Today’s Lifespring! One Year Bible Rewind challenges the way we look at holiness. While the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were obsessed with outward rituals and hand-washing, Jesus points us toward a much deeper issue: the condition of the human heart. From feeding thousands in the wilderness to opening the eyes of the blind, we see that Jesus is interested in transforming us from the inside out.

Today’s reading is Mark 7–8.

The chapters begin with a confrontation over tradition. The Pharisees criticize the disciples for eating with “unwashed hands,” but Jesus rebukes their hypocrisy for choosing man-made rules over God’s commandments. Moving forward, we witness Jesus’ compassion as He heals the daughter of a persistent Syrophoenician woman and a man who was deaf and mute. In Mark 8, Jesus feeds four thousand people, warns against the “yeast” of the Pharisees, and heals a blind man in stages. Finally, the narrative shifts as Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ, leading to Jesus’ sobering teaching on the cost of following Him.

Entities: Jesus, Pharisees, Scribes, Isaiah, Moses, Syrophoenician woman, Tyre, Sidon, Decapolis, John the Baptist, Elijah, Peter, Satan, Lot Carey, Helmuth James von Moltke

Why this episode matters: These chapters remind us that true faith isn’t about performing for others. Jesus makes it clear that evil originates in the heart, not in our environment. Furthermore, Peter’s confession and Jesus’ subsequent rebuke show us that following Christ requires setting aside our own desires to take up our cross.

In Mark 7, Jesus introduces what was then radical information. For generations, the Jews were taught that external things like certain foods or touching the “unclean” would defile them. Jesus flips this perspective. He explains that food merely passes through the body, but the heart is the source of our thoughts and actions. If the heart is the “wellspring of life,” then we must be careful what we allow to take root there.

We also look at the advice often given in the world today: “follow your heart.” Scripture, specifically Jeremiah 17:9, warns us that the heart is deceitful. Instead of following our hearts, which can lead us into pride, envy, and foolishness, we are called to guard our hearts. The thoughts we entertain determine whether we are conforming to the image of Jesus or the patterns of the world.

Mark 7:15 — “There is nothing from outside of the man that going into him can defile him. But the things that proceed out of the man are those that defile the man.”

Read it in context here: Mark 7 (BibleGateway)

January 24th — Courage and Conviction

In 1821, Lot Carey set sail for West Africa. Born into slavery, he bought his freedom and became the first African-American missionary to Africa, eventually founding the First Baptist Church in Liberia. Later, in 1945, we remember Helmuth James von Moltke, who was executed by the Nazis. During his trial, the judge stated his only crime was being a Christian. Moltke’s belief in a higher moral authority was seen as a direct threat to the regime’s power.

Reference: Lott Carey (Wikipedia)

Today is National Compliment Day! It’s a wonderful reminder to use our words to build others up. As we’ve learned today, what comes out of our mouths reflects what is in our hearts. Let’s make sure our words today are seasoned with grace and kindness.

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Follow today’s reading here: Mark 7–8 (BibleGateway)