Seeds and Soil

 

Seeds and Soil (Mark 4:1-20, 26-32)

“God’s kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a man … (Mark 4:26)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Today I walked with Jesus to the lakeshore. I say “I walked with Jesus,” but of course it wasn’t just me walking with Jesus, because Jesus always has so many people who want to see him and hear what he has to say. 

We gathered by the lakeshore, and all around us were small plots of land that families used for growing crops. While we were listening to Jesus teach, I noticed that there were people scattering seeds in their fields. Jesus noticed this, too, and he took it as an opportunity to use common concepts that we could understand in order to shed light on what he was teaching us about God. So, today Jesus used the example of seeds to help us understand about the kingdom of God.

“Seeds grow,” said Jesus. “That’s what they do. They grow. But the way seeds grow and the way they bear fruit depends on the soil in which the seeds are cast by the farmer. Seeds cast on hard packed soil just bounce a couple of times, then they sit there, and the birds come up and eat them. Seeds that land on thin soil will experience a burst of growth at first, but then when adverse conditions strike, the new growth withers and dies. Seeds cast among the thorns and weeds will end up growing some, but they will get choked out. But seeds that are cast upon well-tilled soil will flourish and bear fruit many times over.”

Okay, Jesus. Thanks for the farming lesson. We stood there nodding our heads, acting like we knew what he was telling us. But we didn’t really know what he was talking about, so some of us, including the twelve he had appointed as apostles, went up to him and asked him to explain what he meant.

“The seed,” said Jesus, “Is God’s word, God’s message. It’s planted in people’s hearts, but the extent to which God’s word flourishes or fails depends on how much your hearts want to receive God’s word, or not.”

That’s also when he started to use the word, “kingdom.” “The kingdom of God is like seed planted in a field,” he said. “It is like a tiny mustard seed that, when planted, will eventually grow in to an enormous bush, big enough for birds to build their nests.”

It struck me, then, that God’s kingdom is not really a matter of geographical boundaries and palaces and massive armies. No, God’s kingdom is a matter of how well God’s message takes root and grows within our hearts. If we harden our hearts against what God calls us to be and do; or if we only embrace God’s word superficially, not letting it penetrate into the depths of our being; or if we let worries and ungodly pursuits compete with God’s message – then the kingdom will wither on the vine. But if we are willing to accept God’s message and embrace God’s message with our whole being, then there is no stopping the growth of God’s kingdom.

As I walk with Jesus, I realize that I have to look into my own heart. If God’s message of right living, justice, mercy, humility, and compassion is going to take root in my heart, then I need to make sure my heart is prepared to welcome and embrace God’s message. If I am going to be a person who worships and adores God with all my heart, then I have to look deeply into my own heart.

Lord, as I walk with you today, make me mindful of my own heart, so that your message of grace, mercy, compassion, and steadfast love will take root and bear much fruit, all to your glory and honor. Amen.

Companions with a Purpose

 

Companions with a Purpose (Mark 3:13-18)

“Then he selected twelve of them to be his regular companions and to go out to preach and to cast out demons.” (Mark 3:14-15)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ever since Jesus came back from his forty days in the wilderness, people have flocked to him. He has been surrounded by people who want something from him – people who need help that only he can offer, people who need to be healed in body and in spirit. I get it. I’m one of them. I’m walking with Jesus out of more than a sense of mere curiosity. I’m walking with him because, even if I can’t put my finger on it, I know that Jesus has something that I need, and I won’t find it in anybody else.

Today, Jesus shifted his focus on the people who were flocking to him. Today he invited twelve people to share in the work he is doing. He called them “apostles.” This is something I haven’t seen from the other religious figures; they have people who are their students, often called “disciples.” But apostles are people who are sent out with a commission from their leader.

One of the things I noticed about the twelve people Jesus named as his apostles was that they didn’t seem to come from prominent families. Quite the opposite, in fact. There were a few fishermen, a tax collector, and a few others whose only striking characteristics were that they were pretty ordinary. 

Actually, I find that somewhat refreshing. This man Jesus, who is doing and saying some incredible things and who clearly is on a mission from God, is willing to use ordinary people who will share in his work. I mean, he could have gone out and called some big names and people with authority – it doesn’t hurt to have important and powerful people on your side, after all. But Jesus specifically called regular, everyday people to be his apostles. And that is something that encourages me. 

