Oakwood Church Fresh Start Women's Devotional Encouragement for Today Hartland Delafield

Next, Please
By Elin Henderson

“Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed.’”
Mark 1:41 (NKJV)

Do you ever feel that life is sometimes like a Walk-In Clinic? Maybe it’s only because I’m a nurse that I would think this way! Life is a series of appointments, some scheduled and some walk-ins. There is nothing as irritating as trying to complete a day’s work when one interruption after another vies for our time and attention. We have patience for the scheduled things since we’ve planned time and energy for them, but those unscheduled walk-ins tend to just annoy us.

The Lord has been challenging me lately in my attitude towards the walk-ins in my life. Rather then seeing them as interruptions, He desires that I see them as “divine appointments” – not on MY schedule but perfectly part of HIS schedule for me.

How many walk-ins did Jesus have to deal with in a day? In the first chapter of Mark, on His way to a preaching engagement, along came a leper “imploring Him to heal him.” Chapter 2, a paralytic and his friends drop in (literally) while He’s having a meeting. Chapter 3, on His way to the synagogue, a man with a crippled hand seeks help. Chapter 5, Jairus seeks Him out to heal his little girl, immediately followed by a woman with an issue of blood. Chapter 7, a woman with an unclean spirit finds Him on His way to Tyre and Sidon. Later on, a woman is cast before Him condemned of adultery…the rich young ruler stops him on his path…a pack of children crowd around him…the examples go on and on. When did He stick to “a schedule”?

Did these walk-ins keep Him from ministering to others, or rather amplify His ministry among others? They were opportunities…and because Jesus was in constant communion with the Father, He willingly took the time to deal with each one. His example taught those around Him and still speaks to us today.

So, the next time your day seems to be filling up with a lot of walk-ins, just remember who sets the schedules we live by. Trust that He knows not only how much we can handle for the day, but also the specific lives He wants us to touch that day!

GOING DEEPER:
1. If you have a chance, study the different Gospels and keep track of how many interruptions (walk-ins) that Jesus dealt with daily! The list will surprise and challenge you!
2. Where in your life do you feel that you have been stiff-arming the walk-ins for the sake of your scheduled appointments? How do you feel the Lord would have you change your approach?

FURTHER READING:
Matthew; Mark; Luke; John

Oakwood’s missionaries Elin Henderson and her husband Phil serve as church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to ten-year-old Callie and seven-year-old Elias.