Seeing What Has Been Unseen

Mark looks at the life of Jesus and sees the unfolding plan of God.  It is evident in the very first part of his gospel.  As he tells the story, it is as if he is saying, "this event follows this event and then comes the next event."  For Mark the story started centureis earlier with the prophecies of Isaiah who not only spoke of Jesus as the suffering Messiah, but also spoke of one who would come to announce the coming of the Holy One of God.  "As it is written,.." he says.  (Mark 1:2).   Then John the Baptist appears to baptize and to proclaim, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming..." (Mark 1:4-7).  

"Jesus came..." (Mark 1:9)  He was baptized, anointed by the Holy Spirit and led into the wilderness,  (Mark 1:9-13).  John is arrested and the ministry of the Kingdom begins. (Mark 1:14-15).  Each event is like the building block for what is to come.  Everything happens in such rapid fire fashion those reading the story hardly have time to catch their breath, or perhaps, to absorb the significance of what is unfolding before their very eyes.  What we see is the plan of God, one step at a time.  Surely, this Word from the Word which tells us that we are not outside the plan of God is true.  God does not just have a plan for certain folks, but for all of us.  

What is also true is that we live such hurried lives that we miss seeing the steps which God has used to bring us to place where we are.  Our lives are not just about our efforts and what we manage to accomplish, but a plan that God put in place from the moment of our conception in our mother's womb.  It is His grace and His plan which has taken us from there to here.  The season of Lent calls us to a period of reflection which can be used to look back, see what we have not seen, and be grateful.