tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75412278589874201382024-02-20T17:54:10.115-08:00a constant stream of graceUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger74125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-49098062804556827382015-04-05T00:00:00.000-07:002015-04-05T00:00:09.685-07:00Easter Sunday: A new day (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
As soon as dawn breaks and there is enough light to see
where they are going, the women head toward Jesus’ tomb. They carry spices and
hope to anoint his body.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Salome and the two Marys (Mary Magdalene and Mary, the
mother of James) know that a heavy stone seals the tomb. They wonder who will
move it for them, but they are not the least bit deterred from their mission.
Someone will move it, or they will try themselves. Either way, they will anoint
his body right now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
It’s a gruesome task, this anointing. Jesus has been beaten
and crucified. A thorny crown has been pressed into his scalp. No one has
cleaned his body and he has been lying bloody and bruised in his tomb for a day
and a half. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Yet they hurry to the grave, anxious to do this final thing
for him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
When they arrive, they look up to find the stone already
moved away, and so they enter the tomb.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
There is a young man dressed in white inside, who says, “Do
not be alarmed….He has been raised.” He further tells the women to go and find
Peter and the others and spread the word that Jesus will meet them all in
Galilee. He has gone back to the place where everything started and will meet
them there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
His saying “Do not be alarmed” doesn’t change the fact that
this is alarming news. The young man doesn’t prevent their fright and confusion
at all. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Mark tells us the women leave the tomb completely
terrified, saying nothing at all about their experience to anyone. And that’s
how the gospel ends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Except we know that wasn’t the end at all. It was only the
beginning, just as Mark said in the very first sentence of his story. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“This is the beginning of the good news…”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
It is a new day.</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk16.1-8">Mark 16:1-8</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Many things worth doing begin with an alarming discovery
and overwhelming fear.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The most common words in the Bible are “Do not be afraid.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The grave cannot hold him, or you. Celebrate today! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus
Christ, risen Lord, replace my fear with joy and confidence.<o:p></o:p></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-6950836110715415802015-04-04T00:00:00.000-07:002015-04-04T00:00:04.679-07:00Saturday: Sabbath separation (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The sun set on Friday, Sabbath began, and then the world
fell still. Twenty-four hours of
rest.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus lays in his tomb, and his family and friends grieve
from afar. The week’s worship day has become their worst nightmare. They spend
the Sabbath waiting for it to be over. They are waiting for the sun to set and
rise again, so they might get to work.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
By the light of Sunday’s sunrise, they will set out for the
tomb, anoint his body with oil and spices, and leave it forever in its final
resting place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
But for now, they wait.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
There’s nothing to be said. There’s nothing to be done.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
~~~~~</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
On the first Saturday of his ministry, Jesus got up before
sunrise, went out alone to a deserted place, and prayed. Everyone was looking
for him and no one knew where he was.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
What is he doing on this Saturday?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
He is lying alone in stillness of his tomb, in the most
deserted place of all. Again people are longing for him, but this time they
know where he is and cannot reach him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Is he praying, even in death?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
For now, we can only imagine.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">None. The Word is
silent today.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
What could Jesus be doing while his body lies in the grave?
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Grieve for those who try to kill love and life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
help me adore you.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-21426357227077571812015-04-03T00:00:00.000-07:002015-04-03T00:00:11.930-07:00Good Friday: Ending it all (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
On the day of Jesus’ baptism, a schism opened in the
heavens and a voice came to Jesus,
“You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
On the first Friday of Jesus’ ministry, he entered the
synagogue, the world of Jewish men, and cast out an unclean spirit. They said
of him, <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“What
is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits,
and they obey him!” He then crossed the street, entered a home, the world of
Jewish women, and lifted up a woman sick with a fever. As the Sabbath ended,
the whole city gathered at his door. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus couldn’t have been
alone if he tried. Everyone wanted him. Then he crossed every boundary and
entered every forbidden realm imaginable: sickness, religion, law, nature,
gender, age, profession, ethnicity, geography. He has healed everyone and he
has done all things well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Now, on the last Friday of his ministry, he is tried,
convicted, whipped, and crucified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He dies, despised by everyone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Now a new schism opens. The seventy-foot-high curtain in the
Temple, separating the outer courtyard from the Holy of Holies where the ark of
the covenant containing the stone tablets of the ten commandments is stored,
rips from high in the air all the way to the ground, never to be mended again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">As the Sabbath begins today, instead of being surrounded by
friends and people clamoring for his gifts and attention, Jesus is alone in a tomb.
But he is not finished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">He is still crossing boundaries and entering forbidden
realms. This time, he enters the heart of the empire. He enters the seat of
power that keeps every citizen in his or her place. He enters the places the
empire uses as a threat to everyone who might think of stepping out of line. He
enters intimidation, trial, shame, torture, fear, and death itself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">While the world rests, he is at work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk15.1-47">Mark 15:1-47</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Love and healing shatter barriers and boundaries.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Find something in common with everyone you meet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
although we have done the worst, continue to do your best.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-32164816685120872942015-04-02T00:00:00.000-07:002015-04-02T00:00:11.791-07:00Maundy Thursday: Love and betrayal (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The Passover is about to begin. On this night, Jesus and
his friends will eat the most important meal of the year and recount together
God’s saving acts in the history of their people. They will remember slavery in
Egypt, the ten plagues, and how God released their people from bondage. They will
remember God’s protection from the angel of death, escaping from the Egyptian
army, and God’s provision in the wilderness. They will remember that they are
God’s chosen people and that God, who acted so mightily on their behalf in the
past, can and will act again. They will remember they are blessed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
As expected, they gather together in a small room and share
a feast.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
When the feast is done and everyone is full and satisfied,
Jesus reaches for a loaf of bread. Who could eat another bite? And if anyone
could, why would they eat that? He breaks the bread, saying it is his body.
