Tag: Christianity

GOAT

Matthew 22 & Mark 12

Devotion by Paula Kirkpatrick (Minnesota)

When you hear the term GOAT, what do you think of?  A furry four-legged animal with horns that has been known to butt humans or “faint?”  Or a term that has become familiar in the 21st century sports world—GOAT—Greatest of All Time. 

When I was a school librarian a few years ago, I added four “GOAT” books to the library.  They were all part of the “Sports Illustrated Kids: GOATS” series.  The students could check out “Olympic GOATS” and read about gymnast Simone Biles or swimmer Michael Phelps; “Football GOATS” and read about Tom Brady and Allan Page; “Basketball GOATS” and study the skills of Michael Jordan and LeBron James; or “Baseball GOATS” and read about famous players Sandy Koufax and Ted Williams.

We can speculate about the greatest sports figures, or the greatest actors in Hollywood, or the greatest leaders in world history.  But one cannot dispute the greatest commandment in the Bible.

“But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’”  (Matt. 22:34-40)

We can see an expansion of Jesus’ words in our corresponding reading from Mark 12: 28-32 when Jesus says in verse 29, “Hear O Israel!  The Lord our God is one Lord,” before his declaration of the two greatest commandments.  In Mark 12:31b, Jesus says, “There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

These two commandments are the “GOATS” of the Bible. 

Jesus’ answer to the lawyer, who was trying to test him, was quoted directly from the Law.  Deuteronomy 6:5 says, “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” and Leviticus 19:18 says, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  

In our Matthew passage, verse 40, Jesus adds this statement.  “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

What does Jesus mean by that? 

The entirety of the Law and the prophecies found throughout Scripture, were given to humanity to encourage us to love and exalt our Creator and to love His creation, particularly mankind.  This should be our ultimate purpose in life.

Jesus shared a similar directive in the Sermon on the Mount when he said, “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt. 7:12)

The Law regulated every facet of life in a Jewish family and Jewish hierarchy.  The voice of God’s prophets had instructed and corrected His people.  Yet the entirety of the Law and the Prophets meant essentially nothing if not established on these two simple commands, two greatest commands. Love God entirely.  Love others as you love yourself. 

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. We love, because He first loved us.”  (I John 4:7,11,19)

The GOATS of the world eventually change over time.  New athletes break sports records, Hollywood stars replace revered ones, and new world leaders accomplish historic milestones.

But the GOATS of the Scripture have never changed, will never change into eternity. 

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Reflection Questions

  1. Who do you think are some GOATS in sports or movies?
  2. How much of what you do and believe is based on these two commandments?
  3. What can you change or improve in your life this week to better follow these commandments?
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Seeking Whose Approval?

Mark 11 & John 12

Perhaps the saddest words in English literature are found in the poem, “Maud Muller,” by John Greenlear Whittier.  The poem recounts the story of a farm maid, Maud Muller, who is raking hay in a meadow.  A town judge on horseback passes by, and they exchange pleasant greetings.  He asks for a drink of water from the bubbling spring, and she fills her cup and offers it to him.

After the encounter, as the years go by, she considers what life might have been like as the wife of a judge, possessing wealth and servants.  He, in turn, considers what life might have been like without the stress of his position, but instead married to the maiden, enjoying a simple rural life.

Near the poem’s end, Whittier penned these lines.

“For all sad words of tongues and pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been.’”

All of us, whether young or old, can look back at our lives and have regrets.  Words we might have said, places we might have gone, decisions we might have made. 

In our Bible reading today, we find a deeply sad and somber passage contained in one short phrase. 

“For they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.”  John 12:43

It was the week of the Feast of the Passover, and Jesus’ ultimate betrayal and crucifixion.  A great multitude had greeted Jesus with “Hosanna” and palm branches when he entered Jerusalem.  After the joyous welcome, Jesus had once again explained the coming events of his life to the large crowd gathered around him. 

“And Jesus answered them, saying, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.Now my soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.’” (John 12:23-27)

Then Jesus continues in verses 32-33, “‘And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.’ But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die.”

