7 July 2024

7 July 2024 - 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Transcript

Reading:  

Mark 6:3, 6

Write:  

And they took offense at him… He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Reflect:   

He was too much for them… they were too little for him.

I could almost – almost – stop right there. [Pause.]

But you know me better than that! 😉

Apply:   

Let’s bring my comment to ourselves. Is Jesus too much for us? Are we too little for him?

I think we should find ourselves overwhelmed by who Jesus is. I do not believe we trust Jesus as much as we should or could. Is he the God of the universe? Is he the Lord of Lords and King of Kings? How much do we rely on Jesus’ care for us? I think it is too easy for us to simply spend time trying to solve our own issues instead of relying on the power of God. It is true that we need to be involved in our own lives. But how often do we fail because we do not ask enough from God?

This actually works in both ways from my comments above. How little do we ask from God and how little do we offer to God? What is our expectation and our desire to do things great for God?

And how much more does God desire to do for us that we do not understand because we do not ask? What would be a question or desire that would seem to be too much to ask of God?

How many of us have family members that walked away from the faith? It is true that God respects free will and that some people have chosen to walk away. It is true that some people have made a decision that limits our ability to pray for them and see results of them coming back to the Lord. But do we have an expectant faith? Do we expect God to answer prayers?

Maybe we receive too little from God because we are too afraid to ask from God what we, in the depths of our souls, would love to see happen. How many of you signed the petition to defend life? How hard are we willing to pray to see that a reality in the state of Nebraska this November? How hard are we willing to pray that those things that sit in the depths of our souls would be answered favorably by an all-loving God?

He was too much for them… they were too little for him.

Is Jesus too much for us? Are we too little for him?

Now… I will stop here, other than to pray.

Pray/Praise:   

Lord Jesus, you are the one capable of answering all our prayers. Help us by the guidance of your Holy Spirit to pray as we ought – to pray for the things that are really necessary. You know the anguish in our hearts that seek to rest in you. You know the pain that sits in us because of unanswered prayers, especially for our own families. Help us to understand why we do not receive answers to prayers.

We know you respect the free will of others and that that is the reason why some prayers are not answered as we wish. Send someone to break through the hard hearts of our families, of our nation so that your will may be fulfilled in a way that pleasing to you. Help us not to be too little for you, or to ask too little from you. Amen.

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