“Take it.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
He takes a cup of wine, maybe even the cup poured out for
the prophet Elijah, poured in case he would return, and says, “This is my blood
of the covenant, poured out for many.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
He tells them that they will all desert him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
He has given everything. They will not return the favor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
They won’t even stay awake and pray with him. They will
give in to the after-meal tiredness and fall asleep in the garden.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Of course, they are still thinking he has come to conquer
the empire and take the Temple. When Judas arrives with thugs in the garden,
one of the disciples rises to defend Jesus. He cuts off someone’s ear as if to
say, “Finally! The revolution begins!” When he is silenced by Jesus, he doesn’t
have any idea what to do next. Without weapons, what power do any of them have?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
They all scatter, just as Jesus has said they would.</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk14.12-72">Mark 14:12-72 </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
When does violence seem like the only option?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Lay down your weapons and pray.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
lead me still.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-73463655230448363652015-04-01T00:00:00.000-07:002015-04-01T00:00:07.468-07:00Wednesday, Holy Week: Anointing (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
After spending two days in the crowds, Jesus and his
disciples return to Bethany, a little town not far from the city.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
They are staying with Simon. Most people wouldn’t stay with
Simon, or even enter his house at all. Most people, in fact, would turn away
from him and keep their distance. Simon is a leper. That doesn’t seem to bother
Jesus. He’s already crossed every social and political boundary he’s
encountered. Now he’s eating and drinking with the outcast and unclean,
threatening his own health and the health of the entire community.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
As they sit down to eat, a woman comes with an alabaster
jar of pure nard, a costly ointment, and pours it on Jesus’ head.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Some insight about this anointing: “Alabaster” derives its
name from the Eygptian goddess Bast, often depicted as a cat or lion with a
human body. As such, alabaster jars often carried the images of cats carved
into their bodies. Cats were the guardians and protectors of mystery and the
Otherworld, looking with guile upon a human world that could neither see nor understand
the depth of their knowledge. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Nard was an expensive incense, burned in the Holy of Holies
in the Temple by the high priest once a year.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Furthermore, the only people anointed were kings. In Psalm
23, when the Psalmist says, “You anoint my head with oil,” he is saying, “I am
a king in your eyes.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
In other words, this unnamed woman comes, and makes Jesus
her king, high priest, Holy of Holies, and guardian of the deepest mysteries.
He is the bridge between all that is unclean and all that is pure. As usual,
just about no one else in the place understands this, and once again, they
start talking about money.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Judas Iscariot, however, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">does</i> understand. He understands all too well that this is dangerous
business. He immediately seeks a way to end the revolution that could otherwise
kill them all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk14.3">Mark 14:3-11</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Who do you say Jesus is?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Meditate about money and mystery. What place do they hold
in your life?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
be ruler of it all.<o:p></o:p></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-52106859834660245962015-03-31T07:15:00.001-07:002015-04-01T21:33:13.957-07:00Tuesday, Holy Week: Everything on its ear (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Yesterday, Jesus encountered a fig tree on his way to the
Temple. Although it isn’t the season for figs, he went looking for figs anyway.
Not finding any, he cursed the tree saying, “May no one ever eat fruit from you
again.” Then, he turned everything in the Temple on its ear.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
After a raucous Monday, Jesus and his disciples return to
the Temple Mount. They pass the tree Jesus curse and find it has withered to
its roots. Now the disciples take note of what he said to the tree yesterday.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
In the Temple courtyard, the chief priests, scribes, and
elders of the people begin to ask Jesus all sorts of questions to trip him up.
They question his authority and his teaching, but he answers them in parables
and riddles. He quotes scripture in ways that make no sense to them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
On the side, he teaches his disciples about forgiveness. He
points out the example of a poor widow who gives to the Temple treasury from
her whole self; all she has to live on. He warns them to be wary of those with
power.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
As they leave the Temple Mount, the disciples turn and
admire the buildings of Jerusalem and the Temple looming large on the horizon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus says these buildings are nothing at all, and will one
day be left in rubble. He speaks again about his coming death and the signs of
the end of things. These things are nearer than anyone realizes, yet no one
seems to notice.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus speaks from the heart of the city about what it means
to be spiritual in economic, political, and social realms. Like the fig tree,
people are expected to produce fruit out of season. Specifically, they are
expected to forgive and to give everything they have for the sake of others. They
are expected to live as citizens of God’s empire, even as they navigate life in
Caesar’s empire. If they don’t, they and the whole world will be a cursed
place. No one understands what he’s saying. The Temple courtyard has been
cleared, and he has explained everything well, but that doesn’t mean people’s
minds and hearts have been cleansed. </div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk11.20">Mark 11:20-14:2 </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
We are called to produce fruit out of season. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Go out of your way to do something kind and selfless for
someone else today.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
move me to action.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-6489905705182429612015-03-30T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-30T07:32:55.136-07:00Monday, Holy Week: Are cursing and cleansing acts of God? (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Yesterday, Jesus rode into Jerusalem triumphant. He
ascended the Temple Mount, looked all around at the courtyard and the inner
courts, and saying nothing, left the area. What Mark doesn’t say is that he
left disgusted.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The courtyard of the Temple is a bustle of activity. The
moneychangers are there, exchanging the every day currency of the empire for
temple currency so visitors can offer their annual temple tax. There are booths
where acceptable sacrifices are sold: unblemished doves, the highest quality
grains, freshly baked loaves of bread, and first-press olive oil. Perhaps worst
of all, the Temple courtyard is a shortcut from the heart of the city to the
road that leads to the Mount of Olives and on to Jericho, giving access to the
