trust – Page 15 – Be Still…

Mark 14:27-31 – Not Me, Lord!

Sometimes our readings are short, and today’s is a good example. We should really dig in to this message. Maybe read it through several times. You might find that a new message comes to you each time you read it, or perhaps the same message surfaces each time, as if to bop you over the head!

Denial. It’s all around us. Here Jesus warns the disciples of what is to come. What does Peter do? Deny it could ever happen. The others agreed. Denial is stating something is untrue or a refusing to accept something offered (as in insurance). In recovery ministry, I remember hearing a quote, “Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt.”

Funny that what Peter actually does, after being warned, is “deny” he even knows Jesus, THREE times!

Have you ever been confronted about your faith or belief in Jesus? How did that go? Did you boldly proclaim your faith, or did you try to downplay the importance of the relationship you have with God? I have done both, quite honestly. What holds us back?

A lot of times, it’s our feelings of inadequacy. We’re not Bible experts, so we feel unprepared and want to avoid looking bad. After all, we want to reflect God and not embarrass him. We’re in denial because we believe we are not good enough to defend our faith.

Here’s the shocking truth – we are totally prepared. We have a story of how Jesus has touched us. Our stories won’t look the same as the next guy (or gal) but that’s okay. It’s our story. People are looking for genuine truth. If they ask you about your faith, they want to hear your honest answer, not something you make up to sound good. We don’t need to look like Bible scholars for people to pay attention. We need to be us. We will struggle, and we will falter. But at the end of the day, we have victory if we have believed and trusted that Jesus has walked with us. Jesus will guide us if we let him.

What does Peter’s example show us? That we are human and not God. God knew Peter’s heart better than Peter did. What does that say for us?

If you’re like me, whether I would like the message or not (Peter obviously didn’t), it would be nice for Jesus to tell me what is going to happen. When decisions need to be made, wouldn’t it be nice if we’d receive a note from above telling us to choose this path? Maybe we don’t receive a physical note, but we do have God’s word to direct us, and prayer to keep lines of communication open.

Instead of being quick to respond, as Peter was here, we need to truly listen to what Jesus is telling us. The intended message may be totally different from what we hear or think we hear. Jesus was telling his disciples that after he was raised from the dead he would go on ahead to Galilee to meet them there. That was a HUGE message, right? Yet the disciples focused on the scatter part. The bigger picture was the promise to be with them again.

Are we missing the message God has for us? Are we focusing on the wrong thing, the short term fix as opposed to the long term goal? We certainly don’t want to be separated from God. Ever. Are we behaving in a manner that reflect this desire?

Let’s pray. Heavenly Father, I come to you today with a new appreciation for Peter and the other disciples. They were so focused on the here and now that they failed to see the bigger picture. I don’t want to be like that. I want to have the end game in mind and be sure that my words and actions truly reflect that. My life in eternity with you is too precious to mess up. Thank you for the clarity you have given me that I am good enough, that I am worthy to be yours. Thank you for the gifts that you have given me to share with the world. I won’t focus on the failures of yesterday because that will cripple me from soaring today to the heights you have destined for me. Thank you for your great love for me. I love you, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mark 13:1-37 – Watch Out!

Read Mark 13:1-37

This passage is powerful! Jesus is speaking to us about the future. What is the over arching theme here? Be ready.

People for centuries have been trying to predict when Jesus is going to return. Even recently, I’ve seen groups making T-shirts, people selling all their possessions, and many other crazy things. I was a viral movement. What does Jesus tell us here? That even he, the Son of God, doesn’t know the time or date. We shouldn’t be focused or blinded by such thoughts.

Jesus cautions us to be careful. He tells us what to look for. He tells us we must be ready and persevere through all the trials and testing. What did you think of these words, “[A]nd everyone will hate you because you are my followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

Do you yearn for approval? Do you hold back from sharing your faith to avoid ridicule. I must have lived a pretty sheltered life because I don’t feel like I have been persecuted for my faith. I may have heard snickers, or not been welcome in certain groups because I was a “Bible thumper”, but would I would have really wanted in those groups anyway? At the time I may have thought I was missing out on some cool people. On the other hand maybe thinking I was missing out on an opportunity to shepherd people back into the family of God.

We need to put that all aside. There is only one relationship that truly matters, both here on earth and for eternity. If we are to think of the story of the man on a long trip, we need to be vigilant in getting our work done and be ever watchful for our master’s return. If you are like me, you are wishing for that day, wanting to be ready and making sure all my loved ones are waiting and watching, too.

Let’s pray. Father God, I left my children to you and pray protection mercies on their lives. I pray that you will nudge them each in your own way so that they mourn the loss of a relationship with you. I pray they will recognize this emptiness for what it is. I am thankful that you hold each of us in you arms. May I stand strong as I wait and watch for you. Help me not get caught up in all the apocalyptic talk for I know that we are not to know or be able to know when your time is at hand. Help me in gathering your people. If not my own children, I pray you send other angels to bring their perspective back to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mark 12:18-27 – What’s Next?

Read Mark 12:18-27

Resurrection. It’s a term we hear in the church as it relates to Jesus. He was dead, and then he was not – he was resurrected, raised from the dead. Jesus has been preparing his disciples for this phenomenon, yet they don’t understand.

We may also think of the story of Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, who was also dead. After Jesus spoke, Lazarus was raised back to life and no longer dead. The difference is Lazarus died a second time but Jesus did not. Jesus ascended to heaven and is preparing a place for us. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

If today’s reading left you puzzled, you are not alone. I, too, was left scratching my head. It’s question three posed to Jesus, and this time by the Sadducees, an aristocratic group of priestly families. They were known to accept as their authority only the written Law in scripture.