I think back to the stories that I heard in the synagogue – stories of people that God chose to accomplish God’s purposes. People like Abraham, who had trust issues and often took matters into his own hands; or like Moses, a fugitive who had run away from Egypt because he killed a man; or like David, who was a shepherd. The heroes of our faith were people who were pretty ordinary, but in the hands of God they were used to accomplish extraordinary things.

It’s looking more and more like Jesus, by appointing ordinary people to be his apostles, is following the example of the One who called him “my Son, whom I love.”

As I walk with Jesus, I realize that my own focus is also shifting. I’m not walking with him just to get from him whatever benefit he can offer to me. No, I am now walking with him because I want to serve him; I want to be able to do something for Jesus.

Dear Jesus, as I walk with you, I offer myself into your service. You took twelve rag-tag, ordinary people, and you appointed them to be apostles who would proclaim your word and to have authority over the demons. Take me, too, and send me to do work that represents you in all your grace, mercy, compassion, and love. Amen.

What Does Our Law Allow Us to Do?

 

What Does Our Law Allow Us to Do? (Mark 2:23 – 3:6)

“What does our Law allow us to do on the Sabbath? To help or to harm? To save someone's life or to destroy it?” (Mark 3:4)

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The Sabbath is a big deal for my people. God was pretty clear when he gave Moses the Law: “Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy, as I, the Lord your God, have commanded you. You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me. On that day no one is to work—neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your country. Your slaves must rest just as you do.” 

We are pretty serious about observing the Sabbath. The Pharisees make sure we keep the Sabbath to the letter of the Law. They have done us the kindness, if you will, of letting us know what “work” is, so we can be sure we don’t do anything on the Sabbath that would violate God’s Law.

For example, harvesting wheat is forbidden on the Sabbath. Evidently, even grabbing a few kernels of wheat to chew on is considered to be harvesting and therefore, work – according to the Pharisees, that is. Healing someone is also forbidden on the Sabbath. I never really understood that one, because it seems to me that God values human life too much to want us to suffer from sickness or injury, just to make sure we are not “working.”

Well, guess what?! Today, the Sabbath day, Jesus did both of these things. He pulled a few kernels of wheat from the stalks as we walked by a field on the way to the synagogue and gave them to us to quiet our grumbling stomachs. The Pharisees saw him do that, and they were furious. They wagged the finger at Jesus and scolded him, “You can’t do that!” And later on in the day, Jesus committed the really big violation by healing a man whose hand was deformed and crippled, all shriveled up. Again, the Pharisees were raving mad, and they stomped out of the synagogue swearing up and down that they were going to get Jesus for good.

As I walk with Jesus, I’ve begun to notice something about him: Jesus cares about people. He really cares about us. He doesn’t let anything get in the way of doing the right thing for someone in need. And that’s how he helps us understand the real meaning of the Law of God – that the Law is given to us for our good, not as a burden to weigh us down or as an instrument to strike fear in our hearts. As I walk with Jesus, I come to understand more and more that God gave us the Law so that we could flourish and truly enjoy life in all its fullness.

Jesus pretty much told the Pharisees that in the synagogue. “What does our Law allow us to do on the Sabbath?,” he asked them, looking them straight in the eyes. “Does our Law allow us to help or to harm? To save someone's life or to destroy it?” I’m really glad to hear Jesus say that, because the Pharisees, and lots of people like them, use the Law as a way of sapping the life out of us. They condense the Law down to a bunch of “You shall not” commands.

It’s not as if I look for ways around the Law. I just want to live life in the way God intends me to live. And Jesus is teaching me that God wants me to live abundantly, with joy and gladness, free to show compassion and mercy to others, and to learn how to really love God with everything in me, and to love everyone I encounter. 

The longer I walk with Jesus, the more grateful I am that he helps me understand the true meaning of God’s Law – it is a gift of abundant life.

Dear Jesus, as I walk with you today, open my eyes, so that I may see the wonderful truths in your Law. Amen.