road alongside the Jordan River leading north to Galilee and south toward
Egypt. People are dressed for their journeys, carrying supplies and provisions
of every kind through the courtyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The scribes and Pharisees, Temple regulars and regulators,
walk the perimeter, making sure everything is as it should be. Voices fill the
space as people haggle, question, study, advise, joke, and ask for travel
tips.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
What should one find in this courtyard, if not this? It is the
center of the city!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
That’s what Jesus saw yesterday. Today, he yells aloud,
tosses over the tables of those doing business, and closes the highway through
the heart of the sanctuary. He quotes the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 56:7),
reminding everyone that this place is consecrated to be a house of prayer for
all the nations. For many, this courtyard is the closest they can get to the
Holy of Holies. (The Holy of Holies is the place where the stone tablets of the
ten commandments lie in the gilded ark of the covenant and the place where
God’s pillar of fire and cloud finally rests.) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
If the Temple courtyard is not a place of awe, wonder,
holiness, preparation, and prayer for everyone who ascends its steps, there is
no such place anywhere. The aura of God’s greatness and the call to reverence
for all people either exist here, or they don’t exist at all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk11.12">Mark 11:12-19</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Why do people need holy places? What obligation do we have
to the people of the world to maintain holy places?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Spend some time in the sanctuary. Bring your prayers and
petitions with you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
cleanse our holy places.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="ALL" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span></i><!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-68517636392923165912015-03-29T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-31T07:16:46.080-07:00Palm Sunday: A victor’s entry (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Zechariah 9 describes the triumphant entry of a warrior
king, who returns to Jerusalem after a thorough destruction of the nation’s
enemies. His humble entry into the city on the back of a colt, the foal of a
donkey, ushers in the age of peace.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
It’s no mistake that Jesus sends his disciples to find a
colt that has never been ridden. This is a calculated move, one designed to
conjure Zechariah’s images of a yearning nation. When Jesus mounts the foal,
the people respond in kind. They know Zechariah’s story and they begin to
gather and cheer. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The crowd begins to chant the victory Psalm 118, “Blessed
is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” The people cut branches and wave
them in the air as Jesus rides along, creating a procession that heads from the
Mount of Olives toward the temple, just as the psalm describes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
But Jesus doesn’t give thanks to God in the temple or make
sacrifice as victor. He hasn’t declared war on anyone or defeated any military
enemy. He hasn’t ensured peace at all. In fact, the tension with the religious
leaders mounts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The procession has echoed the scriptures, but this victor
has not conquered armies, nor enemies. Jesus has conquered unexpected things:
disease, hunger, fear, demon possession, and prejudice. The scriptures have had
very little to say about this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus, this strange victor, enters the temple, takes a good
look around, and then slips away in silence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Nothing more is said of the parade, nor its participants.</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk11.1-11">Mark 11:1-11 </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
If the scriptures describe a military victor, why does
Jesus want people to think of Zechariah 9 and Psalm 118 when they think of him?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
To what or to whom do you give your allegiance? Why?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Pray for the peace and healing of the world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
ride on.<o:p></o:p></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-30278431210543292912015-03-28T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-28T00:00:02.148-07:00Saturday, week six: Seeing Bartimaeus (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus and his disciples reach Jericho, a fertile oasis at
the base of their climb toward Jerusalem. As they near the city, they hear
blind Bartimaeus cry out by the side of the road, “Jesus, Son of David, have
mercy on me!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
This is the only time in Mark’s gospel that anyone besides
our narrator has suggested Jesus might be a ruler. The Jewish people are
waiting and longing for their Messiah, who shall rise from King David’s line as
legitimate heir to the throne. The people wait and long for a king to defeat
their Roman occupiers. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Blind Bartimaeus can see. He can see Jesus is this Messiah
and calls out to him as king. The crowds begin to freak out. If any military
authorities hear this rabble, it could mean the end of them all, so they order
the blind man to hold his tongue. He begins screaming it uncontrollably, “Son
of David, have mercy on me!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus calls Bartimaeus, who springs up and runs in his
direction.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
“What would you like for me to do for you?” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
It’s the same question Jesus asked of James and John. They
had answered by asking for honor and security. Bartimaeus answers in humility,
“My teacher, let me see again.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Bartimaeus has already seen more than James and John. He
has already seen more than the crowd. He has already seen more than the
religious authorities and the Roman centurions.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus declares that Bartimaeus has been made well by his
faith. Without so much as a finger laid upon him, his eyes are made whole.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Restored, seeing Bartimaeus follows Jesus on his way. They
are both headed to Jerusalem, to the suffering Jesus has predicted. Perhaps no
one realizes it but the two of them.</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk10.46-52">Mark 10:46-52</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
We can ask Jesus for things that help heal the world,
including vision, wisdom, and peace.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Pray for the leaders of the world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
guide us all in ways of peace.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-18942052891165890862015-03-27T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-27T00:00:13.424-07:00Friday, week six: A request from his friends (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
When a leper approached, Jesus laid his hand upon him and
cleansed him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
When a group of people lowered their paralyzed friend in
front of Jesus, he forgave his sins and restored the strength in his legs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
When Jairus requested that Jesus come and heal his
daughter, Jesus raised her from the dead.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
When the Syropheonician woman asked Jesus to cast the
unclean spirit out of her daughter, Jesus healed her from a distance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
When the masses brought their sick friends, Jesus cast out
every demon and cured every disease.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
