Lent: Monday, February 25, 2008

Old Testament Lesson

Genesis 44:18-34

Judah volunteers to be a slave, to be taken captive to allow Benjamin to be safe and free.  One of my favorite profs in seminary was Dr. Knickerbocker.  Dr. Knick used to always tell us that one of the ways that we as Christians should read the Old Testament was to read it looking for Jesus, looking for the promises of Jesus. Today, in this passage we see Judah sacrifice himself for another's freedom.  

Judah become the father of one of the 12 Tribes of Israel.  David was a member of this tribe.  And so was someone else: Jesus.  Revelation call Jesus the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.  In his sacrificial action here, he points the way to Jesus.

So is it in our lives when lay down our life, our wants for another; we are pointing the way to Jesus.  May all of our actions today point towards Him.  

New Testament Lesson

1 Corinthians 7:25-31

Paul's motivating force behind his words on marriage and relationships is this: this world is passing away. Don't get too comfortable. Don't make this world you home.  We will not be here forever, there is another place that we belong. Don't grow too comfortable in this world that you will not want to go to your true home. 

Those are good words for us to live by. Sometimes we can grow so comfortable in this world that we can forget that this world is not our home. We are called to live with abandon for Him and know that even with all the blessings of this life, this world is not our home.  

Gospel Lesson

Mark 5:21-43

We see in this passage Jesus heal both the powerful and the weak. He heals both the rich and the poor.  He heals all for He loves all.  His love, mercy, and compassion goes to all that in need, and His arms stretch to embrace us wherever we may be.