The crowd questions Jesus in verse 34.  “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”  Amazingly, they ask ‘Who is the Son of Man’ as Jesus stands before them! 

Jesus responds by saying that he—the light—will only be with them a short while longer.  The people need to believe in the light—believe in him—while he is still with them. (vs. 35-36) What more can he say?

Jesus performed signs and miracles before the multitude.  He taught them, cared for them, and was compassionate towards them.  But they did not believe, fully believe. 

Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled.  (Isaiah 6:9,10) Blinded eyes and hardened hearts don’t lead to conversion. (John 12:39, 40)

And then we come to verses 42-43, an explanation for their hardened hearts. 

“Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue.”  

Remarkably, there WERE many who believed in him, even rulers.  They understood Jesus’ words, his plea: “While you have the light, believe in the light.”  But they would not acknowledge him.  Their positions in the synagogues were at risk.  Their status was threatened.  They could not take a chance, could not jeopardize their standing. It was not to be.

“For they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.”

Each morning when you wake up, whose approval are you seeking?  As you go throughout your day, making small and big decisions, whose blessing do you pursue?  At the end of your day, what or who carried you through? 

Let us resolve together that each of our waking hours, each of our thoughts or actions, be grounded in the approval of God.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”  (Hebrews 10:23)

Reflection Questions

  1. What does it mean to you to seek the approval of God?
  2. How do you seek the approval of God in your life? 
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The Master Teacher at Work

Luke 16:1-17:10

Devotion by Jerry Wierwille (New York)

Jesus was a master teacher, and he used parables to teach and challenge his listeners to reconsider their present attitudes or perspectives. In Luke 16, Jesus teaches on wealth, faithfulness, forgiveness, and humble service, inviting us to consider how our daily choices reflect our commitment to God’s kingdom and to live in light of the age to come.

Wise Stewardship and Eternal Perspective

Jesus begins this section with the Parable of the Wise Manager (Luke 16:1-9). In this story, a house manager is called to give an account of his stewardship after being accused of wasting his master’s possessions. Facing dismissal from his position, he shrewdly reduces the debts of his master’s debtors, hoping to secure their goodwill for his own future. Surprisingly, the master commends the manager—not for his dishonesty, but for his prudence and foresight. Jesus then says, “For the sons of this age are in their own generation more prudent than the sons of the light. And I myself say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they will receive you into the tents in the age to come” (Luke 16:8-9).

Scripture teaches that our resources—whether money, talents, or opportunities—are temporary and ultimately belong to God. Jesus calls us to use what we have now with a perspective toward the age to come, investing in relationships and acts of generosity that have lasting value in God’s kingdom. Furthermore, our “wealth” includes not only material goods, but also our mental and physical abilities. The challenge is to use all we have to prepare for the future life God promises rather than clinging selfishly to earthly treasures here and now.

Reflect: How can you use your resources today to bless others and honor God? What does it mean for you to “make friends” through your actions and generosity with respect to the age to come?

Faithfulness in Little and Much

Jesus continues on in Luke 16, saying, “The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10). This is such an important point about the need to be mindful of small things before thinking about larger things. In addition, Jesus warns that we cannot serve both God and wealth, for our loyalties will inevitably be divided (Luke 16:13). The religious leaders, who loved money, scoffed at Jesus’ teaching, but he reminded them that God knows the heart (Luke 16:14-15). Jesus’ emphasis is on faithfulness in small things as the foundation for greater areas of responsibility in God’s eyes. Our daily choices, even in seemingly insignificant matters, reveal where our true allegiance lies and where our focus is placed.

Reflect: In what “small” areas of your life is God calling you to be more faithful? How might your attitude toward money or possessions reflect the way you trust in God?

The Rich Man and Lazarus: A Warning and a Promise

Jesus then tells the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). The rich man lives in luxury, ignoring the suffering of Lazarus, a poor beggar at his gate. After death, their roles are reversed: Lazarus is comforted, while the rich man is in torment. The parable warns that earthly status and comfort are fleeting, and that our response to the needs of others has eternal consequences. This story is a powerful call to compassion and to heed God’s Word, for “if they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if one rises from among the dead” (Luke 16:31).