It seems Jesus does whatever anyone asks of him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
So James and John, the fishermen from Galilee, come to him
with a request of their own. “<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Grant us to sit, one at your right hand
and one at your left, in your glory.” They are sure they know how everything is
going to turn out. They know Jesus does everything well, so they ask for what
they want, too. They want a place of honor and security once everything’s said
and done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">But those things are not Jesus’ to give. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">The request itself infuriates the other ten disciples, and a
division opens amongst them. Jesus steps in as quickly as he can. Rifts,
divisions, and competition are common amongst the rulers of nations of the
world, but the rulers of Jesus’ empire will be known for their humility and
service. Those who wish to be first must be least of all, serving all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus heals the opening rift and tells them:<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> The only honor available here is to die on
behalf of others.</i></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk10.35-45">Mark 10:35-45</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The Kingdom of God is experienced through selflessness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Give thanks to God to those people in your life who have
made sacrifices for you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
bring your Kingdom near to others through me. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-60277252208122535162015-03-26T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-26T00:00:08.146-07:00Thursday, week six: What makes one rich? (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
If keeping the commandments automatically led to the joy
and life of the Kingdom of God, the rich young man would never have approached
Jesus at all. But they don’t. Keeping the commandments <i>can</i> lead to the Kingdom, but there’s no guarantee. Sometimes there
are obstacles.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Knowing that, Jesus looks for whatever might be in this man’s
way. It’s obvious: the man loves his money more than life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus tells him to sell everything. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Get yourself free and follow me. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
He can’t do it, so he turns away in sorrow. What was clear
to Jesus is now clear to everyone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus begins to talk about how hard it is for adults to
experience the Kingdom of God. Adults get attached to their possessions, power,
and relationships. They hold onto those things at the expense of the things
that matter most. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Then Jesus predicts his own death again. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The Scribes and Pharisees will approach Jesus, too. But
they don’t care about the obstacles in their own way. They will approach him
with challenges and questions, attempting to discredit him. They will attempt
to uphold the illusion that keeping the law leads to the things that matter
most. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The things blocking their way are just as obvious to Jesus
as the things that are in the rich man’s way. Jesus will point that out to
them, too. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
But this discovery won’t cause grief. It will cause
violence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The Scribes and Pharisees are going to hand him over to the
Roman authorities.</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk10.17-34">Mark 10:17-34 </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
At the beginning of Mark’s gospel, Jesus announced, “The
time is fulfilled. The Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good
news.” The Kingdom of God is near all the time. What’s in the way?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Seek the Kingdom of God.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus
show me what’s in my way.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-71320360840297429152015-03-25T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-25T00:00:00.768-07:00Wednesday, week six: Divorce and children (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The religious leaders question him on the law: Is it lawful
for a man to divorce his wife or not?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Well, what did Moses say? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Moses allowed a man to present his wife with a written bill
of divorce.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus tells them Moses allowed divorce only because their
hearts were hard. Hard hearts find forgiveness impossible. Hard hearts aren’t
capable of intimacy. Moses allowed divorce because he couldn’t reconcile their
hard hearts and they couldn’t reconcile with each other.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus turns that written decree on its ear. He says there
is an order to creation. People fall in love and are bound to one another. No
matter what happens next, even the hardening of hearts, that bond cannot be
undone. Love is love. It doesn’t die and it cannot be broken. He says two that
join together become one flesh. Trying to divide that flesh is adultery. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
While Jesus is laying down the law, children try to enter
the room. The disciples talk sternly to them, but Jesus becomes indignant. He
says, “Let them come to me,” and scoops them up in his arms. “It is to children
that the Kingdom of God belongs.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Children don’t divorce one another, nor commit adultery,
nor test one another. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Children
don’t care much about writing or keeping laws. Children recognize goodness and
life when they see it, and run toward it. Children follow their hearts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus blesses the children and says, “Whoever does not
receive the Kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk10.1-16">Mark 10:1-16 </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Keeping the law does not gain you entry into the Kingdom of
God, but receiving the Kingdom like a little child does.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Notice the places in your own life where you have elevated
the law above goodness and life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
help me receive the Kingdom like a little child.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-4999536303013908792015-03-24T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-24T00:00:09.682-07:00Tuesday, week five: Another exorcist? (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus isn’t the only one with power. Apparently, there is
another exorcist enjoying modest success. That has the disciples a little on
edge. John tells Jesus that they even tried to stop him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus responds with a news flash: Casting out unclean
spirits is not a competition. All healers are on the same team.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Then Jesus begins to talk about little ones and children.
The child he held in his arms in Capernaum is still in the room, and Jesus
begins to talk about the disciples’ influence upon her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Children, he says, will look up to them. Children will look
to them as examples of faith, healing, and action. Children will look to them
for good news. Whatever they say and do will be the model others follow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
So, if you say healing is a competition, it will be. If you
say it is a team effort, it will be.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus implores them to analyze what they are doing, keep
the things that are effective, and eliminate the rest, for everyone’s sake.
