Let this cup pass

I find myself thanking God for a few things, during our reading these past few days.

First, but not most importantly, I’m thankful for the way the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection comes right as we get ready to Celebrate Easter together. It just seems to make the celebration go even deeper as I know we are all reading together.

Secondly, I’m so thankful that Jesus, while He was God and man together, still prayed and asked the Father to let this cup pass from him and agonized in the garden over the suffering that He knew was coming. When we face suffering hardships, physical pain, or even disappointments we can remember that our Saviour experienced these things, and be comforted that He is there to comfort us as well.  He also can give us the strength to endure.

Thirdly, we do know the rest of this story, the resurrection is coming! Oh, what Jesus endured that today you and I can have life abundantly, grace for today and hope for tomorrow. What an awesome God we serve.

With gratefulness,

Sherri

Watch and Endure

In Mark 12 and 13, Jesus almost sounds as if he is talking about today’s events.  You will hear of wars and threats of wars.  There will be earthquakes and famines in the world.  There is a lot of talk these days about how bad things are in our economy and world and how bad they may be.  One of the benefits of age, is you can say, I think I’ve heard this before.  While I don’t minimize planning, and the reality of ‘they way things’ are.  I found myself really encouraged by Jesus words in the last two days readings.

In Mark 13: 7 He says ‘Don’t Panic’.  Later in the chapter he says ‘the one who endures to the end will be saved.’.  Finally in today’s reading Jesus says ‘Watch for Him’.  Those words all put together give me a plan I can put in to action today.  It reminds me of Paul’s words in Phillipians where he encourages us to pray about everything.  So I will wait, pray, watch and endure.  Jesus is faithful and He is returning.

Anxiously waiting for your thoughts as well,

Sherri

Gaining Perspective

As always, I’m amazed at the various interactions Jesus has with people in the gospels. A lot of times He answered questions, with a question of His own.  Or He’d answer figuratively through a story.  He was direct, yet never quite answers as expected.

 

One dialogue that stood out to me this week was in Mark 12:28-34, between Jesus and a religious teacher.  The question was “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”  Jesus answered by saying, “… ‘And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” The teacher agreed with Jesus, and went on to say… “This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

 

This teacher “got it”… and was “not far from the Kingdom of God” as Jesus points out. He was grasping the big picture of God’s will, and realizing its importance in comparison to the expectations of the law.  He was gaining a perspective of the Kingdom of God that so many other religious teachers at that time missed, being so caught up in the peripheral.

 

In this journey we’re on, I pray that just like this teacher, we would hear the words of Jesus and gain a true perspective on the Kingdom of God.  May we let go of the peripheral stuff in our lives long enough to be quiet and hear what He is saying.

 

Becky