Reflect: Who are the “Lazarus-es” in your life—those in need whom God is calling you to notice and care for? How does this parable shape your view of justice and mercy?

Forgiveness, Faith, and Humble Service

In Luke 17:1-10, Jesus addresses the challenges of his followers with regard to their life in community with one another. He warns against causing others to stumble and commands a spirit of continual forgiveness: “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him…even if he sins against you seven times in the day” (Luke 17:3-4). Jesus’ disciples, feeling the weight of this command, cry out, “Increase our faith!” Jesus assures them that even faith as small as a mustard seed is powerful when a person trusts in God.

Finally, Jesus reminds his disciples that serving God is not about seeking recognition or reward. “When you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty’” (Luke 17:10). Even after faithful obedience to God, our attitude should be one of humility, not entitlement. We are to focus on our duty and responsibility as disciples and not be preoccupied thinking about what reward we might receive.

Encouragement

Jesus is calling us to live with wisdom, faithfulness, compassion, and humility as his disciples. As you reflect on these teachings, consider how you can steward your resources for God’s glory, forgive generously, and serve with a humble heart. May you find encouragement in knowing that God sees your faithfulness, values your compassion, and honors your humble service in His kingdom.

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Be Ready, Repent, Choose Jesus

Luke 12-13

Devotion by Jerry Wierwille (New York)

Luke 12–13 contains a series of teachings and parables from Jesus that invite us to reflect deeply on our priorities, our readiness for God’s kingdom, and the call to genuine repentance.

Living with Kingdom Readiness

Jesus’ words in Luke 12:35-40 call his followers to be dressed and ready for service and to “keep your lamps burning.” He uses the image of servants waiting for their master’s return, emphasizing the need for constant readiness. Through the analogy, Jesus emphasizes that life is not just about mundane daily routines, but first and foremost, it is about living in anticipation of God’s purposes and Christ’s return.

This urgency is underscored in Luke 12:54-56, where Jesus rebukes the crowds for being able to interpret the weather but failing to “interpret this [present] time.” Jesus’ ministry marked a pivotal moment in God’s plan, and people were called to recognize the significance of what God was doing through him. The call is to spiritual alertness—to see beyond the surface of daily events and discern God’s activity in our world, especially in and through Jesus the Messiah.

Reflect: Are you living with a sense of spiritual urgency? What might it look like for you to “keep your lamp burning” in your current season of life? How can you cultivate a heart that is attentive to God’s work happening around you?

Unless You Repent…

Luke 13 opens with a sobering reminder of the necessity of repentance: “Unless you repent, you will all perish as well” (Luke 13:3, 5). Jesus refers to recent disasters—the Galileans killed by Pilate and those who died when the tower in Siloam fell—not to explain the tragedies, but to call everyone to carefully examine their own lives.

Jesus’ call to repentance is not meant to instill fear, but to bring attention to the opportunity for repentance. God’s patience gives us time to turn to Him, as illustrated by the parable of the barren fig tree (Luke 13:6-9). The owner seeks fruit, but the gardener pleads for more time to nurture the tree. In the same way, God graciously gives us opportunities to bear fruit in our lives, but there is a time when judgment will happen and the tree that does not bear fruit will be “cut down” (Luke 13:9).

Reflect: Where do you sense God inviting you to repentance and growth? Are there areas in your life that need to be surrendered or renewed? How can you respond to God’s patience and grace today?

Choosing Jesus

One of the more challenging statements of Jesus in this section is, “Do you think that I have come to bring peace on the earth? I tell you, no, but rather division” (Luke 12:51). Jesus explains that following him may even divide families, as people must decide whether to trust in him and align their lives with him, or not.

Division is not Jesus’ desire, and neither is conflict. But rather, it is a recognition that the truth of his message demands a response. The good news confronts every person with a choice: will I follow Jesus, even if it costs me personal relationships or people’s approval? The emphasis is not about the outcome of disagreement between people, but to remain a faithful believer and disciple, even when it is difficult and requires significant sacrifice.