They are beginning a ministry together, and whatever they say and do will set
the standard for everything that follows.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
It’s better to do the difficult, painful work now, than for
the whole endeavor and everyone involved with it, to end up on the garbage heap
with the worms and the burning trash. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Everything Jesus has worked for is at stake. This new
empire, the proclamation of the good news of the nearness of the Kingdom of God,
and the miraculous healing that takes place in it, rest with these twelve
getting it right. Everything and everyone will be tested with challenges and
trials. If the foundation is not solid, nothing and no one will stand. There
won’t be any second chances.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk9.38-50">Mark 9:38-50</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Young people and people new to faith are watching you as an
example of faithful living.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Identify your bad habits and confess your sins. Pray Psalm
51.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
give me integrity.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-3429509274180031892015-03-23T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-31T08:13:23.867-07:00Monday, week five: Who’s your friend? (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus has called himself the “Son of Man” half a dozen
times already. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
This time he says the Son of Man will be betrayed and
killed. Then after three days, the Son of Man will rise again. His disciples
have no idea who or what he is talking about. Worse than that, they are afraid
to ask him anything about it. Although Jesus has given them his own power and
authority, they failed to heal a convulsing boy. Maybe that failure has
something to do with their silence on the matter. So, as they journey through
Galilee, they talk to one another, but not to him.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
They arrive back at Capernaum, the Galilean town where
Jesus first cast the unclean spirit out of the man in the synagogue. Capernaum
is the town where he healed Peter’s mother-in-law of her fever. In this town
the crowds first gathered and from here his fame began to spread. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
They enter the house and Jesus discovers that while he has
been talking about his own death and walking along in silence, his disciples
have been arguing with one another about their greatness. Jesus is facing the
certainty of his suffering and death, and they are having a fight about who
among them is his best friend.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus says they know nothing about friendship. They think
Jesus’ power and notoriety are going to land them in a palace somewhere. They
think friendship with him will be glitzy and glamorous. They think his empire
will make things easier for them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus seizes the moment. He sits them down and breaks the
news to them. Friendship with him doesn’t make anything easier. Friendship with
him means putting others before yourself. It means putting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">everyone</i> before yourself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Friendship with him means humility, service, compassion.
Friendship with him means noticing the people no one notices. Friendship with
him means extending welcome. It means crossing boundaries and challenging your
own prejudices.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Jesus says that when you’ve done that, you’ve welcomed God.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk9.30-37">Mark 9:30-37 </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Our prejudices are in our blind spots.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Welcome somebody you wouldn’t ordinarily gravitate toward.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus,
help me welcome others as you have welcomed me.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-64465368534656935862015-03-22T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-22T00:00:03.498-07:00Sunday, week five: In his absence (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus, Peter, James, and John reunite with the rest
of the disciples at the bottom of the mountain. There is a great commotion, for
the disciples have been attempting to heal a convulsing boy, without much
success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">There is great doubt that anything at all can be
done for the boy, even by Jesus. “You faithless generation,” Jesus responds. “How
much longer must I put up with you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">It seems that people have short memories, constant
demands, or little faith. Or maybe all three. The minute Jesus is gone and a
challenge presents itself, people begin to think, “He healed those people <i>then</i>,
but what has he done <i>lately</i>? Can he do anything about <i>this</i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Frustrated, Jesus rants and them and then says, “Bring
me the boy.” He asks the father to tell him all about this illness. The father
complies. Then he says, “If you are able to do anything, have pity on us and
help us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">If you are able.</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Now there’s a terrible phrase in the life of a
believer. Jesus has never had a problem with ability. The only time he has been
impotent was when he was in his home town. When people thought they knew all
about him and perceived him to be small, he could do next to nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Everywhere else, people have believed. They have
demanded that he be big and bold. People have been throwing themselves headlong
into his mystery and into his expanding compassion and no one has come away
disappointed, except those who want to control him. (They are necessarily
disappointed, because there’s no way to control him.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">He steps away for a moment, to go up the mountain
and pray, and just like that, doubt is the order of the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">How does Jesus respond? By saying, “All things can
be done for the one who believes.” He responds by healing the boy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Text for the day:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk9.14-29">Mark 9:14-29</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Things to think about:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus has infinite power over the things that cast
us into water and fire and threaten to destroy us. He calls us to believe in
him and his power, especially when it seems like he is absent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Things to do:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Pray for faith to be present in the believing
community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus,
help my own unbelief.</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-53706160398925330812015-03-21T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-21T20:28:31.420-07:00Saturday, week five: The truth about the Messiah (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)After Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah,
Jesus begins to talk about suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. Every
insurrectionist crosses this dangerous terrain. These things are no secret.
Even the resurrection part. Insurrectionists live on in infamy, at least in the
legends told amongst the people.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Peter isn’t buying any of it. Of course not. He
thinks Jesus is going to crush the opposition like a bug. After all, if you
have the power to heal, don’t you automatically have the power to destroy?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">If things haven’t been made plain enough to the
disciples and the crowds, Jesus now tells them openly, <i>If you want to follow
me, you’d better be ready to pick up your cross. I am headed for execution.</i>
“Those who want to save their life,” he says, “ will lose it, and those who
lose their life for my sake and for the sake of my <i>euangellion</i>, will
save it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Then he calls Peter, James, and John, up a high
mountain, where they see Jesus’ body glow, are met by Moses and Elijah, and
hear a loud voice from a cloud. “Listen to him!,” the voice bellows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">The whole scene is terrifying, this talk of death
and these supernatural visions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus reveals what his Messiahship is all about. It’s
ordained by God, undergirded by the law of Moses and the teaching of the
prophets. It has the power to transform everything. But very little of any of
that can be seen with the naked eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">They trek down the mountain, with the revealed
glory, all that talk about death, and even their terror at these revelations
behind them. They see no one but Jesus, just as he is and as he has always
been, with the meaning of the Messiah hidden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">He will suffer, be rejected, die, and be
resurrected. And not a single soul will understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Text for the day:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk8.31-9.13" target="_blank">Mark 8:31-9:13</a></span><span id="goog_1207327873"></span><span id="goog_1207327874"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Things to think about:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">It has been prophesied that the Messiah will bring
peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Even though the disciples have been with Jesus all
along, they do not understand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Things to do:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Challenge your own understanding of who Jesus is
and what his ministry accomplishes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus,
transform my mind.</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-8001599530769821512015-03-20T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-20T00:00:13.204-07:00Friday, week five: What Peter knows (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<span style="font-family: Arial;">Jesus and his disciples are on a short healing
tour. From Bethsaida, north of the lake, they cross the Jordan River and head
into the small villages clustered along the water’s edge.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Along the way, Jesus asks them, “Who do people say
that I am?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">The disciples answer him, according to what they
have heard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Some people are saying that he is John the Baptist.
