Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

April 2nd - Mark 11:9-10

Mark 11:9-10

Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem shows us his extraordinary courage. He could have slipped quietly into the city. But in deliberately entering on a donkey, everyone knew that he was making a powerful statement. He was declaring for all to see that he was indeed the Messiah, the one who had come to save his people. Their praises show that they were entirely clear what was happening. Some may even have recalled that this was exactly what Zechariah had prophesied: “Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt” (Zechariah 9:9).

There is no doubt that the people were delighted to welcome their Messiah but there were clearly very different ideas of what such a person would do. Jesus wasn’t offering himself as the one who would kick out the occupying Roman forces, and that was probably the kind of liberation most people were looking for. The thought that their Messiah was going to face crucifixion within a week wasn’t in their minds at all. Not even Jesus’ closest disciples had understood how events would unfold.

As we celebrate Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, it is good for us to remember that he is the one who sets us free, but not always in the way that we expect or want. We may want him to be the powerful authority figure who comes on an impressive war horse to sort out the problems in our lives and in our world. But he comes on a donkey and gently shows us how we need to forgive, love and support the people around us. Jesus’ ways are not our ways but, like the people of long ago, we need to welcome him with enthusiasm and joy because he is coming to us in the name of the Lord.

QUESTION

What kind of Messiah are people looking for these days?

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, I praise you that you are the one who has come to give me peace and salvation. I welcome you into my life today. Amen

April 1st - Mark 11:1

Mark 11:1

Jesus lived most of his life in the Galilee region, which was about a four-day journey north of Jerusalem. Nevertheless, he paid many visits to Jerusalem and had some good friends in the area. His particular friends were Mary, Martha and Lazarus who lived in Bethany, just outside the city. Clearly, in one of his visits there, he had prepared the ground for his final triumphal entry into Jerusalem. So he was able to send two of his disciples on ahead to get a donkey with the instruction that, if the owner asked why they were taking it, they were to say that the master needed it and would return it soon.

Jesus had prepared the way for this decisive journey to Jerusalem, and that was an important principle for the disciples to remember in the years to come. When they went on their missionary journeys around the world, they needed to know that the Lord had gone ahead of them. His Spirit had prepared the way. As they headed out in search of the donkey, the disciples had simply to trust their master and have faith in him. And, sure enough, it worked out exactly as Jesus had promised.

Whenever we set off to do God’s work it is just the same. As we go forward in obedience to him, we will find that he has prepared the way. At the moment, I’m working with a church on a new venture and we are facing lots of questions about the way in which it will work out. I need to keep reminding myself of this fundamental truth: that Jesus has already prepared the way.

It’s significant that Jesus sent two disciples on this mission. He did the same in Mark 6, when he sent out his twelve disciples two by two. This is an important and encouraging reminder that, when the Lord sends us out, he does not send us out on a solitary journey but one in which we have a relationship of support and shared faith.

QUESTION

In what ways have you seen the Lord going ahead of you to prepare the way?

PRAYER

Lord God, help me to trust you and to listen carefully to you as I live for you each day. Amen

March 31st - Mark 10:51-53

Mark 10:51-53

On the face of it, Jesus’ question would seem entirely unnecessary. Surely it was obvious what a blind man would want Jesus, the famous healer, to do. So why did he ask it? I believe he asked it because, in doing so, he gave the man dignity. Jesus didn’t barge into his life and do what he considered would be best for him; he listened to Bartimaeus. The blind man declared his desire to be able to see again and Jesus, recognising the man’s faith, healed him.

Jesus never barges into our lives. He asks us what we want him to do for us. Yes, we all need forgiveness, but he will only give it to us when we are serious about our request. The fact is that many people want to hang on to their sins. Sin has become such a part of life that they can’t imagine being separated from their bitterness, selfishness, anger, sexual sin or whatever it happens to be. The offer of forgiveness from Jesus is real and definite but he won’t give it as a sticking plaster to place over our ongoing sin. He forgives us only when we repent and declare our willingness to live in a new way. The decision lies entirely with us.

