Father, this day has been packed from beginning to end, and I am simply worn out. My eyes are even tired, and I wonder how my eyes can be tired. Regardless, we are together. I humbly come before You for Your guidance and the infilling of my mind. Amen.

Mark 2:22 (<<click to read the passage)

After helping my son, Massey, move into his new place in Texas, I had to fly back home to Ohio. I had a layover at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, as usual. They have what they call SKYLINK. It is an automated people mover, a train-like mode of transportation. There are a few seats, but many just stand as they travel from one end of the airport complex to the other.

Now, if you choose to stand, the one thing you can do is to stand in a rigid posture with your legs pressed together. There are many curves and stops and starts, and in between, it moves pretty fast – up to 37 mph! Standing that way would be disastrous! Doing so will cause you to topple over in short order. You have to be flexible – legs spread apart so that you can bend and move as that moment demands. And in doing so, you stand firm and do not topple over.

It is very relatable to Jesus’ illustration of old and new wineskins. Old wineskins had, over time, been stretched and become rigid. On the other hand, new wineskins were pliable and flexible, and as new wine was poured into them, they could stretch and move as fermentation of the wine took place.

The Pharisees? They confined themselves to old wineskins – there was no room for growth or change. The Gospel – the Good News – that Jesus proclaimed was for new wineskins.

Today, Jesus calls us, but to follow Him, we have to be flexible. We must be open to change. The Apostle Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “…that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” NLT

Lord Jesus, help me not to be stiff and rigid. As I get older, it is more and more easy for me to get stuck in my ways – to avoid change. As my Life Application Study Bible says, may I “keep my heart pliable and open to accepting [Your] life-changing truths.” May I stand firm in Your strength and wisdom so as not to topple over! Amen.

(Feb 10th, 2019, Sun, 9:04 pm)
Feb 13th, 2024, Tues, 7:51 pm