He is teaching and healing. He hangs out in deserted places like John did.
Maybe John escaped Herod’s jail. Maybe he didn’t, and is now resurrected. That
could explain his increased power and authority.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Some people are saying that he is Elijah, who
escaped death and ascended into the heavens on a chariot. Jesus certainly
speaks like him. If Elijah had returned from the heavens, wouldn’t his ministry
look like this?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Other people are saying he is one of the other
prophets. He is mighty in words and deed and his teaching calls for repentance.
Maybe Jesus is a new prophet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus takes it all in and pauses before asking, “But
who do you say that I am?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Peter answers, “You are the Messiah.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">It’s a correct answer, but with an incorrect
understanding. Peter answers rightly, but he thinks Jesus is going to topple
the Roman government. Peter has been witnessing the beginning of a new empire.
He has a front row seat for this euangellion, this imperial edict, as it
unfolds and he is convinced it’s going to run like a steamroller right through
the heart of Jerusalem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“Don’t tell anyone else that,” Jesus says. The last
thing he needs is a crowd riled up and ready for revolution. He’s the Messiah,
all right, but he hasn’t come to take the world by force.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Text for the day:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="color: windowtext;"><a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk8.27-30" target="_blank">Mark 8:27-30</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Things to think about:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus is starting a revolution, but it doesn’t have
the characteristics of any revolution that has come before it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Things to do:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Consider the attributes of Jesus’ empire. Notice
how those attributes are still alive in the church, two millennia later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus,
lead your revolution in all the places I have power.</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-55755055127163770922015-03-19T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-19T07:41:16.786-07:00Thursday, week five: Spit with the power to heal (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus heals everyone who begs. He heals people who
beg for their own healing. When people beg for the healing of others, he heals
them, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Word has definitely gotten around about him, so it’s
no surprise that the people in Bethsaida beg him to heal a blind man. He can,
after all, do anything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus leads the blind man by the hand out of the
village to a private place. For some reason, Jesus doesn’t want anyone
else to see or hear what’s about to happen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Perhaps Jesus is protecting the man’s dignity. After
all, this is not a side show.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">When they are alone, Jesus spits on the man’s eyes
and lays his hands on him. “Can you see anything?” he asks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">The blind man looks up. It’s as if some sort of fog
hovers in front of him. He can tell there are people in the distance and he can
tell they are moving about, but nothing is clear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus lays his hands on the man once again. The man
concentrates and tries to focus. Suddenly everything becomes clear. People look
like people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus tells him to go home. “Don’t even go into the
village.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">What a strange thing to say after an even stranger
sort of healing. Won’t the whole village know about what has taken place
anyway? And what about the people who begged Jesus to heal the man in the first
place? Don’t they deserve to celebrate?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Text for the day:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk8.22-26"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="color: white;">Mark 8:22-26</span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Things to think about:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">We may be able to see, but that doesn’t mean we are
able to see clearly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Perhaps the healing Jesus gives takes forms we cannot
see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Maybe Jesus is more interested in the healing that
takes place than in what people think or say about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Things to do:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Beg for the healing you, your friends, your family,
and the world need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Jesus,
spit in my eyes and help me see.</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-13668321232610931392015-03-18T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-21T20:36:49.295-07:00Wednesday, week five: How much is in the boat? (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
The disciples have been with Jesus
as he has traveled throughout the region, across a territory spanning about 40
miles. They have witnessed the crowds pressing in on him everywhere they go.
Twice the disciples have witnessed people forget their own hunger, being so
enamored with Jesus’ teaching. On both occasions, they stood by as Jesus fed
thousands, with next to nothing at his disposal.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
They have clearly lacked the
compassion for the crowd that Jesus has. Mark stops short of describing their
disdain for the crowds, but it`s not hard to imagine them saying, What were
they thinking, traveling all this way without food to sustain themselves?
Who did they think would pay for their dinner? </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
And now the disciples find
themselves in the same boat, both literally and figuratively. They have
traveled back and forth across the lake with Jesus five times already. But on
this journey, they get to the middle of the lake only to find they have but one
loaf of bread to share amongst thirteen people.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Jesus says, “Beware of the yeast of
the religious leaders,” but aware of their own lack of food, the disciples
think he’s talking about bread. He’s not talking about a loaf of bread, but
about the bread that fuels power. Jesus is talking about demands for signs,
proof, and legitimacy. Jesus is saying that healing and wholeness don’t matter
to some people. He’s saying that for people in power it’s not enough to make a
difference for people who suffer. Those in power will always demand permission
slips, certifications, and adherence with the law. For some people, the deeds
are worthless without the credentials.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
The disciples understand nothing of
what he’s said or done, not even that he can take their one loaf and feed
everyone in the boat with it, and everyone else in the world besides.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
They are thinking about scarcity
and rules. He is demonstrating abundance and grace. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
His mercy is about to meet its
match, and their minds are stuck on bread.</div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk8.14-21" target="_blank">Mark 8:14-21 </a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
People tend to dwell on scarcity
rather than create abundance.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Share something you have with someone
who doesn’t have it. Notice what happens.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God, multiply my
resources.</i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /></i></div>
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<![endif]-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-42344964713940027592015-03-17T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-21T20:34:01.171-07:00Tuesday, week four: Demanding things already present (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)The religious leaders approach
Jesus and demand to see a sign. They want proof that Jesus has come from heaven.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Jesus sighs. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
It’s ironic, of course, because
they’ve already seen plenty of signs. He’s been exorcising unclean spirits,
healing people left and right, multiplying bread and fish as if by magic, and
teaching with a kind of power and authority no one has ever seen before. He
backs everything he says with action and compassion. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
His disciples have seen even
greater and stranger things than these: He has calmed the wind and the sea and
walked in the water. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Where do the religious leaders
think he has come from? How do they think he has been doing the things he’s
been doing? Are they kidding?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
No wonder he sighs. It’s absolutely
exasperating. Some people will never be convinced, no matter what he says or
does.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Clearly, these leaders think they
haven’t seen a sign. Their thoughts and opinions have become powerful; more
powerful, in fact, than the miraculous things that have happened. In their
minds, they have witnessed nothing out of the ordinary. They can explain it all
away.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Jesus sees there’s no convincing
them of anything. Now he does the only thing that makes any sense. He gives in
and goes along with them. “Why does this generation ask for a sign?” he says.
