if He would heal a man. However, they were not looking because they were excited and hopeful for Jesus to perform a miracle. They were watching because they wanted to have a reason to accuse Jesus of breaking the rules of the Sabbath. It was all about judgment, not a miracle. It was about puffing up their pride, not about experiencing the movement of God.
Isn’t that sad? People were standing nearby as God is with us about to do this awesome miracle. Instead of being amazed and thankful and in awe of the possibility of a miracle, there was a group of people just waiting to point fingers in judgment. Many people spend so much time watching for the opportunity to enforce judgment that they miss the miracle. Hopefully you are not one of those people. If you found yourself trying to point out the flaws in others, this might be you.
Consider this verse today. When you encounter a situation in life, are you looking around you to see how God is moving or are you looking to point out the wrong you see around you? Are you trying to see things with God eyes or are you seeking an opportunity to make a statement against another? Do you find it difficult to find even one thing good about a person? Yes, we certainly are not supposed to turn our eyes away from the sin around us. But at the same time, we need to be mindful of the judgment we have in our hearts. We need to seek out God in all situations and ensure that we are not looking to bring down the gavel. Imagine for a moment — is God moving in this situation? You might be surprised and blessed to see Him doing something mighty right before your eyes.
Today, seek out the good. Today, look for the blessings. Today, pray for the miracles and look on with anticipation. If all you are doing is looking around to point fingers, you have no time to experience the presence of God or to love the people God has called you to love.
Tania Gutekunst 