But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ Mark 13:32-37 Jesus imparts a crucial message about the unknown hour of his return. Even he, the Son of God, doesn’t know the exact moment! This revelation might leave us concerned about the future, but within the uncertainty lies an invitation to exercise an important spiritual discipline - watchfulness.
Watchfulness doesn't mean idle waiting; it's an active participation in and anticipation of God's work in our lives and the world. It involves a heart that is attuned to the Holy Spirit, discerning the signs of God's direction, presence, and intervention. As God’s people we are called to be alert, engaged in prayer, obedient to God's will, knowing our lives play a significant part in his unfolding plan. Watchfulness is a timeless call that is no less important today than it was when Jesus spoke about it. What are you praying for today? Who are you praying for? What are you expectant for? How are you partnering with the Spirit? What are you seeing? We are stewards of the gifts, time, and opportunities God has given us. The call to watchfulness encourages us to live intentionally, constantly aligning our actions with the Father’s purposes. Not just for what we will achieve for him in the world but for the joy of being found faithful when he returns. Let's pray Lord, help me cultivate a spirit of watchfulness so my life reflects readiness and eagerness for the fulfilment of your purposes. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
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Every story we have considered this week and will read in the coming days is told in the shadow of the cross so we are pausing to worship Jesus. Today using a hymn from our wedding. Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne. Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own. Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee, and hail him as thy matchless king through all eternity. Crown him the Lord of life, who triumphed o'er the grave, and rose victorious in the strife for those he came to save; his glories now we sing who died and rose on high, who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die. Crown him the Lord of love; behold his hands and side, rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified; no angels in the sky can fully bear that sight, but downward bends their burning eye at mysteries so bright. Crown him the Lord of years, the potentate of time, creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime. All hail, Redeemer, hail! for thou hast died for me; thy praise shall never, never fail throughout eternity. Author: Matthew bridges Copyright: public domain At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it[d] is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Mark 13:26-31, NIV In the longer passage (it's worth reading from verse one!) Jesus describes the grandeur of the temple yet foretells its destruction, a startling revelation that prompts his disciples to seek answers about the end of the world. In response, Jesus unfolds a tapestry of events - the flow of history - that will precede his return. It makes for challenging reading.
But in the tapestry there is a golden thread of hope. Jesus assures his followers that in the face of uncertainty, the constancy of God's promises will be our anchor. He beckons us to shift our focus from the fleeting nature of the physical world to the enduring truth of his Word and the certainty of an eternity that will be spent with him. As Christians, we are called to a faith that transcends the temporal and embraces the everlasting. In acknowledging the fleeting nature of our life on earth, we are invited to live every day with purpose, actively partnering with the Father to see his will established here even as we look forward to the day when we will experience the everlasting joy of his eternal presence. Take a moment to look up today. He is coming on the clouds! Let’s pray Thank you, Lord, that your word is life and hope. Thank you that it comforts and strengthens me, and helps me navigate the uncertainties and challenges of this world. Thank you I can be confident that whatever I face today it is shaping me for eternal glory. Amen. One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. Mark 12:28-34, NIV The great love depicted in these verses is multi-faceted and all-encompassing. It begins with an undivided devotion to God, encompassing every aspect of our being: heart, soul, mind, and strength. This depth of love for the Father transcends mere obedience or ritualistic observance; it speaks to a profound intimacy and surrender.
Equally significant is the command to love our neighbour as ourselves. This extends the boundaries of love. Great love, as exemplified by Jesus, is marked by selflessness, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of others. The marvel of great love lies in its transforming power. Love has the capacity to mend broken relationships, heal wounded hearts, and bridge divides between individuals and communities. Love is the force that drives out fear, eradicates hatred, and brings about reconciliation and restoration. Jesus invites us into a radical expression of love that knows no limits, boundaries, or conditions. It challenges us to love with the same fervour and intensity with which we are loved by God. Let's pray Lord, remind me today to take a moment to love you with my entire being - without distraction and placing no limits on you. Then help me extend your love to my neighbours, colleagues, family - even those I find difficult to love. Thank you that your love has the power to change the world. Help me walk in it today. Amen. Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. “He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ “But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: “‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” Mark 12:1-11, NIV Jesus recounts the story of a vineyard owner who entrusts his vineyard to tenants but is met with rejection and violence when he sends servants to collect the harvest. Despite the tenants’ continued hostility the owner displays remarkable forbearance - even sending his beloved son whom the tenants kill.