We may also wonder about resurrection and what it means for us and for our loved ones who have gone before us. Questions about what happens to us when we die have been asked for centuries. Jesus cautions us, “you don’t know the power of God.” It is true, there are many mysteries, and God’s power and might are right at the top of the list.

We must not limit God to our own understanding. Jesus suggests the possibility of solutions, and a reality quite different from one we could ever imagine. The understanding of Scripture can also unlock a wisdom for us and a glimpse at the goodness of God, the greatness of God, and the grace of God. It is by that grace that we are saved.

Do you want a peace about your life and your after life? Have a relationship with God, know Jesus as your friend, and rely on the Holy Spirit in all you say and do. Focus on God’s word as His message to you. God’s word is alive and powerful, and it will accomplish what it says and sustain all who hear it.

Let’s pray. Lord, I come to you today again amazed at your powerful grace. There is nothing I can do to deserve it because you give it so freely. Help me to get my mind around that truth and give my life to you completely. May it be crystal clear to those I encounter that you are Lord of my life. Thank you that the fear of death for me is only the thrill of spending eternity with you. May I take each day that you give me as a gift and pass that gift on to others. Thank you for the freedom you have given me to dream and to soar. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mark 9:1-13 – See the Light

Read Mark 9:1-13

The story of the transfiguration was always a hard one to describe to little children. If I’m being totally honest, it is probably hard for us adults to grasp as well. Suffice it to say that God is mighty, and when he wants to make a statement, it will be a beautiful, unbelievable sight.

Here’s a beautiful song, Transfiguration, from Hillsong. Listen here. Let the beauty of the lyrics of praise wash over you.

We have a second declaration from God himself. The first one happened at Jesus’ baptism where God proclaimed his Son. This time the message is reserved for the inner circle of Jesus’ tribe of followers. I love how God puts it right out there, “This is my dearly loved Son. Listen to him.” Listen to him! Of course. Up to now the disciples have been a little “lost” and certainly they have been missing a lot. It’s not every day you’re in the company of God. The message speaks to us, too. Are we listening to Jesus or the world?

I’m sure we have those times of being hard headed. It would take a sledge hammer to break into the walls we’ve built up or to clear away the debris we carry around. Imagine having one-on-one time with Jesus like this. Imagine experiencing something so wonderful you can’t even describe it, and then are told not to even try.

Have you been perplexed in your faith, perhaps surprised or confused by what you are reading or experiencing? Think of these disciples in their understanding, or lack thereof, of what being “raised from the dead” could actually mean. They were struggling to sort out what they were seeing. It was so different from the life they had known up to this point.

So many questions, yet they had the benefit of having an audience with Jesus. It seems my list gets longer and longer of things I’d like to ask Jesus when I meet him face to face. Then I realize that when the time comes and I do get those answers, the need for the answers will no longer exist. I’ll be with Jesus! My understanding will be made full. I won’t be able to tell everyone the answers they are all waiting for. It won’t matter. Eternal life with Jesus is the ultimate reward and no question could keep me from desiring that for my future. I hope you have that homing beacon burning bright in you, too, to want eternity with Jesus. No matter what!

Faith. It’s what we need to sustain us. It’s what we need to draw us closer to our Creator. It is the fuel we need for each day to make it through the challenges and distractions. We haven’t had the mountain top experience with bright lights and visitors from heaven to help our faith along. God is cultivating that in us without any intervention by us. We are right with God because of what Jesus did, and that should be our focus and our fuel.

Let’s pray. Lord you are mighty beyond description. Your ways are perfect. When you speak, I bow down in reverence. Help me to hear your voice above all the noise and distractions of this world. Thank you for becoming man to identify with our earthly struggle. I want to be planted securely in your will and ask for your leading. Shed your light on me so that I may burn bright for you, fueled by an unstoppable faith. As I look around, help me to see those who are waiting to hear from you but don’t know how to listen. Help clear my cluttered head so my eyes will be fixed on you alone. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Mark 1:16-20 – Are You a Disciple?

Read Mark 1:16-20

Have you ever wondered about the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Would you have been as bold as the four men in today’s reading? They just walked away from everything and everyone. They were all in for Jesus. There was no hesitation, they followed “at once.” What was it about Jesus?

Can you imagine that happening today? We are positioned such that we know how the story unfolds. We know how Jesus lived the life of a servant king and while sinless, died a sinner’s death. We have read the account of his life, and we have worshiped him. For us, it would be understandable to be in awe and leave everything behind, yet how many of us would?

Despite being well informed, I can’t imagine many could just walk away. There would be thoughts of needing to say goodbye to loved ones, settle accounts and pay bills, quit our jobs, hire someone to take care of assets, i.e. house, car, pets, etc. Do you agree?

If we were to leave immediately without hesitation – what freedom that could mean for us. Take a moment to truly reflect on being an all-in disciple. We’d be following Jesus, leaving behind our temptations, our distractions, our idols. We don’t have to physically leave, but how we spend our time, how we think and how we act will all be affected.

Are there obstacles that stand in your way of being all in for Jesus?

Let’s pray. Lord, forgive me for my fears and doubts that often stifle me and keep me from living the all-in life you planned for me. I ask you to help me break the cycle and give you my full attention. I know in my heart that you are my savior. Help my head to agree and let go of the distractions that keep me from fully engaging. You are great and worthy to be praised. I am in awe of you and what you have done for me. Use that awe to bring me closer to you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.