Mettle Test
Some many aspects of joy this weekend, Father! Time with Karen, worship with my brothers and sisters in Christ, and then precious time with family all equal great opportunities to rejoice! Praise Your name for Your abundant blessings!
Mark 2:5-12 (<<click to read the passage)
Time and time again, Lord, You give us chances to show who we are and what we are made of. Of course, You know us because You made us. Again…I’m not sure how I was going to lead into this but, honestly I have to say that this is my life verse! Ephesians 1:4 states,
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. (!)
Here we have Jesus’ first interaction with Israel’s religious leaders in Mark’s Gospel. He makes a very bold statement that will test their mettle. Will they be up to the challenge? Or will they will they fold in on themselves, yielding to their self-preservation mode? Will they close their hearts and minds to what God is extending to us all? It was extended to them, too.
As we continue reading, their mettle did not stand the test of Your fire. They refused to believe. And it was just the beginning of their delusional fight against You – our God and Creator!
Lord Jesus, You know our tendencies but You give us repeated opportunities to, in You, to set ourselves apart. We can be determined to not fold in ourselves and to not yield to our self-preservation mode. Only in You can we go beyond perceived truth to see You and You alone as the Truth! But Your fire will test our mettle. May we stand the test! May our mettle be found to be worthy of Your holy name! Amen!!
Feb 3rd, 2019, Sun, 7:58 pm
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures
Another day off with frigid temperatures but, Father, thank You for helping me to get through my sermon once more and to get some other things taken care of for worship as well. Thank You for watching over us. Amen.
Mark 2:1-4 (<<click to read the passage)
The leper’s actions made Jesus’ ministry a bit more challenging but for four eager friends it didn’t slow them down one bit!
Jesus had returned to Capernaum and was pretty quickly inundated with everybody and their brother wanting to see him. Verse 2 tells us,
Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door.
This situation was difficult to navigate but four guys had brought their paralyzed friend just to see Jesus and if that was going to happen they had to do some quick thinking! They ended up taking him up on the roof and digging a hole through it so they could lower him, “right down in front of Jesus.”
How many people do we know who need Jesus in a desperate way? How far are we willing to go to make sure they get to meet Him?
Many of us are far too easily deterred and excuses come readily. “Oh, I’m so busy.” “I wouldn’t want to embarrass them.” “How would I do it?” ”When would I do it?” Etc., etc., etc….
There are so many things we can do to shine our lights for Jesus! It’s not always about getting people to church. Many times it is doing what needs to be done, regardless of the time involved or the inconvenience or the cost. Yes, Jesus is with us when we worship but He is also with us everywhere we go!
Lord Jesus, help us to be open to Your leading. May we always have our eyes open to what You can accomplish through us. May we, like You, freely give of ourselves to impact Your Kingdom. Amen.
Jan 31st, 2019, Thurs, 4:47 pm
Fewer Tears
What an interesting day, Father. We have been in the house all day with -30° wind chills, so no school! It’s been a pretty quiet day as well doing this and that – church stuff, Cricut for Karen. Thank You for our time together.
Mark 1:40-45 (<<click to read the passage)
The healed leper’s actions in verse 45 have always bothered me. But if I really think it through, would I have done any different? We have no idea how long he had been quarantined from his family and friends. We have no way of knowing when he had last kissed his wife or held his child or embraced his mother. But we do know that we too would have been ecstatic knowing that those things would all be possible once more!
And we realize, too, that before Jesus even told him to not tell anyone about what had happened, He knew he was going to. And he just didn’t tell the priests or those closest to him – he literally proclaimed it “to everyone what had happened.” In doing so, his actions impacted Jesus and His ministry for the rest of His life.
We may never know how exactly this impacted Jesus’ ministry – no more than we can know how our actions, or lack of action, impact what Jesus wants of us in our lives.