Reflect: Are there relationships or situations where following Jesus has brought tension or misunderstanding? How can you remain faithful and loving, even when it is costly to you? What helps you choose Jesus above all else?

Encouragement

Throughout Luke 12-13, Jesus challenges us to live with spiritual urgency, to embrace repentance, and to follow him wholeheartedly—even when it leads to making hard choices.

Take time today to ask God to open your eyes to His work, to soften your heart toward repentance, and to give you courage to follow Jesus wherever he leads and to endure whatever it takes. As you do, may you experience the fruit that comes from a life marked by readiness, transformation, and hope in God’s kingdom.

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An Invitation to be Yoked

Matthew 11

Devotion by Shelly Millard (Nebraska)

Take a look around you.  You might see people who are exhausted and depleted by life and all the challenges it brings.  You may hear phrases like “I never have enough time”, “There is always too much to do”, “I’m always stressed about money”, “I am feeling so isolated and lonely”, “My anxiety is paralyzing me”.  Those common phrases bear witness to people who are struggling to manage life burdens and feeling continually overwhelmed with no relief in sight. All of us feel the weight of life at times whether it be physical exhaustion, emotional depletion, or spiritual unrest.   Jesus had been teaching his disciples and followers that the law only brought burdens, but a relationship with him provides the freedom and lightness that comes with shared burdens.  The passage we will explore out of Matthew 11 offers hope in the midst of life challenges.  

It begins with an invitation from Jesus to “come”.  It’s a simple imperative statement. It’s not a question or a plea—it is a gentle command to connect with him and to create a relationship with him.  It is an invitation to bring whatever is weighing you down and share the burden with him without shame, guilt or fear.  He is inviting us into a safe space where he will share the burden and offer some respite to you from bearing it all yourself. 

With this invitation comes the metaphor of putting on a yoke with him, which at first glance, may feel like even more of a burden and more constrictive.  He uses a yoke as a metaphor to help us picture the beauty of that “shackling”.  A yoke joins two animals, such as oxen, together so that the animals can share the workload and become more productive. The farmer may choose to shackle an older ox with a younger one or an unruly one with one that is steadier in order to help them both in the work.  The biblical scholar William Barclay describes the creation of a yoke by a carpenter who measures the ox and followed by several fittings, creates a customized yoke that gives the ox comfort while he works.  He also says that there is a legend about Jesus which may or may not be true, that as a carpenter, Jesus had a reputation of making some of the best yokes in the region and had a sign about his door that said, “My yokel fits well”!  Fact or fiction, this is the type of yoke that he is inviting us to take on with him—one that is comfortable, that allows him to lead and gives us relief from bearing burdens by ourselves.   

In the book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning addressed a specific audience, and as it happens, the same audience Jesus’s invitation is for. He said that the “ragamuffin gospel” is for:

The bedraggled, beat-up, and burnt-out. It is for the sorely burdened who are still shifting the heavy suitcase from one hand to the other. It is for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don’t have it altogether. It is for inconsistent, unsteady disciples whose cheese is falling off their cracker. It is for poor, weak, sinful men and women with hereditary faults and limited talents. It is for earthen vessels who shuffle along on feet of clay. It is for the bent and the bruised who feel that their lives are a grave disappointment to God. It is for smart people who know they are stupid and honest disciples who admit they are scalawags.

What would it look like if we actually did this?  We wake up in the morning knowing that we can’t bear the burden of the day and just simply asked him to share the burden?  How would your life be different?

This is an invitation to join with Jesus who describes himself as gentle and humble in heart so that we might find rest for our souls.  In this, he will equip us, teach us, support us, relieve us and guide us as we live our lives. It is a clear path. . . Come to him, Take his yoke, learn from him, and find rest for your weary soul. 

Questions for reflection

What is your initial response to the command to “come”?  What then is your initial response to be “yoked”?

Why do you think we tend to handle our burdens by ourselves?  Why might we hesitate to share the burdens with Jesus?

When you think about being “yoked” together with Jesus, does that feel constrictive or freeing? How do you think you could more intentionally share your burdens as a result of this invitation?

