Lent: Wednesday, March 8, 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Genesis 37:25-36

This looks bad. I guess the hero of this story is Reuben, for at least he was concerned about his brother. Joseph's brothers have done a despicable act in selling him to these travellers. Remember, they don't know how this story will turn out. They didn't know this was God's working to actually save their own life. Can you imagine being so jealous you would sell you own family into slavery? That is what they did today in the text. Let's not paint over this, they sold off their own family out of jealously.

That is what sin does to us. It turns us into something we don't want to be. I remember commercial a couple of years ago that showed young children saying things like, when I grow up I want to be a doctor, a ball player, a lawyer. Then a voice said, no one says when I grow up, I want to be a drug addict. No one wants to wind up doing terrible things because of their sin. But, that is what sin does. It turns us into someone we were not created by God to be. That is why we must take sin so seriously. That is why we must nip it in the bud. If we play games with it, it will destroy us. What sin is there in your life you are playing games with? We must rid ourselves of it, for our life, our family, and our faith.

New Testament Lesson

1 Corinthians 2:1-13

The question we face as Christians is would we rather be considered wise by the world, or wise by God. If we follow God's wisdom, that will make us truly wise, but it will also make us out of step with our world and our culture. We cannot have it both ways. We must choose one path or another. Will we choose to follow God's wisdom of the world. Only one will lead to life. Now, if we follow God we must be prepared to receive the scorn of the world. Jesus said if they hated me, they will hate you as well.

We have to be ready to be looked at funny, to be questioned, to be seen as odd. So many Christians want it both ways, they want to try to be faithful to God, but yet still live by the standards of the world. We cannot have it both ways. We must make a choice, and be ready for the consequences of that choice. If we choose to follow God, we will face scorn. But, we will have life, now, and for all eternity. The choice is would we rather receive the temporary praise of humans, or the eternal praise of God? Whose wisdom will we follow today? God's? Or this worlds?

Gospel Lesson

Mark 1:29-45

In the middle of stories of healing today, we see Jesus pray. We must not forget that even while we was the very son of God, the very substance of God, Jesus spent so much time in prayer. What about us? Do we spent the time needed in prayer? Or is prayer something we just rust through.

One of the reasons I blog is in hope of whoever reads it, it may help lead you to deeper consider the Word of God. I hope that they also drive you to prayer. Without it, we can't do anything. We can't properly understand the Word, we can't know God's wisdom, we can't do anything. None of us pray as we should. Don't let the be a hindrance. Just start today, praying as often as you can. Do you have time in the car driving to work? Pray. Do you have a few minutes with nothing to do at work? Pray. Do you have some times between classes? Pray. There is always the opportunity to pray. May we take advantage of it.