“Truly I tell you no sign will be given to this generation.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
What he doesn’t say is, “I could
give another sign, but you’d never believe it anyway.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk8.11-13" target="_blank">Mark 8:11-13 </a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Jesus has been performing signs,
wonders, exorcisms, and healings all around you, for your entire life. He has
always been teaching with a new kind of power and authority, backed up with
action and compassion.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Look for something miraculous, no
matter how small, in your life today.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus, open my eyes
to see your signs.</i></div>
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<![endif]-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-5626230753402377772015-03-16T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-21T20:35:51.664-07:00Monday, week four: Feeding strangers (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)If Jesus has healed any Gentiles,
it’s only been one or two.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Lately, there was the
Syrophoenician woman who begged him to heal her daughter. Jesus cured her
without ever laying eyes upon her.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Before that there was the naked man
from Gerasa, the one with the legion of demons. Jesus saw that man, but didn’t
touch him. He sent the legion into a herd of swine, then sent the herd
screaming down a hill to drown in the lake. He returned the man to his right
mind simply by giving the demons permission to leave. Yet, when the man begged
Jesus to let him follow him, Jesus turned him away, sending him instead to
declare God’s mercy in his hometown. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Evidently, the healed Gerasene man
has a convincing testimony, for a great crowd awaits Jesus in the Gentile
desert. They cling to his every word for three days, more hungry for his
teaching and his power than for bread.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
They have essentially been
fasting, and although they are Gentiles and he is Jewish, Jesus has compassion
for their diminished state. He remembered what happened the last time, when he
asked the disciples to feed the crowd and they talked of nothing but money. So
he puzzles aloud about how he might feed them.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
The disciples have apparently
forgotten what happened the last time Jesus showed compassion on a hungry
crowd. “How can one feed these people with bread here in the desert?” they ask.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
“How many loaves do you have? He
asks his disciples. He gives thanks for their meager resources, blesses them,
and begins to divide them amongst the crowd. Before he has finished, 4,000
Gentiles have had their fill and seven baskets full of broken bits of bread
remain from the disciples’ original seven loaves.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Jesus disperses the satisfied
crowd, and he and his disciples climb once again into the boat.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk8.1-10" target="_blank">Mark 8:1-10 </a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Everyone is worthy of the healing
and teaching Jesus offers.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Jesus takes food from the mouths of
his closest followers and gives it away as bread for the hungry.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Do some research today about your
neighborhood or city. Who is hungry around you and how are they fed?<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus, teach me to
stop questioning you.</i></div>
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</xml><![endif]-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-89077375484073882342015-03-15T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-21T20:34:49.766-07:00Sunday, week four: Openness (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)Jesus sticks his fingers in the
man’s ears, spits in his hand, and touches it to the man’s tongue. Then gazes
towards heaven, sighs, looks at the man and says, “Ephphatha.” He speaks
directly to his body parts, as if they are alive and can take orders.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
He has done this before, this
speaking to things that don’t seem to be alive. Storms, fevers, invisible
spirits and demons, and now ears and a tongue.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
“Be still.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
“Come out.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
“Be opened.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
They all obey. They all comply.
There is no contest. Jesus has complete authority.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Jesus performs this latest miracle
in private, but when the deaf man appears able to hear and speak plainly,
everyone knows what has transpired. Jesus orders these “witnesses” to keep
quiet, but they cannot contain themselves. They, like the ears and tongue, are
quite open. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
From the very beginning of Mark’s
story, Jesus has been proclaiming, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of
God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” He has also
reiterated that proclamation of this message is his ministry.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Apparently the “repentance” of<sup>
</sup>tied tongues, closed ears, and raging storms is easily accomplished.
Jesus speaks to them, and immediately they make 180-degree turns. But people
are another matter. Jesus commands people again and again, but they ignore him
completely and keep doing what they’ve always done. They act from their
emotions and reactions, completely disregarding him. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
In fact, people seem to be the only
things in Mark’s story that disobey Jesus.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk7.31-37">Mark 7:31-37</a></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
There are debilitating conditions
in people and circumstances in the world that Jesus sees as distinct and animated
entities that can be spoken to and commanded.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
Practice seeing people as whole,
complete, and perfect. Refuse to interact with their illnesses, complaints, or
failures. Tell those things (and the ones related to them) to be quiet.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus, command me.</i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-3409504865109327502015-03-14T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-21T20:35:12.053-07:00Saturday, week four: The traditions of the elders and faith of a stranger (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
The religious leaders in Jesus’ time are no different than
other people in power. They want to hold onto their position and authority. Jesus
is a threat. After all, massive crowds are following him, looking to him for
teaching and authority, instead of them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
They’ve taken to watching Jesus and his disciples closely.