The Company He Keeps

 

The Company He Keeps (Mark 2:13-17)

“[The Pharisees] said, ‘How can he stand it, to eat with such scum?’” – Mark 2:16

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It was a fairly raucous evening at dinner that night. Not surprising, given those who had come to eat with Jesus. The people who were gathered in the house weren’t exactly the kind of people I would expect to see around Jesus – money lenders, thieves, prostitutes, and the like. General undesirables. 

Even Levi the tax collector was there. Earlier in the day, Jesus had personally invited Levi to walk with him and to be part of his following. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. There we were, walking along the road. Levi was at his tax booth, gouging every denarius he could from good, hard-working people. Jesus stopped and yelled out, “Hey Levi, come along with me, why don’t you?”

I was aghast. Really, Jesus? Levi? I mean, Levi is the reason my parents lost the family farm. What kind of people will Jesus let into this great movement he is starting?

While we were having dinner, the scribes of the Pharisees came and saw who all were gathering. These men were part of the religious leadership – their opinions were important, especially in matters regarding God’s law. The look of disgust on their faces made me want to hide. I didn’t want to be seen with this kind of crowd, so I kept my head down and turned away from the door so the scribes couldn’t see me.

I heard the contempt in their voice as they spoke accusingly to Jesus’ disciples: “What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the misfits? How can he stand it, to eat with such scum?”

Then I heard Jesus as he turned and spoke to the scribes. “Sick people are the ones who go to the doctor, not those who are well. I have come, not to call those who are righteous, but those who are sinners.” 

When I heard what Jesus said, my embarrassment at the group gathered in the house turned into shame at my own prejudice. Of course, Jesus would attract “sinners” to him, because they need what Jesus has to offer them. They need acceptance. They need to be told they are loved. They need forgiveness. They need to be treated with compassion, not disdain. Jesus has healed all sorts of sick people. Why not also heal those with another kind of sickness?

I remember something from the lessons I learned in the synagogue long ago, lessons about how everyone is sinful, not just the ones like the people in the room with Jesus. Words from our Scriptures come back to me:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
     there is no one who understands;
    there is no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
    they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
    not even one.”

I realize that the “sinners” Jesus came to call to him – I am one of them. And so are the scribes, if they are honest with themselves. Suddenly, I am glad to be in the same room with Jesus and all these outcasts. I am honored to share the table with Jesus, and I am grateful that Jesus chooses to keep company with anybody who needs him.

Literally, anybody.

Dear Jesus, as I walk with you, open my eyes, so that I can see people, not through the lens of condemnation and judgment, but with compassion and grace. In my walk with you, show me how to welcome the outcasts with your love.

Am I a Good Friend?

Am I a Good Friend? (Mark 2:1-12)

“When Jesus saw how strongly they believed that he would help, Jesus said to the sick man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven!’” (Mark 1:5)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I’m still thinking about the paralyzed man, the one who isn’t paralyzed anymore because Jesus healed him. My head is spinning as I try to remember the details of that moment.

It caused quite a ruckus when the four friends of the paralyzed man cut the hole in the roof. It was a big hole, big enough that a person could go through it, obviously. Chunks of clay started falling into the room where Jesus was teaching, kicking up a cloud of dust. I’ll have to give it to the four men: they were certainly determined to get their friend to Jesus. Very determined.

And that’s what I can’t stop thinking about – the look of determination on the faces of those four men as they cut the hole and then as they lowered their paralyzed friend down to Jesus. And their love for their friend. They clearly loved this man, and they truly believed that Jesus could do something for him. I remember watching Jesus as all this was unfolding. He wasn’t looking at the paralyzed man; he was looking at the four men who lowered the paralyzed man through the roof. 

It was when Jesus saw how strongly those four men believed that he could do something for their friend, that Jesus then acted: “Son, your sins are forgiven… Get up, pick up your mat, and walk out of here.” It was the faith, the bold belief of the four friends, that spurred Jesus to action.

It makes me wonder, Am I a good friend to my friends? When someone I know is suffering, how strong is my desire to take that person to Jesus? When Jesus looks into my heart when I pray for someone, does he see bold belief?

