Genesis 41:1-13
Psalms 55, 138, 139
1 Corinthians 4:1-7
Mark 2:23-3:6
The readings for today have reminded me of the importance of putting my
life in God’s strong and compassionate hands. Failing to do so leads to a
life racked with worry and fear. This is Pharaoh’s story in Genesis. He has
troubling and unsettling dreams. His advisors of this world cannot help him
decipher the dreams. He remains unsettled because he does not
understand his dreams and what he is supposed to do. When Pharaoh
allows God, through Joseph, into his life, he is able to understand his
dreams and chart a path forward.
The passages from Psalms and First Corinthians reinforced this message for me. Our call as Christians is to allow God to act through us. We cannot hide from Him or deceive Him. It is not our place to judge others on His behalf. Rather, Psalm 55:22 tells us to cast our cares on the Lord and he will sustain us; God will never let the righteous fail. To be sure, we must live righteously but righteous in accordance with God’s standards, not ours.
This is the downfall of the Pharisees in Mark; they have forgotten about God’s purpose and imposed their own, very human, interpretation on what it means to observe the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day to renew – physically, mentally and spiritually. It is a day of goodness and joy; not a day of deprivation and burden. Doing good works, like healing a man’s hand, is totally consistent with the purpose of the Sabbath. Therefore, Jesus rebukes them. Then, in the ultimate ironic twist the Pharisees, after fussing at Jesus about Sabbath observance, begin plotting Jesus’ death with Herod’s minions on the Sabbath. Talk about missing the point!
Easter is the ultimate Sabbath. Jesus’s death and resurrection gave us the opportunity to be renewed forever. We only need to get out of our own way and put our life in God’s hands.
Mike Lennon
Psalms 55, 138, 139
1 Corinthians 4:1-7
Mark 2:23-3:6
The passages from Psalms and First Corinthians reinforced this message for me. Our call as Christians is to allow God to act through us. We cannot hide from Him or deceive Him. It is not our place to judge others on His behalf. Rather, Psalm 55:22 tells us to cast our cares on the Lord and he will sustain us; God will never let the righteous fail. To be sure, we must live righteously but righteous in accordance with God’s standards, not ours.
This is the downfall of the Pharisees in Mark; they have forgotten about God’s purpose and imposed their own, very human, interpretation on what it means to observe the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day to renew – physically, mentally and spiritually. It is a day of goodness and joy; not a day of deprivation and burden. Doing good works, like healing a man’s hand, is totally consistent with the purpose of the Sabbath. Therefore, Jesus rebukes them. Then, in the ultimate ironic twist the Pharisees, after fussing at Jesus about Sabbath observance, begin plotting Jesus’ death with Herod’s minions on the Sabbath. Talk about missing the point!
Easter is the ultimate Sabbath. Jesus’s death and resurrection gave us the opportunity to be renewed forever. We only need to get out of our own way and put our life in God’s hands.
Mike Lennon