THURSDAY 2nd MARCH - MARK 1:21-45

It seems as though the arrest of John the Baptist prompted Jesus to move back to Galilee. Then the meeting of Simon, Andrew, James and John caused him to settle in their home town of Capernaum. These events were surely a surprise to him but they didn't throw him from his path. He continued to do God's will - he spoke of the good news and he taught at the synagogue - even though it was perhaps a smaller and more 'local' synagogue than he would have predicted a few weeks earlier. Maybe Capernaum felt like a set-back to Jesus. Maybe the geographical distance from Jerusalem felt like a gulf. Maybe the arrest of his cousin hit him hard. However, he remained obedient and with his first four disciples, he started to change people's lives. Capernaum ended up being the site of many of his miracles and it is still remembered as Jesus's 'city'. What is my Capernaum? What is your Capernaum? Are there situations that we find ourselves wrapped up in that we could be understandably disappointed with? Can we continue to do God's will despite our situation? Can God redeem these situations so that our Capernaums can be remembered fondly?

MIRACLES HAPPENED IN CAPERNAUM

David Aylin - After a Jewish wedding, the bride and groom would have open house for a week of celebration with friends and relatives. A rabbinic rule said 'All in attendance are relieved of all religious observances which would lessen their joy'. Hence, Jesus says- 'they can fast after I, the bridegroom have gone'.
By eating the corn in the field, there were making 4 Sabbath day errors- reaping, winnowing, threshing and preparing a meal ! The Sabbath was not  created to enslave man but to make his life better.