The unfolding drama speaks of the layers of divine grace, depth of God's relentless love, and lengths he will go to in his determination to bring humanity back to himself despite our rebellion. We are faced with his enduring persistence as he pursues a relationship with his creation. We know the sending of the owner's son mirrors his sending Jesus into the world knowing he would be sacrificed. We recognise how the Father provides opportunity after opportunity for repentance and reconciliation. "Marvellous in our eyes" becomes a call to humility, repentance, and awe. It invites us to marvel at the astonishing reality of God's redemptive plan, acknowledge our need for his mercy and respond with gratitude and obedience. Let’s pray Thank you, lord, for the reminder today that you made a way for me to be saved. Thank you that my selfishness and sin didn’t stop you loving and searching for me. Thank you that you continue to offer me hope, forgiveness when I need it, unconditional love, and an ongoing invitation to participate in your plans and purposes. I am grateful, Lord. Amen. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!”, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”, “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”, “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Mark 11:7-10, NIV Over the years Ian and I have explored the countryside surrounding our home. We’ve seen a great many changes, the most noticeable of which was the departure of the donkeys. We never discovered who owned them, but they seemed well-fed and cared for, free to stroll around the land that surrounded a disused barn. We’d take them the occasional carrot and spend a few minutes scratching their muzzles and making a fuss of them. Then one day they’d gone. Moved to another home because their owner had sold the land they grazed on.
This passage always reminds me of them. I picture myself part of the crowd joyfully welcoming Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, laying palm branches and cloaks in his path. I wonder if it would have occurred to me to consider the animal he was riding and wonder whether it was a fitting choice for a conquering king. Of course, we know his choice of transport symbolised humility and peace - Jesus was not the vanquishing hero the crowd anticipated. But conquer he will! In a few days from his triumphant entry into Jerusalem Jesus will have disarmed the rulers and authorities, exposing them to public disgrace by leading them in his victory parade. For now, he is a slightly incongruous, misunderstood figure. Then, he will be Lord of lords and King of Kings. Let’s pray Lord, I’m joining with the crowd today shouting my “Hosanna.” Help me to see you clearly today. To know you as the King of glory, prince of peace. I worship you today, my wonderful Saviour. Amen. Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. Mark 10:35-36, NIV James and John approach Jesus with a bold request: "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask." Jesus responds, "What do you want me to do for you?"
As we navigate the pressures, demands, uncertainties, joys, challenges, and celebrations that are all part of this extraordinary life we have been given, I am certain Jesus extends the same question to us: "What do you want me to do for you?" It is an invitation to open our hearts, reflect on our own needs, lay bare our deepest longings, and seek him. It's easy to lose sight of the need for this personal encounter with Jesus. Yet, Jesus patiently waits for us to come to him and receive his boundless love, wisdom, comfort, and empowering. What do you want Jesus to do for you today? Go ahead. Tell him. I guarantee he is listening. Let’s pray Above everything, Lord, I want to know you more. Thank you that I can ask for anything in your name and you will give it to me. Holy Spirit, inform my asking today. Amen. Everything we have read and will read in the coming days takes place in the shadow of the cross. So, today, we are simply going to worship Jesus.
