Today’s scripture: Mark 9:30-32 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)
As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.
My thoughts (Steve Adams):
The disciples weren’t ready to learn a difficult truth — that Jesus would be killed, and then rise again. They couldn’t understand. Was it just too hard for them to grasp the fact that Jesus would be executed? Too difficult to face? Yes, and understandably so. Why, after all, couldn’t He go straight from His life on earth to His eternal reign in Heaven? Couldn’t He skip the crucifixion and go directly to the ascension?
Thinking about this reminds me how each one of us has some difficult things that we need to learn during our lives. Are we ready? It’s critical to prepare “fertile grounds for learning” in our minds and hearts — conditions that enable us to learn even the most difficult-to-attain life lessons. Learning lots of facts or skills is not easy, but learning hard-to-accept spiritual truths is perhaps even more difficult. For instance, why did Jesus have to suffer so much, and, why does humanity as a whole have to endure so much suffering? There are answers in the loving, eternal arms of God, but it is challenging to get to the place where we’re ready to receive them. And, even then, we may only attain partial answers in this life (I Corinthians 13:12).
So what are some keys to a receptive, ready-to-learn mind? In this beautiful spring season, I think of keeping the garden weeded so the flowers can thrive. Pulling the undesired weeds reminds me of extricating all that is at cross-purposes with God in our minds — all that gets in the way of a pure relationship with the Creator. It’s really the age-old, tried and true concept of repentance that comes into play here. If something interferes with my love and knowledge of my Lord, then I forsake it. I stop going in the direction of the deceitful distraction and reinvest that energy into pursuing a richer, deeper, and more mature relationship with God. It pays dividends — all the way to beautiful blooms and life-giving seeds. And, of course, a seed planted can sometimes takes years and years to mature. Are we ready to wait that long? Do we have the patience?
In the end, I think we need what the disciples needed — hope. The disciples needed the hope of knowing Jesus would rise from the grave and triumph for eternity. We need to grow in our conceptual grasp of what it will be like when Jesus rules in eternity — and we are with Him, reflecting God’s glory.
Thought for the day: Lord, it’s a privilege to get rid of whatever diminishes my relationship with You!
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.