Every move, every choice, every word holds the potential for discrediting him
and simultaneously turning the crowd. So they confront Jesus about defilement
and cleanliness. Jesus puts them in their place.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Contrast these religious leaders with the woman from
Syrophoenicia. She has no pretense about power, authority, or even the right to
be in Jesus’ presence. She doesn’t care about religious convention. She doesn’t
care about anything except the healing of her child and she knows Jesus can
deliver. She’s desperate enough to beg. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
This woman is smart enough to know she doesn’t stand a
chance of Jesus helping her when anyone Jewish is around. He has been healing
Jews left and right since his ministry began. But Gentiles? Even if the demoniac
in Garasa was a Gentile, that makes the count of Gentiles healed just one. What
makes her think he’ll help?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
To be fair, Jesus is in the region of Tyre. Technically, it
is in the land of Israel, but the people there never really behaved themselves.
They never submitted to Jewish practices. The land was not only considered
Gentile, but downright hostile. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
In other words, Jesus, having just berated the Jewish
religious leaders for misunderstanding religious cleanliness, heads off to a
defiled place. No Jew in their right mind would follow him there. Perhaps Jesus
goes there to get a break from it all, or just to check it out. Who knows? But
there he is.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
This is the Syrophoenician woman’s chance. She waits for an
opportune moment, then she goes right to the source of healing, enduring every
lash of his tongue for disrupting his rest. She begs to find out if his gifts
might be for the Gentiles, too.</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk7.1-30" target="_blank">Mark 7:1-30 </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
What is the limit of Jesus’ desire to heal?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
Ask someone in your life about their impression of Jesus.
You might find a more interesting answer if you ask someone who is not
Christian.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: lines-together; page-break-after: avoid;">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">God,
challenge my boundaries.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-22595307579640048312015-03-13T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-13T00:00:14.347-07:00Friday, week four: Take heart (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal">
Finally Jesus gets a break.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The crowds have dispersed. He puts his disciples back in the
boat and watches them set off for home. He stays in that deserted place, climbs
the mountain, and prays.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He has an expansive view of Galilee and the lake. He can see
the progress they make as they paddle the small boat toward the opposite shore.
Evening falls and a wind picks up. By the moonlight, Jesus watches them
struggle and strain against the elements. He recalls an earlier time on this same
lake, when their boat was being swamped and they feared for their lives.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He descends and heads toward them. By early morning, he is
within earshot, coming to them across the sea itself, miraculously buoyed atop
the waves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They know he has command of the wind and the sea, but when
they see him walking on the water, they are frightened beyond belief. They are
sure it a ghost coming to finish them off.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then they hear his voice. “Take heart. It is I. Do not be
afraid.” He nears them and climbs into the boat. The wind and the sea cease
their raging.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They, however, do not take heart. They are not encouraged,
nor calmed. If they had understood anything about him and his power, that
understanding is now lost. He has done things beyond miraculous, entering the
realm of the fantastical and magic. He has multiplied bread and defied the laws
of the physical world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Put plainly, they have no idea what to make of the one who
now sits in their small boat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When they reach the other side, they disembark, and Jesus
resumes him ministry, picking up right where he left off.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk6.45-56" target="_blank">Mark 6:45-56</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus does spectacular and unimaginable things.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jesus’ power extends beyond the physical world. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As you hear the news today, imagine Jesus on the rough sea
asking the world to take heart.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus, in the midst of our fear, encourage us all.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7541227858987420138.post-41427594762227906702015-03-12T00:00:00.000-07:002015-03-12T00:00:00.969-07:00Thursday, week four: Feeding frenzy (Devotions for Lent from the Gospel of Mark)<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
It has been a full week. Jesus has been teaching and
healing, pursued by crowds everywhere he goes. The disciples have just returned
from a very successful healing tour.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now John has been beheaded.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This small band of friends does what anybody would do in
these circumstances. They carve out some time to rest, recuperate, process, and
decompress. They climb into a boat and head across the lake to a deserted area.
If there are no people, no one can disturb them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The wind must have been still that day. The crowd watches
them get into the boat, sees where they are headed, rushes around the edge of lake,
and gets there faster than the boat can carry its passengers across the water.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That deserted place is suddenly populated. Rather than tell the
crowd to get lost, Jesus has compassion for their desperation to be near him.
He sympathizes with their frenetic desire to squeeze every ounce of teaching
and power out of him, even when he has nothing left to give. He pushes the boat
back out into the water, pushes his own needs aside, and begins to teach those
gathered on the shore. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He teaches through the day and into early evening, until his
disciples notice that people are hungry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jesus tells them to give the people something to eat. They say they
don’t have enough money.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What follows defies any description. An abundance of food,
enough to feed five thousand people with plenty to spare, appears from the
humble supper of thirteen men. Two fish and five loaves of bread, and everyone
present fed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s the end of the story. Mark doesn’t give us any
reaction. The story ends without response, almost as if what has just taken
place is completely normal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Text for the day:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://biblia.com/books/nrsv/Mk6.30-44" target="_blank">Mark 6:30-44 </a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to think
about:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When Jesus asks the disciples to feed the people, they
respond by talking about money. What relationship do money and ability have
with one another?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Things to do:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Consider the difference Jesus can make with the resources
you have at your disposal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus, use the things we have to feed your people.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0