Evans Akpo

A secret of being soughted

Mark 1:29- 39.

34“And the whole city had gathered at the door. And he healed many who were ill with various disease, and cast out many demons; and he was not permitting the demons to speak because they knew who He was.”

Robb Thompson in “You are healed “ cautioned: “people should never act condescending towards people that go to the doctor, because without doctors many people would be dead.” True, I strongly believe that doctors are doing a good job and I would recommend doctors for people of Faith. On another hand, the reverse could be the case when not properly understood. However, faith and reasoning are never exclusive. While healing is important and part of God’s plan, people still get sick and those that can’t be healthy can receive healing from their sickness.   His original plan for his people is: Perfect health. Perfect health is the ultimate plan. In today’s text. I noticed that Jesus was being sorted after by many people. His disciples articulated it better, in “vs. 37. They said; “Everyone is looking for you.“ There wasn’t instagram, twitter or facebook in his days, yet people soughted  after him. What was the secret of being soughted after?

The disturbing question was: Why was he being soughted after. As I read the text, I noticed one secret. First, he wasn’t looking for accolade, nor was he exploring the global oil regime. He was attached to the will and purpose of his existence – which was to please the father. Related to this, was what Earl Nightingale mentioned in his ‘classic secret to success CD’ of everybody trying to be like everyone else. Conformity, he alarmed, is the struggle of our age, without adherence to our purpose.

Vs. 35. In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.”

Early in the morning, Jesus rose up, according to the text, he was willing to do what others wouldn’t do out of mere convenience. Because of Jesus attachment to his purpose, he was undisturbed by the words of the multitude. Jesus was a man of purpose. Myles Munroe, a Bahamas teacher, known for speaking about purpose, would probably say: “Jesus knew his purpose, hence he wouldn’t abuse it for temporary fame. In Excellence in Character, the author states, “the person of character embraces change in order to achieve God’s place for him in history.” When Jesus embraced submission to his purpose, it helps recall what Robb Thompson, would call, submission is the proof that one has earned the right to be called a person of character.

Jesus healed people because he spent time in prayers. He developed a strong relationship with the word, which was the secret of his being soughted after. The relationship empowered him; resulting in his ability to speak the word and get people healed. That same power is (what we have), or can have, if we are not believers. We do not have to remain sick and broken by living in silent despair. There is always healing in Christ.

Our relevance in a field is directly related to the value we bring to enhance that discipline. Jim Rohn eloquently put it this way; “people don’t get the same pay based on hours; they do get pay differently based on the value they bring to their place of relevance. Jesus value was tied to his relevance to his purpose and to prayers.

I would rather spend time with the master than spend time seeking out fames. Time with the master is the secret of being soughted after. If we act like everyone else, we can obviously not change anyone. But when we do what others are unwilling to do, we are on a sure way to being sought after.

“All my love to you, its your kiss that does all the magic to me, forever you changed me, there is no love like you. Forever you’re the king in my heart, forever you reign in me. Forever your love remains. Your love is eternal and changes my world.” I thought those should’ve been the words the fishermen should have heard from Jesus before making any decision whether to follow him or not. Nope! this case was different and counter-culture.  C.S Lewis would say, “we live in a world paraded with promises of eternal romance, yet  delivers less on those promises.” The word in the text was, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” vs 17. Mk 1:17.

As I ponder on those words, “follow me” in the text. I realized John The Baptist had just introduced the man to everyone. Being a follower, in my opinion, doesn’t sound right these days, because we seem more interested in leadership. While I love leadership skills, I recently started thinking about ‘follower-ship’, but as an academia, I can argue that most of the Ivy leagues school are more interested in people with leadership skills. It makes me wonder if ‘follower ship’  is  an issue worth rejecting in people. It obviously doesn’t sound politically correct following this man with those few words. Before I concluded the text, I read the previous verse. Mk.1:14. “Now John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the GOSPEL of God.”

I thought it was the GOSPEL that would have propelled them into leaving what they were doing to follow him. I’m sure the gospel was a message of love that was strong enough to make them become like him. His invitation was to make them become like him. At the end, I would expect every follower to become a leader. As Rob Thompson would say, “the outcome of our life is determined by those we grant access.” It was the gospel that would give them the advantage, and the  access to the information that would ultimately create the changes. Malcolm Gladwell in his non-fiction book – the outliers wrote, “We have, I think, a very rigid and limited definition of what an advantage is, we think of things as helpful that actually aren’t and think of other things as helpful, that in reality leave us stronger and wiser.”  Following Jesus was the key in the text, because it would make them stronger and wiser.

Being a follower of Jesus is a huge task, because it demands obedience and trust to a commandment that has an overwhelming positive result. Before Christ called them in the text, I noticed Andrew and Simon where in their place of primary assignment. College professors would usually tell students to stay in their place of study; ensuring they complete their task. “Get the degree “ are often my repeated words, “go back to school and ensure you complete the task. While I may be biased as human sometimes do. I know the call to follow Jesus requires an active, yet insightful initiative on our part. It would require listening. Listening to the call is relevant to a believers purpose.

– Evans Akpo.