May 28: Mark 10 28-31
Key Verse: Mark 10 30
who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
Devotion:
How many times have you held back from doing or going that final step because you think what is being asked is just that bit too much? You draw the line somewhere and what you end being asked to do is too far beyond the line for your comfort... so you stop. It is very sensible to have a line which you should not cross, a line which defines your boundaries, a line which others will be able to recognise and depend upon.
In a family, we like to think there are no such lines or at least they are flexible. We like to think we would be willing and able to do anything for anyone in the family so we can support one and all. We like to think we can show our love for them in whatever way they ask. But there may well come a time when what they ask is just a bit more than you can handle for them! If you go beyond your boundaries in such cases, then they will not know your boundaries any more – it all seems to be a bit of a quandary with a “no win” scenario. Standing up for what is right in those cases will always be positive and all will be able to learn from that positive step.
When Jesus was explaining to a young man about what he should do to be saved (sell all his possessions), He was not doing it out of spite but simply to show the young man concerned he was not actually willing to give everything up for Christ! When each of the disciples were asked to leave what they were doing and follow Christ, they left everything behind. Christ wants us all to make sure we are fully dependent upon Him and Him alone. The young man wanted the safety net of his money or possessions. The disciples had put their safety nets (and their possessions) aside so they could follow Christ.
Jesus wants us to know our rewards for depending upon Him are going to be far more than those we get from depending upon our own possessions or abilities. When we have Him as our protector in our family – what can ever go wrong!
Points to Ponder:
What things do you still cling to in your life?
What burdens do you still try to carry yourself when Christ's load is light?
May 27: Psalms 103 8-14
Key Verse: Psalms 103 13
As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
Devotion:
What happens when a child falls down in the playground? The first person to jump up and rush over is probably their parent! No matter what the child was up to, being hurt is not a good thing and the pity that parent has for the child extends over and above any indiscretion the child was up to. I can remember a few times when I thought I was not going to get any pity because of what I had done, and my parents still showed their love and mercy to me.
We have a father in heaven who's pity and mercy is without end. We cannot compare His pity for us against anything we know. We cannot fathom His mercy for us – it is without end. Have you ever tried to imagine walking from the north to south pole? When you reach the south pole, you suddenly start walking north again... But if you were to walk round the equator westward, you would continue walking westward forever.
Without the love and care we have in our families, we would not know of the love and care we can find in Christ. The family unit is the place where we start to learn about love and care. From there we can learn about who in life will love and care for us and we can learn to find out just how much Christ has already done for us and how much He continues to do for us on a daily basis.
We can actually see how much our parents do love us if we only open our eyes to see what they do for us behind the scenes. We may have to think about it because our selfish nature expects them to contribute certain things to us. But when we find out how much they do for us without us asking, we are humbled. So many times in our lives we do not ask for things from God, but expect them. We expect to be able to continue to breath, live, laugh, dance, sing... Each and every thing is given to us by a God who truly loves and cares for us – just like our parents do. We may find out just how to make our parents angry within a few seconds – but God is never tempted into anger like we are. If we are persistently bad, He will try to open our eyes to what we are doing wrong, but His love for us extends farther than we can imagine.
Points to Ponder:
What is the most surprising thing that you have been forgiven for?
Christ is faithful to forgive all of our sins as long as we confess them!
May 26: Mark 10 13-16
Key Verse: Mark 10 15
Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.
Devotion:
How many times can you remember being told “don't speak unless you are spoken to” or “children are meant to be seen and not heard”? I have some very fond memories of such times, and even when we (my brother and I) were being told off, we knew we were still loved and would always have a place at home.
Many societies try to keep the children quiet and unseen until such a time as they think they should be heard or seen as adults. Babies are always paraded, but as soon as they start to make a noise they are hidden, only to emerge later in life! Whilst people may think they are saving society from noise and bother, they could be stealing something away from those children. I think having children mix in with society would allow them to adjust more easily and quickly.
