trust Jesus – Page 2

Mark 5:21-34 – Faith Healing

Read Mark 5:21-34

What surprised you in today’s reading? Was it that a religious leader who publicly recognized Jesus’ healing power or was it how a woman was healed by simply touching Jesus’ garment? Jesus’ ministry is packed with amazing moments of seeing God at work among his people.

Let’s focus on the woman who has been afflicted for twelve years. Could she even remember what it was like to not be bleeding? Can you remember what you were doing twelve years ago? Take a moment to do the math. While you certainly won’t remember what you had for dinner twelve years ago tonight, try to place yourself in that moment of your history. I was leading Vacation Bible School in a church where my husband was serving. Many of the kids attending that year are grown up with children of their own!

Zechariah 12:10-14 – Regret or Remorse?

Read Zechariah 12:10-14

Recall the story of Jesus’ crucifixion. His side was pierced to make sure he had died. Another prophet also prophesied about it. Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.” Zechariah’s reference to our king being pierced speaks to how the people feel about it after the fact.

Zechariah speaks to the mourning the people will feel when they realize they have let their king be killed. The very one they had been waiting for to save them was now dead. Zechariah’s words come long before Jesus was even born, so the people wouldn’t understand what this all means.

Zephaniah 1:14-18 – This Day

Read Zephaniah 1:14-18

Zephaniah’s oracle now shifts focus to “all” people, not just rebellious Judah. Churches today have coupled this passage with New Testament passages speaking of the final judgment. You may even recognize some of these images have become the lyrics in hymns and worship songs.

This day will be a day of bitter tears, men crying out, all while the Lord’s anger is poured out on all people. It’s not a pleasant picture at all. Yet, it is destruction we can anticipate will happen when the Lord’s Day finally arrives. Will we see it in our lifetime? Only God knows.

Hebrews 12:1-4 – It Takes a Village

Read Hebrews 12:1-4

Have you ever trained for a marathon? Me either. But I have attended one, cheering for our daughter years ago. The energy was quite something as we watched the runners jog past, some looking like they could run forever. Some, I fear, may never have finished the race! In either case, the determination was tangible. It was an awesome moment for me because I have never fancied myself as a runner and yet in that moment it seemed like something everyone should do.

We do get to run our own race after all. Our journey through life is often thought of as a race. When moving to Mexico, I escaped the “rat” race of life. We were just commenting yesterday about the pleasant pace of life here. We’re embracing this season of life that allows us spending quality time with God. Just like I always yearned to do!

Jeremiah 52:24-30 – A Prisoner’s Death

Read Jeremiah 52:24-30

If you got hauled off into exile, you’d certainly be hoping for them to spare your life. By the time this group of 74 people consisting of dignitaries, priests, and even poor folk were collected and taken to the king, many others were already hostage in Babylon. Would these people have knowledge of where they were headed from hearing word from those exiled or was it a total unknown?

No matter what these people knew or didn’t know, they endured emotional upheaval which led to the resolution of death. These prisoners would not be captive for long. Certainly they had seen death all around them when others had been taken or attacked. Now it was their turn. This was not a pleasant time to be in Jerusalem.