Today’s scripture: Mark 3:22-27 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (David Zier):
Jesus is telling us these parables in this passage because he was accused of not doing God’s work in the world. If he was such an evil person as he was being accused, why would he be healing, casting out demons, and doing good, essentially the opposite of what he is being accused? The scribes wanted others to see Jesus the way they portrayed him: not just as a troublemaker, but as a demon. From verse 22: “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons” (NRSV). Jesus asks through the parables, “If what the scribes say is true, why would I cast myself out? And furthermore, how could I bind up and bring out the evil force (strong man), and bring healing to someone’s house? If all this were true as the scribes say, I would be living a divided life, wanting to live one way but doing the opposite.”
What about my spiritual house? Could I be living a divided life, in which I want to fill my house with God but I let it get cluttered with other things? Look around and see what is occupying your spiritual house. Are there lots of worry, strife, anxiety, hate, and selfish notions that seem to occupy a lot of the space? When the house is divided, it can be easy to get off track. Jesus tells us through this parable that it can be like a kind of civil war within us.
As I reflect on this parable, I remind myself that keeping my spiritual practices, which increase the space of my spiritual house occupied by God, lessens the space occupied by other stuff that can divide me. My spiritual journey is a lifelong process, and my prayer is that I keep an open invitation to allow God to occupy more space in order to keep me growing. Worship, praise and love God, pray, serve, give, be kind, show mercy, minimize and resolve conflict, connect with others, and allow yourself to feel God’s love. Give yourself permission to love yourself in order to love others well.
Thought for the Day: How is your house divided? With what are you allowing it to be filled?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.