God longs to be our guide but, once again, that is never imposed on us. We can get guidance from a thousand different sources. The internet, friends, the media, newspapers and books are fertile ground for guidance. It is only as we surrender to God and tell him that we want him to guide us that he is able to lead us in his way. He may well use material that we have gained from other sources, but he is the one who shows us the way to go, if only we are open to his voice.

Bartimaeus’ life was transformed because that’s what he asked for. James, in his letter, observed that many of the people he was addressing hadn’t received the blessings of God for one simple reason: they hadn’t asked (James 4:2). Let’s not make the same mistake.

QUESTION

What are you going to ask God for today?

PRAYER

Thank you, loving God, that you love to bless me. Help me always to be ready to welcome you into every part of my life. Amen

March 30th - Mark 10:43-45

Mark 10:43-45

I find this one of the most embarrassing passages in the whole of the Bible. James and John were in what is often referred to as the inner circle of disciples. They had even been with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. However, it was James and John who came to make this foolish request. They had worked out that Jesus had huge authority and so they asked him to provide them with the very best seats in his coming kingdom (Mark 10:37). They thought they would get in there first and bag the seats on his right and his left. Jesus gently responded that they didn’t know what they were asking and then slowly and carefully explained that the kingdom of God was not about power, influence and the best seats but about powerlessness, service and taking the worst seats. Indeed, Jesus himself came as the ultimate servant and had no authority to hand out special seats in heaven (Mark 10:40).

We can all easily understand where the disciples were coming from. Everybody likes to be served. But Jesus wants to turn our thinking upside down and show us that service is the way to perfect freedom. This will involve us in a continual process of challenging our natural self-centredness. Mother Teresa expressed this well when she wrote: “Love is a one-way street. It always moves away from self in the direction of the other. Love is the ultimate gift of ourselves to others. When we stop giving we stop loving, when we stop loving we stop growing, and unless we grow we will never attain personal fulfillment; we will never open out to receive the life of God. It is through love we encounter God.”

Our society will always tell us that what we really want is to be served, and to be given the best seats. But Jesus loves us so much that he offers us a better way. A life of service.

QUESTION

Why is being a servant so important and so blessed?

PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ, you have shown us what it means to be a servant. Help me to be willing to pour out my life for you in loving service. Amen

March 29th - Mark 10:29-30

As Jesus moved towards Jerusalem and his death on the cross, he spoke increasingly about the costliness of discipleship. He did nothing at all to make following him sound glamourous and attractive. However, he also wanted to make it clear that the costly path of following him would be generously rewarded. Our generous God is no one’s debtor. Jesus’ words became literally true for those early disciples. Many of them would be rejected by their families but, as they entered the family of God, they suddenly discovered brothers and sisters wherever they went and homes were flung open to greet them. This was the apostle Paul’s experience who, in his final greetings in the letter to the Romans, spoke of the mother of Rufus as being like a mother to him (see Romans 16:13). In another place he referred to Onesimus as his son (see Philemon 10).

The certainty of reward was also matched by the guarantee of persecution. Jesus saw this as inevitable. This was the experience of his own life, and he was sure that it would characterise his followers’ lives as well. This may all sound very heavy and forbidding but we need to remember the words of Hebrews 12:2 that it was “for the joy set before him” that Jesus endured the cross. There is nothing pleasant about persecution, but it was the certainty of joy that kept him going.

The ultimate reward is eternal life. Life here on earth is very brief. As James put it in his letter “your life is like the morning fog – it’s here a little while, then it’s gone” (James 4:14). But God offers us a new life which begins now, and which will never come to an end. When we see our lives as part of the big landscape of eternity, it should help us to see our present challenges and difficulties in their proper context. Following Christ will be tough at times but, when we keep our eyes on the big picture, we can only be full of joy and hope.

