At the beginning of the year, I committed to reading the Word of God, daily. Regardless. I am still at it. And everyday…I am amazed at how much the Lord reveals to me about Himself. I cannot contain all that He shows me. It’s so overwhelming. Scripture after scripture, that I have read over and over… I can’t count how many times, just come to life and the true meaning is revealed. Only a living God can do that.

Last night, as I was reading through Mark 14:51-52…

⁵¹ Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, ⁵² and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

This scripture is not mentioned in the other gospels, so I wondered why the apostle Mark felt need to include this incident in his writings. The young man wore only a linen (FYI, there is commentary on the meaning of the linen, the type used in burials). Why was he wearing only a linen wrap? And that the other young men tried to lay hold of him. The soldiers were only there for Jesus. The fleeing naked? I read some of the commentaries on this scripture, but none that helped me understand, except for the significance of the linen. Could it be that when the time comes…that some will leave the faith, hastily…not realizing their nakedness before God? I don’t know, need to do more research on it. 

Also in Mark 14: 41-42

⁴¹ Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

I have read this scripture, umpteen times, but last night I realized that we are to wait on God…wide awake, aware of our spiritual state.   He came back three times and each time found the disciples sleeping. He had been telling them that He would be betrayed by one of His own. As I read on, I am thinking, it’s like in today’s church environment, no one is quick to consider that someone could not be of God. People are caught unaware when stuff happens in the church. We are so busy playing church, preoccupied with the things of the world, giving little thought to the fact that Jesus is returning. Sure, we don’t know when, but He nevertheless told us to be ready, but are we really ready to face the living God? Seeking the things of the world brings on so many distractions. Gosh, it is not easy to be a Christian…it is a narrow road we walk on…but we have a heavenly Father that loves us, cares for us, and never leaves us. This scripture tells me that even though the disciples were found sleeping, Jesus did not reject them. Praise God!