Oh, Father, there is so much going on in my life right now that I feel stretched taut. I pray that I would be undoubtedly aware of Your calming presence in my spirit. I know You have placed me where I am and I trust You to get me through. Amen.

Matthew 20:17-28 (<<click to read the passage)

Lord, this is the third time that You have predicted Your death. First, in Matthew 16:21 – where Peter took You aside and reprimanded You – and then in Matthew 17:21-23 – where it simply says, And the disciples were filled with grief.

The first two instances invoked a response – but this time it seemingly went in one ear and out the other, as they say. Jesus, You had been speaking of humility and not thinking as the world thinks. Your encounter with the rich young man then Your parable of the vineyard workers both drove home the idea that what this world stressed as important wasn’t! Worldly firsts would be last, those who served in You with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength though last in this world, would be first where it really matters – in Your Kingdom.

Now maybe their minds got stuck on Your words in Matthew 19:28, where You spoke of them sitting “on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” but really! Can we say the word inappropriate?

How many times in our own lives are we talking with someone, maybe even about something very important and they just sort of zone out? And then pop back in the conversation with a totally off the wall statement? All the in-between stuff, no matter how important, literally went in one ear and other the other.

Lord, You had been speaking of humility and Kingdom priorities and had just proclaimed your pending death– for a third time even! – and they have the audacity to come up with a request of having the two seats of honor reserved for themselves!

Of course, Lord, You handled it gracefully and kindly put them in their place…but it had to hurt. Surely You had to want to scream, “Have you heard anything that I just said?!”

But, Lord, am I – are we – any different? Please forgive our indifference…our dullness…our selfishness…our blindness…our deafness… May we be aware of You and who You are. May we be selfless. May the scales fall from our eyes. May our ears be unstopped. Heal us. Please make us whole. Amen.

Aug 22nd, 2018, Wed, 9:08 pm