QUESTION

How does the promise of eternal life affect your thinking about today?

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, thank you for your generosity to me today and for all eternity. Amen

March 28th - Mark 10:24-25

Mark 10:24-25

There is a widespread disease in our society which is known as affluenza. It is the belief that peace and contentment can only be found in life by becoming increasingly wealthy. It is in fact not a new disease at all. The disciples were shocked by Jesus’ teaching that riches were a massive obstacle in the way of anyone becoming one of his followers. Jesus had just met a rich, young ruler. He seemed to have everything. On the surface, he had every advantage in life. But when Jesus told him to sell all that he had and give it to the poor, he went away sad. It wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear.

In our verse today Jesus addressed his disciples as children. He didn’t often use that expression - it suggests that he was reaching out to them with great gentleness and compassion. He could see how much they were struggling with his teaching about wealth. They had been brought up with the belief that wealth was a sign of God’s blessing, so the thought that it was a huge obstacle to following Jesus was a new way of looking at life. Jesus was saying that wealth will never get you a ticket into his kingdom. The only way to find salvation is through depending entirely upon God and throwing ourselves upon his mercy.

Jesus was never opposed to wealthy people following him and, clearly, many did. Through the centuries, the Church has been blessed by the presence of many rich people. But not one of them has obtained salvation through their wealth. It cannot be done. The only way into the kingdom is by us all recognising our spiritual poverty and coming to the Lord with empty hands, eager to receive his gift of new life.

QUESTION

In what way do you think it is particularly difficult for a rich person to follow Christ?

PRAYER

Loving God, help me never to allow anything to get in the way of following you. Amen

March 27th - Mark 10:15

Mark 10:15

It isn’t at all surprising that there were parents who wanted Jesus to bless their children. But it was surprising that Jesus made time to do so. We need to remember that, at this time, he was on the way to Jerusalem. He knew that within a few days, he would be crucified. The disciples were concerned that Jesus shouldn’t be bothered by such matters and so told the parents off. They were acting in the way that any considerate person would have done, but they were absolutely and completely wrong. Even though they knew Jesus well and had spent much time with him, they completely misread the situation.

Not only did Jesus welcome the children, but he went much, much further. He insisted that the only way to enter the kingdom of God was by becoming like a child. As was the case so often, Jesus turned the disciples’ thinking upside down. They saw children as being a noisy distraction for Jesus, but he saw them as the perfect illustration of what they all needed to be.

I am sure that Jesus had many things in mind when he encouraged his followers to become like children. He was aware of their humility and urged his disciples to come to him with empty hands, ready to receive his gifts. But I am sure he was also deeply aware of the trusting nature of children. Children very quickly learn who they can trust. I remember with pleasure the times when my children would leap into the air, certain that I would catch them. And now that they are adults I am equally grateful that they don’t still do so! But when a child leaps into their parent’s arms they are expressing total confidence. They know that they will be completely safe.

As adults, we are wonderful at making everything extremely complicated. The previous verses tell us of Jesus being challenged about his views on divorce. I think he pointed to children by way of contrast. It was as if he was saying: “Stop making things so complicated. Just trust yourself to me.”

QUESTION

In what ways do you need to become more child like?

PRAYER

Lord God, thank you that you are a loving father and that I can always place my complete trust in you. Amen

March 26th - Psalm 130:3-4

Psalm 130:3-4

The story of John Wesley’s conversion is well known. One day in 1738, he reluctantly attended a Christian meeting in Aldersgate Street, London. He was feeling thoroughly depressed but, during the meeting, someone read from Martin Luther’s Preface to the Letter of St Paul to the Romans and during this time, Wesley felt that his heart was “strangely warmed”. He saw this as the moment when he truly trusted in Christ alone. What is less well known is that later that same day, Wesley went to St Paul’s Cathedral where he was deeply moved by this particular psalm. It perfectly expressed his experience of salvation through the forgiveness of his sins.

