It’s Saturday Family! May your day be saturated with the reality of His presence with ya! In looking at the next section of Mark’s story today, I’m trying to keep a heart of joy, excitement and enthusiasm, but given the story of Jesus’ abuse, I’m struggling. However, in the midst of the darkness of the event transpiring, our Dad gives me light to see the bright side in it all. I share these thoughts with you: After Pilate had Jesus flogged which must have been excrutiating for Jesus, Pilate handed Jesus over to his soldiers to be crucified. Here we have a group of soldiers who had an awful job of putting Jesus to the agonizing death on a cross. How would you like to have that job? Yikes!!! I can imagine it makes pretty much any job look pretty good in comparison. In the right mindset though, the job these soldiers had could have been viewed as carrying out the will of the Father in that it was necessary for Jesus to fulfill Scripture to die on the cross to save all mankind from sin. In that light, it could have been viewed as an honor to be the ones chosen to help Jesus carry out His Father’s work had they truly known who Jesus was. It is said often that laughter is therapy in a life that is difficult. I suppose these soldiers must have needed humor to lighten the pain of what they did for a living, but sadly, their humor was targeted at the expense of a real human being. They at least clothed Him in purple that was truly fitting for a royal King. The soldiers had that part right and their address of Him as the King of Jews was fitting as He was in fact a King and falling to their knees in homage to Him was something I’m sure they will see as the proper position before Jesus when the review button on their lives is played. But the beating of Him, spitting on Him and smacking the crown of thorns into His head and laughing at Him with mockery was far beyond the call to duty. When they had finished with their so called fun, they put His clothes back on Him and led Him to be crucified. The job of crucifying Jesus was a dirty job and someone had to do it. I pity those soldiers for their job, but there has to be more Godly humor than making someone the focal point of mockery and laughter. Dad’s Word says when we point a finger at someone else, there is a finger pointing back at us. I can’t imagine going down in history having treated Jesus as these soldiers did, yet people even today make a mockery of Him and His ways. While these soldiers had a tough, painful job and they sought to find some joy in it, Jesus had an even tougher, painful job as He felt the pain of their sinful humor. He, too, sought to find joy in His circumstance as He fixed His eyes on His Daddy and His great eternal plan to rescue them all from their sin. Their abuse could have actually inspired Him to persevere, knowing what He was going through was bringing their rescue as well as the rescue of many. These soldiers mocked Jesus for His view of Himself as the King of the Jews. They did not see His Godliness. In so doing, they had fingers pointing back at them as their mindset placed themselves as Kings of authority over Jesus, lacking Godliness in how they treated the one who could rescue them from the wrath their sin deserved. Despite their erroneous attitude and as a result of them doing their job, Jesus paid the price on the cross for the sins of all mankind and now there is a day coming when all of Dad’s kids will laugh with Godly laughter - and they will live without death or mourning or crying or pain. Until then, I’m just happy to be doing life with ya’s! It just makes me giggle!
Mk 15:16-20; Ro 12:2; Lk 6:21; Rev 21:4
Tag Archives: Crying
Keeping the Faith by Sheila and Dad
It’s Saturday and it’s a good day! I’m thankful for many things. Inside the Word today, Jesus and His disciples are leaving the temple when the disciples take note of the massive stones that make up the magnificent building. My Bible notes that some of them were 37-feet long, 12-feet high and 18-feet wide. I imagine the disciples saying something like “Wow! Would you look at the size of those pebbles. Those are impressive! I bet you can’t lift one of those over your head for exercise.” Jesus saw their interest in the stones as an opportunity to tell the disciples that before the coming of the end of the age when the Son of Man would be seen coming in the clouds, many difficult times would be experienced, including all the massive stones of the temple being thrown down. He said there would not be one stone on top of another left. To hear of such hard times and to experience hard times in one’s life can be a “downcast” experience alright. David understood this when he wrote “Why are you downcast, oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me?” Jesus who comforts the downcast, gave these Words of encouragement to His disciples: “He who stands firm to the end will be saved.” This means perseverance in faith will be the evidence of their salvation. Jesus was saying the key to getting through the tough times was to keep the faith! Even David when downcast concluded that he needed to put his hope in the Lord. The author of Hebrews writes that God is not unjust and He will not forget what we have done for Him. He encourages us to show diligence to the end to make our hope sure and to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what was promised. After waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. He was da man! When in a trial, we can usually always look around us and see someone worse off than we are that lends to being thankful we don’t have it worse and Dad’s Word says to keep our eyes fixed on one such as that – Jesus. Jesus endured the cross (Yikes!!!) for the joy set before Him. What joy is in that? The answer is the end promise. Dad said fixing our eyes on Jesus would help us to not grow weary and lose heart. So, what is the end promise? Jesus says He is coming to earth again and bringing His reward with Him. There is a day coming when the dwelling of God will be with His people and He will live with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things will have passed away. Everything will be new!” But one thing won’t be – Dad’s Word. He has given us His Word and He will keep it to the very end! John, in the book of Revelation was told to “Write this down, for these Words are trustworthy and true.” In other words, they are set stones! Dad said “He who overcomes will inherit all this and He will be our God and we will be His sons and daughters.” Now to that promise, I’m keeping the faith to the end! Are ya with me?
Mk 13:1-31, He 6:10-12, 15, 12:2-3; Ps 42:5; 2 Co 7:6; Rev 21:3-7, 22:12; Php 4:6-8
Left Behind
>It’s morning again and Jesus and His disciples made it through the storm and arrived ashore at the region of the Geresenes. This is an area that had several cavern tombs that were often used as dwellings. As soon as Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man with an evil spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man was possessed by a legion (many) demons and had become so strong that nobody could subdue him. Day and night he cried out and cut himself with stones. The demons in him knew who Jesus was and shouted at Him not to torture them, begging him time and time again because Jesus told the evil spirit to come out of the man. The demons begged to enter a herd of 2,000 pigs nearby and Jesus gave them permission to come out of the man and enter into the pigs, but then the pigs rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Those tending the pigs ran into the town and countryside and told the people what happened. When the people came and saw the man formerly demon possessed and now in his right mind, they were afraid. The people who witnessed it told about the man and the pigs and then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. When Jesus went to get into the boat, the formerly demon-possessed man wanted to go with Him, but Jesus did not let him. He told him to go home to his family and tell them how much the Lord had done for him and how he had mercy on him. So the man did as Jesus said and people were amazed. When I think of the man in this story, separated from his family and society and so tormented by the army of demons within him that he could be heard crying out and he cut himself (destructive habits) and was so overpowered that nobody could restrain him, I don’t know about you, but I agree with Jesus, the man’s old life needed to go! Jesus can definitely take a life and change it for the better. My heart is so touched by how the man wanted to go and be with Jesus his rescuer. I relate to him ‘cuz once you experience the love of Jesus, you can’t help but want more. But like this man, the Lord has plans for each of us – plans to go and tell others what the Lord has done for us. Paul understood this when he said “To live is Christ, and to die is gain (departing to be with Jesus). If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” The changed man in Mark’s story chose as Paul did, to not depart to be with Jesus, but to go and tell others what the Lord had done for him and in so doing, the ones he told were amazed. Jesus’ grace – it’s too amazing not to share. Jesus has given each of us new life and though left behind to go tell others, He is with us in Spirit always to the very end. So, gotta go! My heart is with ya’s! Mk 5:1-20; Php 1:21-26; Mt 28:18-20; Jn 3:16, 15:1-17; Heb 13:15; 2 Co 5:11-21