My song is love unknown– my Saviour’s love to me; love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be. Oh, who am I, that for my sake my Lord should take frail flesh and die? He came from His blest throne salvation to bestow; but men made strange, and none the longed for Christ would know. But oh, my Friend, my Friend indeed, who at my need His life did spend! Sometimes they strew His way, and His sweet praises sing; resounding all the day hosannas to their King. Then “Crucify!” is all their breath, and for His death they thirst and cry. Why, what hath my Lord done? What makes this rage and spite? He made the lame to run; He gave the blind their sight. Sweet injuries! Yet they at these themselves displease, and 'gainst Him rise. They rise, and needs will have my dear Lord made away. A murderer they save; the Prince of Life they slay. Yet cheerful He to suff'ring goes, that He His foes from thence might free. In life, no house, no home my Lord on earth might have; in death, no friendly tomb but what a stranger gave. What may I say? Heav'n was His home; but mine the tomb wherein He lay. Here might I stay and sing– no story so divine! Never was love, dear King, never was grief like Thine. This is my Friend, in whose sweet praise I all my days could gladly spend. Author: Samuel Crossman Copyright: Public Domain They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:33-37, NIV The disciples, walking with Jesus, engage in a heated debate: “Who among us is the greatest?” Their ambition reveals a deeply worldly mindset, a need to seek power and prestige. Jesus, ever perceptive, addresses their misguided notions and focus. Setting a child in the middle of them he says, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
In this counter-cultural message, Jesus challenges our understanding of greatness. He urges us to embrace humility, selflessness, and develop the heart of a servant. The child symbolises vulnerability, innocence, and dependence - qualities that are the essence of our relationship with the Father. To be the greatest, Jesus tells us we must serve others without seeking recognition or status, to love and elevate those around us. It's not just a call to set aside pride and selfish ambition; it’s a call to become increasingly like him. From time to time I come under a bit of pressure to promote myself or make a big thing about my achievements. In response, I use the phrase, “I have nothing to prove”. In saying that, I’m not declaring to the world that I’ve got it sorted, or that I have nothing to achieve because I’ve done it all. I’m reminding myself that I’m not in competition with another soul. I am loved by Jesus, not because of what I do but simply because he loves me. Greatness isn’t found in accolades or power but in a heart that loves and puts Jesus first. His Kingdom operates on a different paradigm: not power, but service. Let's pray Dear Lord, help me embrace compassion over competition, service over status, and love for others over love of myself. Would you take me in your arms today and teach me what it is to truly serve you. Amen. Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life[b] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8: 34-36, NIV There comes a pivotal moment for all of us in our discipleship when the Holy Spirit reveals that we are on a journey marked by great joy and blessing but also extraordinary self-denial, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment. Jesus sets forth a radical standard for those who choose to follow Him. He invites us to relinquish the pursuit of self-centred desires and embrace a life that mirrors his sacrificial love, prioritising obedience to God over personal comfort and convenience.
The challenge extends beyond mere self-denial; it encompasses a wholehearted commitment to Jesus' mission. In a world driven by materialism, success, and pleasure-seeking, Jesus calls us to shift our focus from temporal gains to eternal significance. The challenge lies in aligning our priorities with Kingdom values, finding purpose in serving others and advancing the Gospel. It's not an easy call! Jesus underlines the potential rejection and shame his followers may face. Embracing the challenge means standing firm in the face of opposition, trusting that the eternal rewards far outweigh the current hardships. It's a call to courageously identify with Christ, even when others may laugh at us or misunderstand our intentions. But there are rewards. These will involve a combination of spiritual, emotional, and physical blessings but the ultimate reward is the deep and eternal relationship with Jesus we can experience, marked by his grace, love, and faithfulness. Let's pray Lord Jesus, would you help me surrender more of my ambition and more of my idea of how my life should be in order to follow you wholeheartedly. Thank you that as I embrace the challenge of loving sacrificially and prioritising your kingdom I can trust in the rewards that come with partnering with you. Thank you, Jesus, for a life filled with purpose. Amen. |
Author"Life is short; eat dessert first." Loraine Davies Archives
March 2024
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