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This morning, at our Ash Wednesday service, we all grabbed a handful of dirt as a way of symbolizing the things we hold on to in life. And as I was sitting there, I began to feel my hand throb with my pulse. Was I holding the dirt that tightly? It was as if my very blood was flowing into and around that dirt. It was becoming a part of me.
I was so thankful for this morning - a chance to let go of that dirt - to break free - to claim God’s love and grace.
(We’re having a repeat of this morning’s experience tonight from 7-7:30PM)
This Sunday I won’t have time to talk about this part of Mark 8 so I wanted to mention it here. Jesus has just fed 4000 people (the 2nd miraculous feeding of a massive crowd) and he is leaving to cross over to the region of Dalmanutha. When the Pharisees hear that he has arrived, they…
“came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, “Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it.” Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.”
Why was Jesus so frustrated? I don’t think it was because the Pharisees’ struggled to believe. Jesus seems to have enormous patience with the those in the Gospels that are slow to get it (the disciples are a case in point). I think that Jesus is so frustrated because the Pharisees were making their belief conditional. “We’ll believe you, Jesus, if…”
Does this ring true to your experience? It does to mine. I’ve demanded lots over the course of my walk with God. Sometimes it has been a demand for the miraculous - sometimes for the mundane. “God, if you do _ then I’ll believe.” “If you tell me _ then I’ll obey.”
As we see later in this chapter Jesus’ call to follow him is anything but conditional - it’s not demanding or forging our own way. It’s following the Master.
first off, as Chris emailed, I am planning on a blog or video about Mark 6, however after Maya woke up yesterday with bad hives over 100% of her little body, a trip the emergency room, and trying to catch a play or two of the big game… well… I’ll get around to it
something else has captured my imagination this morning though. I recently saw the new commercials that Kleenex company is running under the tagline “let it out…” take a look see:
every time I watch it, I want to jump up and scream, “BRILLIANT”! that is, after I get around to wiping the tears out of my eyes with off-brand… um… tissues. I think that the advert company has hit a home run here by tapping into a deep deep deficiency in our ‘modern’ lives. we as human beings have a deep need to have someone listen to and affirm our stories. we need someone to care.
so, I’m already starting to dream of a saturday when we grab one or two of our IKEA couches and plop them down at a busy intersection and just offer to listen to people’s stories! can you imagine? I can… and I think their right, we’ll probably need a box of kleenex…
one more thing, the Branch has formed a team of elders (we’ll introduce them during worship real soon). one of main tasks for this team is to be just such a listening presence in our community. so perhaps you are reading this or just watched that advert and your saying to yourself, “I wish someone would listen to my story”. well, we’re here to listen. all it takes is a word, an email or a phone call… you could start by shooting me (andy {@} thebranchonline.org) or Chris (chris {@} thebranchonline.org) an email… let it out!
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