Mark, my words: Jesus gone wild?

Jesus loses it.

Or at least that might be what you suspect if you arrived late at this party. Yet the Bible is very clear that ‘In your anger, do not sin.’ [Ephesians 4.26]

We know that Jesus never sinned, and so this passage found in Mark 11. 12-17 would suggest that there is a time when something like righteous anger – when God’s things and the people He loves are being messed around with – is absolutely called for. The danger/temptation for us would be labelling something as ‘righteous anger’ when in fact it might just be us losing our cool. Let’s take a look and see how this episode plays out:

[To watch the next one dealing with Faith that moves mountains, click here]

psalmthing to chew on: psalm 63

Wow, love me some psalm 63 – was contemplating just sticking the whole thing in here cos it is such an uplifting psalm [we caught David on a good day, people] so i highly encourage you to go and read the whole thing, but as per usual, here are some thoughts or reflections on part of it:

You, God, are my God,
    earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you,
    my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
    where there is no water.

[vs 1]

i guess you can read this two ways. the first time i read it i found it highly encouraging – this hunger and thirst for God… but now that i see it again it does look like it could be a cry of desperation – i really need you right now God, because life is not looking so good at the moment…

but it is still a statement of knowing – ‘You, God, are my God’ and that really feels hopeful again. so no matter how life or circumstances appear right now, i know that God is my strength and refuge and the One i am needing to rely on and call out to.

And then this next section really expands on David’s understanding of who God is and you start to sense the depth of relationship that exists and can learn a lot from how he is able to express that so poetically:

I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

[vs 2-5]

This psalm smacked me a little [okay a LOT] in the face this morning. It is easy [when employed or engaged in ‘ministry’ type work] to fall into the trap of everything being about God and not enough just being God. So do I earnestly seek God? Not enough right now if i am brutally honest [although i have been trying to eat lunches outside as a continuation of the non-rush experiment – just stopping and being and trying in that time to ‘be still and know that He is God’ so that helps].

When last did i ‘earnestly seek God’?

When last have i ‘beheld His power and His glory’?

Are my lips glorifying Him? How about my keyboard and fingers?

And is my relationship with You, God, something that satisfies me as with the richest of foods?[which in my case would be double chocolate frosting in a can or some form of ribs with mashed potato on the side]

i guess i really could go through the whole thing, but let me leave some for you. but this next piece is a great way to end and an encouragement to finish your days like this:

On my bed I remember you;
    I think of you through the watches of the night.
 Because you are my help,
    I sing in the shadow of your wings.
 I cling to you;
    your right hand upholds me.

[vs. 6-8]

 [To return to the Intro page and be connected to any of the other Psalms i have walked through before now, click here]

the place of rest is the source of strength

if Jesus never rushed, should we?

i am busy working through a 30 day devotional that is linked to a bible i downloaded for my tablet [not gonna be done in 30 days] and today’s devotional fit right in with the taking time to be still experiment that a bunch of us are doing and going to be reporting back on soon. here is part of that devotional and i hope you find it helpful:

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Walk With J. Hudson Taylor

“Never, never did Christ send an over-burdened one to work; never did he send a hungry one, a weary one, a sick or sorrowing one away on any service.

“Yet how many can tell of a time of intense distress because they felt they ought to be speaking to others about their souls, but could not?

“Oh, how different it would have been had they but first come to Jesus and found rest. Then their happy countenance would have said more than the heartfelt words were uttering. No one would then have looked at the face of the speaker and felt, ‘What a dreadful religion his must be!’

“For the ‘come’ is not intended to exclude the ‘go,’ but to prepare the way for it.”

Walk Closer to God

There is nothing inherently spiritual about busyness. Christ reserved some of his strongest rebukes for the Pharisees — ​the spiritual workaholics of his day. They were so busy working for God that they had forgotten to follow him.

Nor is there anything inherently sinful about “unproductive” moments — ​if they are used to refresh and energize you for renewed service. Even the Creator of the universe set aside his labors for a day of rest.

And the beauty of it all?

While you are at rest, God is at work!