I want to be a good friend. I want to be someone whose prayers for others are filled with love for them. I want to be someone who desires goodness, mercy, and healing to be poured out upon them. I want to be someone who earnestly brings them to the feet of Jesus because I am confident that Jesus has the power and the compassion to act for the good of the one for whom I am praying.

As I walk with Jesus, I want to be a good friend whose faith gets Jesus’ attention.

Lord Jesus, I want to be a good friend. I want to be a friend whose faith in you is strong and bold. I want to be the kind of friend who, when I bring someone to you in prayer, you see love and determination in my heart – love for the one for whom I am praying, and determination that you will act powerfully and compassionately in their life. For the person who is hounded by chronic ailments, for the woman whose pain includes the death of her child, for the one who carries the burden of caring for a loved one, for my own grown children living far away, for the one whose days on earth are drawing near to their end and who is walking through the valley of the shadow of death, for the spouse whose husband or wife of many years is dying before their eyes – Lord, I want to be a good friend for them. For their sake. And for your glory. Amen. 

Something Only God Can Do

 

Something Only God Can Do (Mark 2:1-12)

“...Jesus said to the paralyzed man, ‘My son, your sins are forgiven.’” (Mark 2:5)

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There’s something different about Jesus. There, I said it again, didn’t I? But it’s true: There’s something different about Jesus. Jesus shows me something new every day. I see some things in Jesus that make me wonder if he is really human. I mean, he is human. He is fully human, there’s no doubt about that. But he’s more than human. He has to be, to do the things he does and say the things he says.

Like today, for instance. In the middle of teaching a huge crowd of people, four guys lowered a paralyzed man down through the roof (that’s a whole other story). Clearly, they hoped that Jesus would heal their friend. After all, Jesus has already healed a lot of other people.

But instead of healing the man straight off, Jesus first said to the man, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” Well, that didn’t sit well with the religious bigwigs, and for good reason – only God can forgive sins, after all. 

Jesus knew what the religious bigwigs were thinking. “I know, talk is cheap,” he said. “Anybody can say, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ But let me prove that I have the authority to do on earth what can only be done in heaven.” Then he healed the man of his paralysis! 

Wow! There are no words to capture my amazement at this man, Jesus.

I’m thinking about what Jesus said. “My son, your sins are forgiven.” I recall some of the songs that David wrote long, long ago, and I see in Jesus the forgiveness that David seeks from God:

“Blessed are they whose sins are forgiven, whose wrongs are pardoned. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against him.”

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from all my sins.”

“As far as the east is from the west, so far has God removed our transgressions from us.”

As I walk with Jesus, I wonder, Can he really give me what my heart truly needs? I long for the forgiveness that only God can give. My heart won’t find rest or peace until I know that I am forgiven. Can Jesus do that for me?

Apparently, he can. Apparently, he does.

Jesus, my friend, in my walk with you I look to you for many things – happiness, purpose, meaning in life, health. Now I know that I can look to you for the most deep need I have. Forgive me, cleanse me. Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.

The Look in His Eyes

The Look in His Eyes (Mark 1:40-45)

“Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand and touched [the leper]…” (Mark 1:41)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So, we were walking along the road when a man came and threw himself at Jesus’ feet. He was a leper, a man whose disease had put him in the classification of “unclean.” Clean people like me aren’t allowed to interact with people like this man. In fact, it was a leper’s duty to cry out “Unclean! Unclean!” so that people like me could be sure to give him a wide berth. I was aghast at the nerve of this man, daring to come near to Jesus and the rest of us. I quickly took a few steps back. And then a few more steps for good measure. 

I wasn’t so far away, though, that I couldn’t hear the conversation between Jesus and the leper. “If you are willing,” the man said to Jesus, “you can make me clean.” 

Then I saw the look in Jesus’ eyes. Jesus was filled, not with horror that an unclean man had the audacity to draw near to him, but with compassion. The look in Jesus’ eyes conveyed pure pity and sympathy for this man’s condition. Clearly, Jesus was deeply moved. There was even a hint of anger in Jesus’ eyes – anger at a religion that pushed “unclean” people away from the very God whom they need, anger at a system of rules and regulations that saw personal holiness as more important than showing compassion to those who desperately need to experience the kindness of God’s people.