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A Transformed Life

Matthew 5-7

Devotion by Shelly Millard (Nebraska)

It was a warm day by the Sea of Galilee as Jesus and his disciples rested, ate and talked.  They had been on a rigorous schedule following the launch of Jesus’s ministry.  Word about the healings and teachings had spread and people were intrigued by this new itinerant preacher who was sharing a new message about the Kingdom of God.  Folks from all around the region began to seek him out and as Jesus noticed the gathering of the crowds, he moved up the hill to a place where the crowds could see and hear him.  He began to speak, resulting in what we know as the Sermon on the Mount.  He spoke about the Kingdom of God in a way they had never heard before, turning everything they knew about religion, the law and the kingdom upside down. Donald Kraybill in his book, The Upside Down Kingdom, describes how Jesus presented an introduction to the Kingdom of God that was totally opposite of what the world’s definition might be.  In these teachings, Jesus provided a vision of what a life lived with the Kingdom of God in their minds and in their hearts might look like.  Instead of a focus on following the law, he called for the transformation of their hearts and lives.

The upside down kingdom, as described by Jesus, included flipping their perspectives in several ways:

  1.  In a world where power, money, status, aggression, revenge and self-centeredness were valued, he provided a new perspective in the Beatitudes where those who were poor, sad, without status, gentle, forgiving, merciful and looking for peace would be the very ones who were blessed, happy and would receive the ultimate rewards.
  2. The keys to the kingdom were found in sharing your light with the world.  That light was not just keeping the law but letting others see the change in your heart and life.
  3. Keeping the law was not just about following the rules but about creating relationships which reflected the love of Jesus and one another.  You choose not to covet  for example, not because it is a rule, but because it destroys relationships.  Loving God is fleshed out in loving your neighbor by respecting them, sacrificing for them and even loving those you consider your enemies. 
  4. He encouraged them to pray with a focus on building a more personal and intimate relationship with God by providing a template with The Lord’s Prayer.
  5. Instead of focusing on the temporary and insubstantial values of the world, our attention should be on those values of the Kingdom of God which are lasting and substantive.
  6. In a world that is filled with anxiety about the future, Jesus reminds them that this worry is just a waste of time and energy.  Instead, if you focus on seeking the Kingdom, these other things will fall into place. 

We are called to an upside down kingdom where transformed lives allow people to begin to experience the Kingdom of God.  Jesus provided a vision of what a transformed life looks like so that followers can begin the journey toward that destination.  Those steps in that journey come with every intentional decision and choice we, as followers, take.   If I want to reflect God’s kingdom, then I choose to spend time in prayer, focus my time and energy on kingdom values, treat the poor and marginalized with kindness and on and on.  Every choice moves us in the direction of more fully reflecting the Kingdom of God in our lives.  Every thought, belief and action is an opportunity to more fully reflect that transformed life.

Questions for reflection:

How does the term “upside down kingdom” impact how you read the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount?

Which of the teachings contained in this sermon resonate with you?

How do you respond to the idea that each day we are faced with opportunities to intentionally transform into the vision that Jesus has created?

It’s easy to become overwhelmed with the need for transformation and just shut down.  How does it make you feel if you approach it as one decision or choice at a time?

What is one area of your life where you would like to work on transformation? 

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The Lord of the Sabbath

Matt 12:1-21

Mark 3

Luke 6

Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

Every morning, I like to take a little bit of time after my bible study to read a few pages in a book. Currently, I am working my way through Jesus the King by Tim Keller (also called King’s Cross). This book is a compilation of Keller’s sermons on the gospel of Mark, and I’ve enjoyed it so far. Interestingly, my reading today lined up perfectly with today’s passages.

In each of the passages today, we read of Jesus doing the work of God on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were outraged, saying, ‘Who does this guy think he is?’ And, each time, Jesus responded, ‘I am Lord of the Sabbath.’

Before we can dive into what Jesus is teaching here, we have to ask: “What is the Sabbath?”

The Sabbath was instituted in the dawn of time when God rested from his work of the world and then reinforced with the Mosiac law. Why did God need to rest? 