The psalmist speaks of the completeness of God’s forgiveness; he doesn’t keep a record of our sins, they are wiped out. We hear the same truth in Isaiah 43:25: “I – yes, I alone, will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” When someone has done you wrong, the hardest thing in the world is to forget what has happened. But that’s what God does. He chooses to erase our sins completely from his memory.

The psalmist knew that his life was totally distorted and spoilt by sin. He couldn’t think of standing in God’s presence. But now the door was open to a new life in which he could confidently stand before God and serve him. This message of forgiveness comes into sharpest focus in the New Testament; it was precisely for this reason that Jesus needed to come and die upon the cross. Only through Jesus taking the full weight of our sin upon himself could he offer us a new life.

QUESTION

How do you respond to the fact that God is willing to forgive and forget all your sins?

PRAYER

Loving God, I recognise that I have often failed you. I ask for your forgiveness and for the power of your Holy Spirit to live a new life with you. Amen

March 25th - Psalm 128:1-2

Psalm 128:1-2

If we were sitting in a discussion group right now, I would love to ask you, and everyone else, what your definition of joy is. We will, I am sure, all agree that we want it, but I suspect we would come up with lots of different words to define it. Many would offer the word ‘happiness’; others might suggest contentment, peace, love, unity, freedom, wholeness, or many other words. I am sure that we would all agree that joy is something deep. It has lasting qualities. Joy is, of course, closely related to happiness. Some translations of these verses use that word. However, it is often the case that we use the word ‘happiness’ to describe our reaction to something that happens, and it can therefore be a fleeting experience. God’s joy is not like that because it depends upon a relationship - and so joy is as everlasting as God himself. As C.S. Lewis put it in Letters to Malcolm (Mariner Books): “Joy is the serious business of heaven.”

The solid nature of joy is powerfully described by James at the beginning of his letter. “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy” (James 1:2). To someone unfamiliar with God this verse might well sound like complete nonsense. How can troubles ever bring us joy? Surely they do the exact opposite. But when you understand that you are in a totally secure relationship with the creator of the universe and that nothing can ultimately threaten you, everything looks different. Even the worst human disaster cannot break our relationship with God, and so we have every reason to be joyful.

This is one of the psalms that was sung as the pilgrims made their way up to Jerusalem. What an amazing experience that must have been. As they sang their way up to the temple, they were recommitting themselves to their faith. Yes, God wanted to share his joy with them but he could only do so as they followed in his ways. Thousands of years later, the same is true for us today.

QUESTION

In what way has God brought joy into your life?

PRAYER

Loving God, thank you for the joy that you have given me. Help me to live joyfully today, whatever I have to face. Amen

March 24th - Mark 9:50

Mark 9:50

As we all know, salt is incredibly powerful, and that fact has been known for thousands of years. It does three main things and Jesus applied each of these to his followers. Firstly, it gives flavour. Food producers make massive use of it. Indeed, British Salt produces over 400,000 metric tonnes of salt every year from its site in Cheshire. But salt only has any influence when it is used. Sitting in a salt pot it will have no effect at all. The message is clear for us today. We are not called by God to sit in our churches pontificating about the evils of the world, but to get involved, adding flavour to our society.

Since ancient times it has been well known that salt is a very effective preservative. In the days before fridges, salt could be relied upon to preserve fish and meat for long periods of time. Jesus was calling on his followers to have exactly that role in society. Our calling is to stand up for moral principles. Through living a life of love, grace and forgiveness we show the world what the kingdom of God looks like and help to spread the good news of salvation.

Salt has always been valued for its purity. I believe that that’s what Jesus was encouraging in his followers. He wanted the world to see their purity through the quality of their relationships with one another. Through living peacefully and lovingly together, people would get an insight into the new life that Christ came to bring. No wonder Jesus wanted his disciples to be like salt.

QUESTION

In what ways is your local community touched by the influence of Christians?

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, help us to have the qualities of salt, so that those around us will get to know what you are like. Amen