Day 12 – Amazed and Afraid

Amazed and Afraid
Mark 10:32a

As we continue in our fast, we believe that God will move in miraculous ways in our families, our church, and our community. In all that, one of the greatest blessings we hope that each of us gains from this fast is a deeper understanding of the presence of God.

In Mark’s gospel, there is an interesting passage that gives us a glimpse of what it was like to be in the presence of Jesus during His earthly ministry. “And they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking ahead of them. And they were amazed, and those who followed were afraid” (Mark 10:32a).

It’s like Mark is recording these seemingly random details of what it was like to be with Christ. This verse paints the image of Jesus and the disciples as they walked up the dusty road with Jerusalem looming in the distance. As the disciples looked ahead and saw Jesus, they were amazed. In the Greek, the verb literally means to be astounded, to be struck with amazement. The incredible thing about this statement is in that moment Jesus was not walking on water, or healing the sick, or answering prayers – He was simply walking ahead of them. Just to see the divine clothed in flesh was astounding. Just to be with Him on the journey held a striking sense of amazement.

Mark also records that those who were with them were afraid. The language here can be understood as a deep sense of reverence and awe. Up to this point in Mark, Jesus has cast out demons, healed the sick, raised the dead, calmed the storm, and many more incredible miracles. While those things are certainly gripping, it’s like the gospel writer is telling us that just walking with Him was just as powerful as seeing Him raise the dead.

Through this fast, we will see God do many miracles, and while those things will certainly be gripping, our prayer is that the most amazing and awe-inspiring thing from these 21 days is to simply be in His presence.