Well today's been very interesting. I've spent it in Stockport at a youth work conference and had lots of interesting info and tips on how to do youth work. Really keeping me excited for pursuing it as a career. One of the things that I went to was a short talk on using the internet to connect with youth and also for them to connect with the church so I'll be trying to do more things like this in the future. Probably things that don't require such a massive daily commitment though! Onto business then
Today's readings
Exodus 17:1-18:27
Mark 1:1-28
Psalm 22:1-11
First things first we're going to start with the New Testament and have a quick think about the Gospel of Matthew that we've just read. Now all the gospels are about revealing more of Jesus and what He means to us but to me, Matthew's is about how God keeps His promises even though they can take ages to come true and not have the answers we're expecting. Matthew keeps pointing to how Jesus is fulfilling all the prophecies God has given out to His people and yet the answer the people were expecting was a king who would save them in this life with power and strength rather than a servant who would save them eternally with grace and sacrifice. Take an opportunity today to thank God for that gift that we are in no way entitled to but receive thanks to His grace. Hallelujiah!!
So we're continuing with Exodus and first we get two clear examples of God looking after His people even though they've still not learned to shut up and stop challenging Him. First with the water from the rock and then with the first real battle the Israelites have. Now this battle is interesting because these same people were terrified of the Egyptians pursuing them and certainly not up for putting up a fight and yet here God inspired them to victory. Moses arms being held up to win is an odd one. As though Moses was performing magic or God needed a sign but I think the arms weren't important to God, only to the people. They saw Moses praying clearly and so felt inspired to fight harder. We need to remember that God doesn't bother with gestures, He wants action and justice. There's nothing wrong with lifting your hands in praise or prayer but it's what you do with them in the world afterwards that God cares about.
The next chapter deals with Moses meeting up with his father-in-law. There's an important message here for those of you who make time for others. Moses was the go to guy for every single Israelite and his father-in-law realised that this was never going to work. We have to be careful that we balance ourselves between giving everything to God and having time to spend with God ourselves. I'm quite challenged that God's given me this reading today consdering I'm coming from the conference full of enthusiasm for God's work and desire to get out ministering and yet here is a reminder to make sure you don't over tax yourself and always have time to yourself so that you can spend it with God. I suppose this is also a challenge to me with the blog too. I need to be more strict with my time to ensure I have spent a good amount of time with God rather than squeezing Him in where I can.
We're dipping our toes back into the New Testament and starting Mark's gospel. Now obviously some of the stuff will have already been covered as Mark was the first to write his gospel and it was used by Matthew and Luke and a source for some of their writing. But Mark has a very different style to Matthew as I'm sure we'll see. Mark starts straight away with John the Baptist and whizzes through Jesus' baptism and approval from God. Notice also the cursory nod to Old Testament prophecy being fulfilled in verse 2. Mark doesn't like to hang about and to me it seems like today's reading is a way of saying that it's important to know why Jesus came and the proof that He is who He said He was but let's look at what He did and get the background stuff out of the way because we need to be looking at what we can do and not dwell on ours or anyone else's past.
Seriously, in 21 verses we've covered Jesus' childhood, His Old Testament links, the temptations, His calling of the first disciples and John's arrest. Notice how often Mark says at once or immediately. He wants us to realise that knowing Jesus is not a book thing but a doign thing. And here then we have an example of Jesus teaching and having a power in that teaching which causes people to talk. And it's not the miracle but that it was true teaching. This is an example for us. People notice miracles but they also notice reliable and genuine people. That's the least that we can be for Jesus' sacrifice.
Finally we get a new Psalm. David is again crying out to God for help but look at that last verse. In the Message translation verse 11 says that David felt like God had moved away and trouble moved in next door. And it finishes with the simple admission, I need a neighbour. Well if there's one thing I've learnt through daytime tv, it's that everybody needs good neighbours! And here is David saying that he can't see God and can only see trouble so needs a neighbour to help him. And Jesus calls us to be a neighbour to everyone. To me, today's readings are about knowing your boundaries with how much you give but also realising that Jesus' truth and the gospels' call is for us to go and be neighbours rather than spreading ourselves too thin or ignoring people all together.
And that's your lot for today. We're back on schedule!! Yesterday's song is here. Questions, criticisms and comments welcome as always,
Jon
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