Jesus made sure the disciples knew this the first time they tried to prevent children from flocking to see Jesus. And when they approached, He used them as a way of showing the innocence we should approach our lives with. A young child will quite easily accept an ice cream from just about anyone... so long as they know they will not get into trouble for it! They are willing to accept others for the way they are then and there because they have not grown up enough to see others for what they may have done earlier in life or to judge them because of the way they look.
Jesus knew what He was doing. He knew He would very soon lay down His life for all of our sins. He knew what lay ahead. He knows He will be able to present us to God as innocent children because of the debt He has paid for you and me! We may think some children are “little devils”, but that is only what they have learned from their surroundings. Young children do not understand evil until they come into contact with it. We should be prepared to change our lives to be as children so we can accept people for the way they want to be without any evil influences and reminders. When we get to heaven we will be accepting everything and everyone there as totally innocent because Christ has paid it all.
Points to Ponder:
How protective are you over others in your family?
Christ is our protector and can be relied upon all the time!
May 25: Mark 10 2-9
Key Verse: Mark 10 8
and the two shall become one flesh’; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Devotion:
“What! Divorce! At my age! I'm not even married yet!” May well be the sort of response that a young person would give when they listen to Jesus talking about divorce. But I want to expand on it to show just how important the subject is in our lives. We are living in an age where it is more common for couples to get divorced than it is for them to stay together (and yes, I was guilty on that part too). If you are living in a home where your parents are still together, then you will be able to appreciate just how special it is to have a family stick together. You may even look out in the world and think how bad it is that everyone is always breaking up – but what started it all?
Moses did write a law about the possibility of being able to get divorced – but it was only because the people demanded it. It was not because God sanctioned it. There have always been people that have jumped into a relationship only to find that they have jumped before looking and don't like it when they find out where they are. It is because of those inabilities to hold back and look before leaping that have led to so much separation. Man has always been impulsive!
God created a single partner for Adam and a single partner for Eve. He instructed them to stay together and to have children to populate the world. But note also that Jesus instructs people to leave their mother and father and cleave to their partners. Immediately that is placing relationships into an age where you can leave home.
Have you ever been in love? You may think that you are serious about someone only to find a week later they are not serious or they have faults! How far did you let yourself get involved? How much of your soul did you allow them to see? How much of your soul was “lost” on that person? We take relationships far too lightly and allow ourselves to be beaten up to such a point where we don't mind breaking up every now and again! If we were serious about ourselves, we would scout out our ground and stick to it!
Points to Ponder:
How many girlfriends/boyfriends have you had this year?
God has had a single relationship with you through everything – because He loves YOU!
May 24: Titus 1 15-16
Key Verse: Titus 1 16
They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
Devotion:
We often read about or hear about evil people or the evil things which people do. We hear about the murderers and the thieves as well as the savage and downright evil people. Then we hear about the people who are good – well, most of the time... They are good when it counts, but always have a bit of bad baggage to carry round with them. When we hear about the good they do, we agree that they are good. But when we hear of the bad things they get up to behind the scenes, we are often put off or even change our minds about them!
God has a simple rule – either you are innocent, or you are guilty. Simple black and white – nothing in between. If only we were able to see through His eyes when we are tempted away from the righteous path which He lays out in front of us! To those who do not believe, they see nothing wrong in bending the rules to suit themselves. They regularly step over the line to make sure they get what they desire. Their consciences are kept “clean” by allowing themselves to shake off the “bad stuff” when nobody is looking. But even when they try their best to wipe away the dirt, their minds know exactly what they have been up to. God also knows exactly what we get up to!
Some may even profess to know God, but continue in their ways of leading two lives – one for everyone else to see, and one they really are. What would you think of a member of your family if they continually broke the rules and had you fixing things all the time? How would you feel about having to continually cover for them and their indiscretions?
Christ paid for our sins so that we may live. He continues to cover our sins each time we are faithful enough to admit to them – isn't it about time we tried to change for Him?
Points to Ponder:
What do others in your family get up to that you don't like?
What do you get up to that God doesn't like?