That hint of anger in Jesus’ eyes was meant for me. I can get so caught up in my own efforts at faithful living that I see some people as a threat to my own righteousness, and I avoid them like the plague, ...as if they were lepers. My self-righteousness, by default, has consigned those who are not righteous – really, those who are not like me – to a lesser class of human beings.

The look in Jesus’ eyes tells me I need to refocus my own understanding of godly living. The look in Jesus’ eyes tells me that, instead of being repulsed by the “uncleanness” of others, I should be deeply moved, and I should want them to be made whole. 

I watched as Jesus looked straight into the leper’s eyes and as Jesus touched him – he touched the man with leprosy! He said to the man, “I do want to make you clean. I do want to heal you. I do want to make you whole. Be clean! Be healed!” And immediately the man’s leprosy was cured!

As I walked with Jesus today, I was both amazed and convicted. I was understandably amazed at his compassionate healing of the man with leprosy. But I was also deeply convicted of my own attitude toward people who might “contaminate” my own sense of righteousness and holiness.

I have a long way to go in my walk with Jesus. I’m grateful that Jesus looks upon me with the same compassion with which he looked upon the leper.

Create in me a new heart, Jesus, one that is filled with compassion and concern for my fellow human beings, for all of them, even (or especially) those whom I go to great lengths to avoid. Amen.

The Best Part of Waking Up

 

The Best Part of Waking Up (Mark 1:35-38)

“Very early the next morning, long before daylight, Jesus got up and left the house. He went out of town to a lonely place, where he prayed.” (Mark 1:35)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It turns out, walking with Jesus means that I have to be a morning person. A very early morning person.

After the day Jesus just had – teaching in the synagogue, casting out demons, and healing the sick long in to the dark hours of the night – one would think that Jesus would sleep in, get some rest so that he could renew his spirit and energy for whatever lies ahead of him the next day. But Jesus didn’t sleep in. He awoke very early, before sunrise, even. And he went to a place where he could be by himself. 

And Jesus prayed. I’m not sure what he said when he prayed. Maybe he told his Father all about the events of the previous day. Maybe Jesus asked God to follow up with the people he had healed, to make sure they were continuing to get better. Maybe he asked God for wisdom, guidance, and strength for the day that was just dawning. I’m sure that Jesus didn’t do all the talking, because real prayer also involves listening to God, discerning God’s will and hearing God’s direction and affirmation.

Maybe, just maybe, Jesus simply was still, soaking in the presence of his Father.

Walking with Jesus teaches me the importance of starting my day by turning my heart toward him. As it turns out, the best part of waking up is not coffee in my cup (though that is certainly up there), because my cup isn’t truly full until I have spent time with Jesus; indeed, when I do spend time with Jesus, my cup overflows. Walking with Jesus has taught me that the first appointment I make every day needs to be an appointment with him. It is in those early morning appointments that my spirit is refreshed and renewed, and that I get a sense of clarity and direction. 

It is because of those appointments with Jesus that I can face the day ahead of me, along with all the uncertainties that the day will bring, with a sense of peace. You see, the wonderful thing about those appointments with Jesus is that at the end of them, I don’t have to say “Good bye, Jesus, I’ll see you same time tomorrow,” because the reality is, Jesus will be with me every moment of the day.

Dear Jesus, don't let me walk out the door without first spending time with you. I don't want to start my day without you. Amen.

Take It (Them) to Jesus in Prayer

 

Take It (Them) to Jesus in Prayer (Mark 1:29-34)

“Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed, burning up with fever. They told Jesus about her… The people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed…” (Mark 1:30, 32)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Every moment I walk with Jesus, he amazes me. This man is tireless. I mean, he never stops working. We went to Simon’s house for dinner, but Jesus wouldn’t eat until he had healed Peter’s sick mother-in-law. Then after dinner, Jesus didn’t relax and unwind, because there were hoards of people at the door looking for him. They brought sick and demon-afflicted loved ones to him, in the hopes that he would heal them. I watched Jesus in the hours that the moon arced through the night sky; as long as there was someone who had need, Jesus would not turn them away. He kept at it, until he had healed the last person and cast out the last demon.