We hear of sins of commission (what we do) and sins of omission (what we don’t do). Only God knows what may have been, but I believe that on that Great Judgement Day when we will all give account for our actions that there will be many a tear for what “might have been”. If we had done as we were asked or if we hadn’t done what we did.
Jesus communicated this whole idea very clearly in Mathew 25:31-43 in speaking of the separation of the sheep and goats at the final judgment. For a little more on that, check out my post, Pick a Side (<<click to read the passage), from last fall.
Lord Jesus, help me to listen to You. May I follow Your guidance and direction in all aspects of my life. I pray that there will be fewer tears and that I would “do You proud” when I stand before You and give account on that final judgment day. Amen.
Jan 30th, 2019, Wed, 7:32 pm
Fire in Me
As I stare through the glass of the wood burning stove, Father, I think of our relationship.
For this to be the main heat source for our home, it has to be maintained. I cannot build one fire and expect it to last for more than several hours. I have to feed it, sometimes it’s a piece of wood or two. In the early morning hours after it has burnt down overnight, it might take several pieces. Oft times there are enough embers to get things going again. This morning it had burnt down enough that it needed a little help – I had to use part of a starter brick to get it going.
I also, on a regular basis, have to remove the ashes from the box under the burning chamber. I can’t let it go too long or it starts to overflow and gets to be a real mess to clean up.
Father, our relationship requires constant maintenance on my part. You are the fire – the energy source that enables me to overcome the impact of coldness that sin has in my life. It warms me and it provides and means of bringing warmth to others – some in desperate need of You. I can radiate that which You have placed within me.
Our relationship began decades ago, but I cannot depend upon that event to supply my needs today. It was a beginning but that was all. I have to give attention to our relationship – I have to feed it. I have to read Your word. I have to interact with You, not just once a day but throughout the day. A conversation here, a thank you there, and lengthy portion of time as we sit together and You speak to and through me. All of it adds up to a healthy, warm and inviting relationship that benefits all with the glow of its warmth.
Also, as we interact, the burning in my heart exposes and destroys sin that wants to stay but You, if I will allow You to do so, eradicate it. You reduce it to ashes. You purify me so that I might serve Your kingdom more efficiently – leaving nothing to hinder my work.
Lord Jesus, may You burn freely in the very depths of my soul! May Your presence and impact radiate through this earthen vessel. Draw others to Yourself through me. May I be all I can be in You. Amen.
Jan 29th, 2019, Tues, 12:26 pm
Touch
Father, Your patience never ceases to amaze me! For whatever reason, I’ve not been able to get myself to settle down this morning and sit with You. Anything that could be a distraction was! But You have been so patient and finally, I am here and You have not left me but are here as well. Thank You for Your longsuffering love!
Mark 1:40-45 (<<click to read the passage)
From a cultural perspective, the leper in today’s passage was untouchable. He was rejected. But when he asked Jesus to heal him and make him clean, Jesus did that but He touched him! The leper probably hadn’t felt the touch of another human being in years but Jesus did it without a second thought. He may have looked awful. He may have smelled awful. But none of that held Jesus back.
How many people in our communities are “untouchable”? They don’t look like us, or act like us, or dress like us, or think like us, or believe like us. I guess we could fall into the same categories on other people’s lists. We don’t want to be near each other. We are all rejected…and we all reject.
But Jesus? He never met anyone He didn’t absolutely adore! Every single one of us is loved and cherished. And…we are touchable! No one is ever too far gone, no one is every beyond the “long arm of the Lord” to quote an old Wayne Watson song.
We may feel we’re too dirty or diseased or stained for anyone to come close to us…but Jesus will. And He will do more than just come close. He will touch. In fact, he will embrace us!
Lord Jesus, may we see ourselves as You see us. May we not hold back from pursuing a relationship with You. And it needs to be more than a surface level relationship. Help us to develop a deep, penetrating, life-changing relationship. Help us to allow You to touch us…to embrace us in our entirety.
Jan 28th, 2019, Mon, 10:52 am