God has had me in the Gospel of Mark since Good Friday. It was on my third time through the book that I got stuck on the number of times the author used the word immediately in the first chapter. If you missed yesterday’s post you can check it out for yourself here: http://wp.me/p39vIx-kI
Mark uses the word “immediately” 9 times and the term “at once” 1 time in 45 verses. As I said yesterday, that’s a whole lot of immediately in one chapter. In fact if Mark were going into writing class with this chapter the first thing his teacher would probably ask him to change would be the use of this one word. But I have to think that God must have had a reason for telling Mark to use the word over and over again. He must be trying to make some point.
The actual word used 10 times in Mark 1 is the word euthys- straightway, immediately, forthwith.
As I was meditating on the chapter, I noticed that the action behind the “immediatelys” were coming from different sources. Sometimes the “immediately” was done by God the Father or Holy Spirit as in verses 9 (the Holy Spirit descended),12 (The Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness), 28 (Jesus’ fame spread throughout the land), and 42 (the leprosy was healed)
Then other times the “immediately” was done out of obedience by Jesus, or his disciples. Once the “immediately” was even perpetrated by a demon.
Now I have to say that we all love the immediate action of God. We love it when the disease is instantly, miraculously healed. We love it when God moves His plan for our lives forward quickly. We love it when God instantly shows up in answer to our prayers.
I can only speak for myself here but when the immediate action is mine I am not necessarily so keen on that. When God gives me a command sometimes I am not so quick to jump on the immediate bandwagon. I have to “think it through”, look at all the angles. I want to figure out just exactly what obedience to God in this instance means. I justify it by calling it counting the cost, but I know it’s really just an attack of fear and unbelief.
As I looked at this passage I realized that the immediate action of God usually followed the immediate act of obedience from Jesus or his disciples. The Holy Spirit descended immediately and drove Jesus into the wilderness as soon as Jesus obeyed the Father in baptism. Jesus fame immediately spread throughout the land because Jesus disciples immediately obeyed God and followed Jesus into Capernaum. Peter’s mother-in-law was healed immediately because the disciples didn’t wait to tell Jesus about the need.
This has me wondering how many of God’s “immediatelys” are hung up in waiting because my “immediatelys” have been put on the back burner. I know that sometimes we are required to wait for God but I am just wondering if there aren’t times where I’m not waiting for God but He is actually waiting for me.
What’s your immediately from God today? How is it effecting God’s immediately?
Lillie-Put 
Hey Pastor Joe – I have always been struck by this – i think i have it in like 4 different journals as i chug through Mark at various times. This fits the theme of my blog perfectly (red letters and all) so i would love to reblog this (perhaps on this weekend) if you don’t mind to terribly much. I know we have a number of the same readers, but sharing helps us cross connect.
Thanks much brother.
Ben
I would be honored Ben. The cross connect is wonderful!
that’s great – i lined it up for Sunday.
Thank you Ben!
This is very insightful. God’s is never late, He’s sometimes early, but always on time. His timing is always perfect! But, I wonder how many times God has been waiting for me to lay something down or wake up to His leading to step into that “immediately.”
What blows my mind is that He is always still on time even if He is waiting for me He has planned it but that is no excuse I realize to lollygag!
I too am sure God intentionally placed immediately in there so many times for us and yes I am also sure He is waiting on me. Praying with you that we immediately follow His unseen Spirit to go, do and follow His promises. GREAT message to us. Thank you!
Thanks Tom! God is showing me a lot of my personal immediatelys. I am praying that God would reveal to my readers their own personal immediatelys.
Thanks so much , Pastor J, for helping us look at this from the other angle . .that He also waits on us. Praying and asking about what I need to move immediately on! God bless you!
I am praying for you in this regard Deb!
>> “I am just wondering if there aren’t times where I’m not waiting for God but He is actually waiting for me”
God: the omnipotent, creator God – waiting for me: His created being!
What an awesome thought!
>> “What’s your immediately from God today?”
I often see sad, lonely-looking women sitting on benches at the shopping centre and stop to talk, offering a listening ear, comfort, and a Gideon New Testament with helps, but sometimes I am in too much of a rush or too wrapped in my own agenda. I wonder if there are times when God is waiting for me to act, and I miss the opportunity? I need to watch for opportunities, listen for His prompting and act immediately whenever He speaks.
What a great immediately Angela. I am just back from Holland and going through all my comments. That’s my immediately and I am being greatly blessed by it!
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Thanks for the link back!