I was deeply moved, not only by Jesus’ compassion, but also by the loving concern of all the people who brought their friends to Jesus for healing. The first thing Simon and Andrew did when they got to the house for dinner was to tell Jesus about Simon’s mother-in-law. Her sickness had consigned her to bed, and the household was very concerned about her. So they told Jesus. Then the scores of people who showed up throughout the night – I could see in their faces the deep love they had for the ones they brought to Jesus for healing, and the desperate hope that Jesus could do something.

I’ve only been walking with Jesus for a short while now, but already I’ve seen enough to know that Jesus has compassion for those who suffer. He also has the power and authority to act upon his compassion. That’s the winning combination – compassion, as well as the power to do something about it. I mean, a lot of people have compassion. I have compassion for people who suffer, but I a lot of the time I can’t do anything to help alleviate the suffering. I wish I could.

But Jesus has both compassion and power, and that is the key.

As I walk with Jesus, I realize that even when I can’t alleviate all of the suffering I see, I can bring those who suffer to Jesus. I can pray for them, bringing them to Jesus, and entrusting them into his loving care.

Now, I’m not musically inclined, but in my mind, there is a song in this. Maybe long into the future someone will put this thought to music:

What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged. Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Just a thought… ;-) 

Dear Lord, I am so grateful that you care. You really care. Even more, I am grateful that you use your power to act upon your care. Let me never forget that one of the most loving things I can do for those who suffer is to bring them to you in prayer. Amen.

Awesome -- And Sometimes Disturbing -- Authority

 

Awesome, Disturbing Authority (Mark 1:21-28)

“What’s going on here? A new teaching that does what it says? He shuts up defiling, demonic spirits and tells them to get lost!”  (Mark 1:27)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There’s something different about Jesus. As I walk with Jesus, I am pretty sure I am going to find myself saying that more and more: There’s something different about Jesus. 

Jesus went to Capernaum, a town along the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. On the Sabbath, Jesus went to the local synagogue, where he had an opportunity to teach. I remember thinking to myself, “Wow! Jesus speaks, and people listen – really listen.” There is a unique air of authenticity about Jesus. He speaks truth in a manner like no others I have ever heard. I’m not the only one who is impressed by Jesus, because there is a buzz going through the whole synagogue about him: “He’s so forthright and confident. He doesn’t need to quote his sources like our regular Sabbath school teachers.”

And then it happened out of the blue – a strange and disturbing spirit overtook a man in the synagogue, and the spirit yelled out at Jesus in a violently intimidating and fearful way. “Why are you shaking up our world, Jesus? Are you trying to get rid of us?” Jesus shut the disturbing spirit down immediately. “Be quiet!,” he said, “Leave that man right now!” And with great shaking, convulsing, and screaming, the spirit left the man.

As I said before, there’s something different about Jesus.

Later in the day, while I was walking with Jesus, I thought about what I had seen and heard. I was in awe and wonder as he spoke in the synagogue. Every word captivated me. It made me want to hear more from him. Jesus speaks truth that warms my heart. When Jesus speaks, I feel like God is speaking to me.

I have to admit, though, that something inside me also wrestles with what I hear from Jesus. His truth doesn’t just warm my heart – it also convicts me. Not only am I drawn to Jesus mysteriously and wondrously, but there is something within me that makes me want to turn away, to hide myself from him. The truth that Jesus conveys by his teaching and his mere presence shines light on parts of me that prefer to stay in the darkness. There are places in my heart that are not terribly unlike the disturbing spirit of the man in the synagogue, places that make me groan, “Why are you shaking up my life, Jesus?”

If you’re going to walk with Jesus, be warned: Jesus will lay bare some things in your life that you don’t want to deal with. But I hope that you will come to the same conclusion that I have made, namely, that those things that Jesus lays bare are things that need to be removed from our hearts. There will be moments of internal struggle in our walk with Jesus, but in the end, it is worth it. Because like no one else ever has or ever will, Jesus will deal with all the disturbing spirits that haunt us.

When we walk with Jesus, he will remove the things that burden us and weigh us down, so that we may walk more freely.

Lord Jesus, I am filled with awe and wonder when I hear you speak. But there are parts of me that are fearful of your presence. Give me courage, I pray, to let you confront the darkness within me. I know that when I let you do that, I will be able to walk with you in freedom and peace. Amen.