Today’s scripture: Mark 15:27-32 (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 (Melody Merida):
This passage of Scripture makes me angry. How dare anyone talk to Jesus like this! It makes me wish Jesus had come down off the cross and done an “Oh yeah, you want to say that to my face?!’ challenge. The story would have been quite different then, wouldn’t it? But I guess that just wasn’t Jesus’ style.
Did you catch what the priests and teachers were saying to Jesus? After they taunt him, they actually say they want Jesus to come down from the cross so that they may believe he is the Christ. But hadn’t Jesus already showed them who he really was? Hadn’t his entire ministry been about teaching the messages of God in a way that proved he was indeed the Messiah? And yet they didn’t believe then.
The truth was that those who mocked Jesus had seen his mighty works, and still they mocked. I hate to admit it, but I can relate.
How often do I try to bargain with Jesus to do this or that and then I’ll believe? “Jesus,” I might say, “if you will help me learn how to put up with Pastor Jeff’s jokes then I will know that you are truly a miracle worker!” Ok, maybe that isn’t exactly how I might pray, but you get the idea.
Jesus has shown me how awesome he is so many times that I’ve lost count. Yet, I can still doubt and then challenge Jesus to do something else for me before I “go-all-in” with my faith. Most of us are probably the same way. If we truly take stock of all that Jesus has done in our lives to prove his love for us, to prove that grace is free, and to prove that our needs will be met we must confess that our cups run over. Yet, we often don’t notice these things, so we don’t believe. Instead we fret, grow nervous, become angry, and turn away at the trials that come our way; all the while holding our noses up at the priests and teachers of Jesus’ day thinking we wouldn’t behave like they did.
Look deeply at your life. Look at the grace Jesus freely offers to you. Look at the love that flows from the cross directly to you. These are the proofs that we need to see and believe. Jesus has already showed us who he is. There is nothing else we need to see to believe.
Prayer for the day: Open my eyes so that I may see all the wonders you have worked in my life. Surely my cup runs over! Thank you. Amen.
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.
Dear Be Still readers,
In the very near future, Found Pearl Press (Jesus MCC’s publishing ministry) will be publishing our first volume of devotionals as a printed book. The book will be entitled, Quench! refreshing devotionals by gay, trans, and affirming Christians.
We’re looking for a few testimonials from users of Be Still and Know to use for the back cover. Would you be willing to let us know what Be Still and Know means to you? If we use your testimonial, we’ll send you a free copy of Quench! as a token of our thanks.
Please email your testimonial to bestill@jesusmcc.org, along with your name and the best way to contact you. Submission of a testimonial constitutes permission for Found Pearl Press to use the testimonial at its discretion.
All we need is two or three sentences — but we need these ASAP! Could you email a few lines right now?