Here is the Lenten Meditation for today, March 21, 2014, the 2nd Friday in Lent. 1st Reading: Genesis 43:1-15 2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:1-9 Gospel: Mark 4:35-41 (Inspired today’s meditation) Meditation: I love Marks Gospel; it is the simplest, shortest telling of many of the stories, and reminds me most of a guy in a bar talking. You can tell when he really gets into the story, because he slips into the present tense: “And then Jesus says...” The disciples in Mark are most believable to me; they are nearly always scared to death. And why wouldnt they be? We can look back and see that there was a Resurrection, but they didnt know that then. All that the disciples see are very scary signs and wonders. Its not easy living with a person like Jesus. These verses in Mark are often referred to as “Jesus Calms the Storm.” That title itself comes from after the event, after everyone has survived. But at the time, in the middle of the storm, no one was sure if the very next wave would swamp the boat for good and drown them all. What is more scary: trying to keep the boat afloat or going and waking up Jesus? Because you never know what Hes going to get you into next when you ask him for something. Its almost never a simple yes or no with that guy. But I think that what holds me in this passage is that even if Im not a fisherman like the disciples, I do have storms in my life; I do feel swamped and overwhelmed sometimes. This passage is telling me that Jesus is there to calm the storm – but how do I wake him up? When I look at v.40: He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” I usually read this as a simple rebuke. But what if hes really asking “Why are you so afraid?” Why am I so afraid? I just am. But do I have to be? Well, I have a lot of reasons to be afraid. Perhaps faith in this case is taking a new perspective: Jesus perspective. Not a large change. Just the difference between saying “this next wave is going to swamp us for sure” and “lets just get through the next one and not think about what it might do”. By Ian Richmond Prayer: Lord, when I feel afraid, help me to remember that you are in the boat with me, that I am not alone. Give me faith in your calming Presence to remind me that each wave is not always larger than the last. Amen.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 11:48:12 +0000
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