Son of Man – Be Still…

John 1:35-51 – Come and See!

John’s disciples had heard his teaching. When they finally saw Jesus, they knew they needed more from Him. It’s like that for us, especially new believers. When we start to realize we can know Jesus personally, as well as learn from Scripture, our lives start to have a new and fresh meaning. It’s like turning the light on in a room that had only been half-lit. We want more of the light.

For some, that light can be intimidating because it exposes the darkness of our sin. We can get comfortable and begin to overlook our sinful behaviors, telling ourselves we’re not “that bad.” Before we know it, our human tendencies have separated us from the love of Jesus. Having a daily dose of Scripture becomes the reminder we need to keep our focus on Jesus. Continue reading “John 1:35-51 – Come and See!”

Ezekiel 2:9-3:15 – Digest This!

Read Ezekiel 2:9-3:15

We’ve just read of the physical example of actually digesting the word of God. Now we know what God put in Ezekiel’s open mouth. Ezekiel was open for God. We can only imagine how overwhelmed Ezekiel would have been by this vision.

I was reminded of Jeremiah’s words in Jeremiah 15:16, “When I discovered your words, I devoured them. They are my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name.” Ezekiel was able to actually do that, devour the word of God! Continue reading “Ezekiel 2:9-3:15 – Digest This!”

Advent? Matthew 24:42-44 – Watch

This Advent reading comes from Jesus’ teaching on the future found in Matthew 24:

“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.”

Jesus is coming back. He said so himself. Even as we draw closer to the celebration of His first coming, I’m still excited for Jesus’ second coming. Jesus gives us a warning here we should to pay attention to. “Keep watch!” Since we’re not meant to know exactly when he’s coming, being on watch will assure we are not drifting away from God’s loving arms. The not knowing can also make the waiting and watching much harder.

Mark 10:35-45 – Serving Others

Read Mark 10:35-45

Jesus takes advantage of another teachable moment to let his disciples know their mission is all about serving, not being served. The disciples seem to be having a hard time understanding their purpose. That’s a lesson many of us need to hear over and over as well.

Our world is a very competitive place. It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to win and forget our true mission in life. It’s not that God doesn’t want us to succeed, but we need to keep in mind how many kinds of rewards there are. The reward or prize we need to keep our eyes focused on is eternity with Jesus. There is nothing greater. James and John knew that and were even seeking a place of honor beside Jesus!

Mark 9:30-32 – Jesus Says He’s Going to Die Again

Read Mark 9:30-32

Here we have the second time Jesus spoke of his death in Mark’s gospel. The disciples still don’t get it. By now, they seem hesitant to ask for clarification. Has that ever happened to you? You have a question for a teacher or professor and are afraid to ask because of how you may look? I wonder what held the disciples back from asking Jesus to explain. Maybe they remembered Peter being called Satan the last time Jesus spoke like this.

What I liked about this passage is the intimacy Jesus displays. He wanted to lay low, avoid clamoring crowds, and just spend time with his disciples. I suppose that struck a chord with me because my love language is “quality time.” Jesus was desiring special time with his followers. He still desires that from us today.