The purpose of these simple words reveals to one who'll prod,
Mark's theme's the early ministry of Christ the Son of God.
The prophets then of long ago wrote for all men to see,
"I send my messenger before thy face to prepare thy way 'fore thee."
This voice was John the Baptist who preached in the wilderness.
He baptized for the remission of sins and men did sins confess.
His clothing was of camel hair and skins not bought with money
His food not found in merchant's store was locusts and wild honey.
John preached of one far mightier - to loose his shoes would be to
boast,
For he baptized with water but Jesus with the Holy Ghost
Not to wash his sins away but as example for all to see,
Jesus came to be baptized of John in Galilee.
God truly proved this was His son whom dearly He did love.
As He arose the Spirit came upon Him like a dove.
God called His Son beloved and was pleased as all did hear it.
Immediately Jesus was driven into the wilderness by the Spirit.
For forty days the tempter tried in vain to make Him sin,
While beasts untamed made company and angels stayed with Him.
After John was put in prison did Jesus start to preach,
The gospel of the kingdom was the topic He did teach.
He knew the time was then fulfilled for likewise was He sent,
He urged men to believe His words and of their sins repent.
To call His disciples out He did set;
They were Simon and Andrew casting their net.
They forsook their nets to be fishers of men.
For thus He commissions - to go or to send.
The next He called were James and John, the sons of Zebedee.
They too were mending nets beside the Sea of Galilee.
They left their father with the servants and after Him did come.
And Jesus preached in the synagogue found at Capernaum.
They were astonished at His doctrine; they heard none like besides
For Jesus preached with authority far different from the scribes.
A man with an unclean spirit cried out to be left alone.
To these foul servants of Satan was Jesus' deity known.
Then Jesus did charge him his peace for to hold,
He tore him and cried and he fled as Christ told.
Around about Galilee His fame had no curfew;
He went to the home of Simon and Andrew.
There Peter's wife's mother of a fever lay sick;
He lifted her up and the fever it quit.
She ministered to Him and at sunset that eve
They brought to Him people possessed and diseased.
He's still the great healer of body and soul
For all those who touched Him were immediately made whole.
LML
* This was written when I was seventeen for the Word of Truth Quiz to
help me remember St Mark.
It is very crude with no regular metre.
Reflecting Thoughts from a Teen's Heart