Keller answers this question in his book: “What does that mean? Does God get tired? No, God doesn’t get tired. So how could he rest? A different reason to rest is to be so satisfied with your work, so utterly satisfied, that you can leave it alone. Only when you can say about your work, “I’m so happy with it, so satisfied – it is finished!” can you walk away. When God finished creating the world, he said, “It is good.” He rested.” (Jesus the King, p. 45)

God didn’t need to strive anymore after his creation was made. It was very good, and he could cease from striving. Sabbath in Old Testament times shows a dependence upon the provision of God. The Israelites had to trust that God would provide enough manna so that they could rest on the sabbath. They had to trust that God would provide abundantly with their crops when they let their land rest every 7 years. 

But, by Jesus’ time, the Sabbath had become so distorted that it turned from being a testament to God’s very good creation and provision to being a heavy load carried on the backs of his people. 

As Keller says, Sabbath means ‘deep peace, deep rest.’ When Jesus says he is Lord of the Sabbath, he is saying that “he is the source of the deep rest we need” (p.44). 

Hebrews 4:9-11 says, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.”

Because of Jesus’ work on the cross, we can experience the same type of Sabbath rest. We can cease the striving, lay down our heavy burdens, and rest in what is already done. 

Cayce Fletcher writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com. Check out the blog and other resources to help you create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. This free resource here will help you take your Bible study one step further with a Bible reading tracker, Bible study reflection page, and more.  

Reflection Questions

  1. What is the point of the Sabbath? Why did God institute the Sabbath?
  2. Do you think believers are still called to observe the Sabbath? What does that look like under the New Covenant? 
  3. What does it mean that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath? What does that say about Jesus? What does that say about the Sabbath?

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“This is Water”

John 5 

Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

David Foster Wallace, a popular modern literary author, gave a commencement address in 2005 that everyone should read at least once. Wallace wasn’t a religious person, but he was concerned about the search for meaning. His speech highlights a central truth about humanity while recognizing how this truth is realized in an increasingly secular world. 

He begins his speech with the story of a fish who greets two fish by asking, ‘How’s the water?’ After that fish swims away, the other fish turns to his friend and asks, ‘What the heck is water?’

Here is a quote, at length, from his speech: “Because here’s something else that’s weird but true: in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. […]

“The whole trick is keeping the truth up front in daily consciousness.

“Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. But the insidious thing about these forms of worship is not that they’re evil or sinful, it’s that they’re unconscious. They are default settings.

“They’re the kind of worship you just gradually slip into, day after day, getting more and more selective about what you see and how you measure value without ever being fully aware that that’s what you’re doing. […]

“It is about the real value of a real education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over:

“This is water.“

This is a truth we all need to remind ourselves of. We are all predisposed towards following idols and worshipping things that ultimately are fruitless. 

In today’s readings, I see the same truth in Jesus’ words. In Jesus’ words to the Jews, he speaks of their reverence – their worship – for the law of Moses. But, he sees – and we see – how this reverence ultimately led them to reject the very thing that Moses was looking forward to: Jesus. 

In John 5:39-40, he says, “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”

Their worship caused them to become focused on the wrong things, and in so doing, they missed the true life that was in Jesus. 

We have the same option before us. We can choose to follow after all of these idols, thinking we will gain something from them. But, ultimately, that will simply lead to a fruitless life. 

Or, we can choose to come to Jesus and gain true life. 

In Wallace’s speech, his conclusion is that people should just live to be kind, but he rejects the idea that there is a greater religious implication for his worship. And, the tragedy of Wallace’s life is that he never came to Jesus himself. In 2008, he committed suicide.

What are you choosing to worship today? Come to Jesus, and gain true life. 

Cayce Fletcher writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com. Check out the blog and other resources to help you create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. This free resource here will help you take your Bible study one step further with a Bible reading tracker, Bible study reflection page, and more.  

Reflection Questions

  1. What were the Jews worshipping? Why was this ultimately fruitless without Jesus?
  2. What are you choosing to worship today? Will it result in something lasting? 
  3. Jesus says, “Come to me, and you will have life.” How does Jesus grant life now – in addition to eternal life? 