[YouVersion Bible – day 11]

this is so great – ‘the ‘come’ is not intended to exclude the ‘go’ but to prepare the way for it.’

psalmthing to chew on: psalm 62

This is another great little Psalm so i thought it would be good just to post the whole thing:

1 Truly my soul finds rest in God;
    my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

3 How long will you assault me?
    Would all of you throw me down—
    this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 Surely they intend to topple me
    from my lofty place;
    they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
    but in their hearts they curse.

5 Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
    my hope comes from him.
6 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God;
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge.

9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,
    the highborn are but a lie.
If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
    together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion
    or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
    do not set your heart on them.

11 One thing God has spoken,
    two things I have heard:
“Power belongs to you, God,
12 
and, “You reward everyone
    according to what they have done.”

Verse 1 and 2 are just so comforting – what a way to begin a prayer – my soul finds rest in God, my salvation comes from Him, He is my rock and my salvation and then followed by the powerhouse piece of ‘He is my fortress, I will never be shaken.’

These are the words of someone who intimately knows the God they are talking about.

Then he breaks into a mini rant about the people that are giving him a hard time.

But then it’s almost as if his thoughts are interrupted and he heads back to the focus on who God is , taking it up a notch and just pretty much gushing on God. And then calling on others to join in: Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him for God is our refuge. So he has moved from an individual appreciation to a community related declaration. He is our refuge.

And then works towards the end where He focuses on two aspects of God – how powerful He is and that He rewards people for their deeds.

Just a really delightful piece and one to turn to when feeling a bit down or distant from God

[To return to the Intro page and be connected to any of the other Psalms i have walked through before now, click here]

Mark, my words: And loved him…

For me one of the most powerful statements in the Bible is found in this interaction between Jesus and the rich young ruler where is simply states, ‘Jesus looked at him and loved him’ – did Jesus know that he was about to turn his back on Him and walk away disappointed because the ask was too big? i think so, but either way it is still a powerful statement.

Join me as i take a look at Mark 10 from verse 17-31:

[For lessons on how to be the greatest from the next passage, click here]

Mark, my words: Unless you become like a child…

The difference between child-ish and child-like is immense. One deals with never having really grown up and matured and the other deals with holding on to qualities that make being a child to incredible – things like trust and innocence and honesty and genuine belief and excitement and a whole lot more.

Let’s take a look at Jesus’ words on the topic of the importance of meeting Him with some kind of childlikeness to be able to fully appreciate and experience the kingdom of God in the way that it was intended:

 

[For the next passage looking at the interaction between Jesus and the Rich Young Ruler, click here]

psalmthing to chew on: psalm 60

this is a pretty short psalm and to be honest i didn’t get a whole lot from it. we do know that it is written by David and it is written in a time of war and battle and so that influences the mood and the atmosphere of the writing.

the one thing i felt when reading the intro, and this may just be me, but it seems to read slightly differently from some of the other psalms. this one begins with the phrase, “You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us” but whereas in some Psalms it seems more like an accusation or a huge question of ‘Why, God?’ the way i read this psalm was almost more an acknowledgement that we deserved it [knowing Israel’s history, probably because once more we were disobedient or turned against you] and so this sense of ‘i get it God, but please turn it around now.’

1 You have rejected us, God, and burst upon us;
    you have been angry—now restore us!
2 You have shaken the land and torn it open;
    mend its fractures, for it is quaking.
3 You have shown your people desperate times;
    you have given us wine that makes us stagger.
4 But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner
    to be unfurled against the bow.

Like i say, that could just be my reading of this piece, but it’s the phrase, ‘now restore us’ that follows the first line, that seems to suggest there is no huge accusation or question, coupled with verse 4 which reads, ‘But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow.’

Verse 9 asks a couple of ‘Who?’ questions with David leading up to his conclusion by moving the focus squarely on to God before giving Him this acknowledgement. Yes, we are confident that our help will come from God:

10 Is it not you, God, you who have now rejected us
and no longer go out with our armies?
11 Give us aid against the enemy,
for human help is worthless.
12 With God we will gain the victory,
and he will trample down our enemies.

[To return to the Intro page and be connected to any of the other Psalms i have walked through before now, click here]