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Pursuing Jesus

Mark 2 

Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

Even so early in his ministry, the crowds had already begun to clamor for Jesus. They wanted to hear his words, to be close to him. In Mark 2, we read that there were so many people at a house where Jesus was teaching that there was simply no room left. 

My church has a fairly large sanctuary. Most weeks, it never gets more than ¾ of the way full. But, there are those special events (and Christmas and Easter) when most pews are full. 

It’s wonderful to go into a full church – not just because of the excitement – but also because we are bigger and grander when we’re together. We sing louder. We have better conversations. We are able to carry each other’s burdens more easily. 

But, even during the biggest service, there has never been a time where there was no room left. 

I wonder what it would have been like to be in this moment at the house with Jesus. What would it have been like to be a part of the growing excitement? To hear Jesus’ name in whispers through the countryside. To see people drop everything just for a chance to hear his teaching. 

What if you could experience this today? 

The truth is we have an even better opportunity to come and hear Jesus’ teachings. To meet with not only him, but also God our Father as well. But, all too often, we reject this opportunity.

How many times have you said the excuse that you were just too busy to pray? How many times have you moved through your days and weeks and just forgot to open your Bible? How many times have you said, ‘I just don’t feel like it,’ when Sunday morning rolls around? You hit snooze and go back to sleep. What about during weekly Bible study? How many times have you just said, ‘I just need some me-time, to relax.’ 

With recent national events, there have been several posts asking about churches to go to. People are searching for answers and trying to find them. 

We have an opportunity for revival in our community and nation if we can point them to the one who gives true life. Not only this, we can experience revival in our own hearts. We just have to commit to show up, be consistent, and be obedient. 

The young men who needed to get to Jesus climbed up on the roof, dug through it, and lowered their paralyzed friend down to Jesus to be healed. How are you pursuing Jesus today? 

Cayce Fletcher writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com. Check out the blog and other resources to help you create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. This free resource here will help you take your Bible study one step further with a Bible reading tracker, Bible study reflection page, and more.  

Reflection Questions

  1. What are some excuses that you make concerning your quiet time? What about going to church? Do you consistently show up, or do you let things get in the way?
  2. Have you invited someone to church recently? How have you been sparking conversations that may lead to evangelism? 
  3. Several of the events we read about today are about Jesus’ authority. He has the authority to forgive sins, to choose his disciples, when to fast, and even over the Sabbath. Why is the question of Jesus’ authority focused on so much in the gospels?

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Whoever Believes in Him

John 2-4 

Devotion by Cayce Fletcher (SC)

Our passage of scripture today is action-packed, as Jesus begins his ministry and starts to teach and gain followers as he moves through Judea and Galilee. The reading is bookended by two signs (of which there are 7 in the book of John): Jesus turning water into wine and healing the official’s son. 

It’s interesting to compare the beginning of Jesus’ ministry with the temptations he faced in the wilderness.  Jesus was tempted to exert his authority in a way that disregarded God. His obedience required humility. 

Today, we read about him walking humbly in obedience, doing the will of the Father at a wedding feast, in the temple, and even in a Samaritan village. As he was walking in obedience, he was being elevated. He was shown to have authority over nature, teachers, the temple, and even death. 

Like the actual signs themselves, the whole book of John is a book of witness. John is giving his eyewitness testimony, but he is also documenting how Jesus affected the lives of those around him. Each of these instances ends with “____ believed him.” I’ve heard it said that the book of John can be summed up with the phrase, ‘Come and See.’ 

As we read through the gospels, we are invited to ‘come and see’ the work of Jesus. Like the stories we read today, we can choose to believe in the words and signs of Jesus. 

What is the right response to this belief? 

John 3:21, “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

When we believe in Jesus, we are stepping into the light. We are choosing to live righteous lives in obedience to God as we imitate Christ and are made more like him. Belief in Jesus is the first step in a life obedience. 

What is the outcome of this belief? The gospel of John is very clear about that. 

Belief in the Son brings eternal life. John the Baptist sums this up in John 3:35-36, “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.”

We must echo him when we choose to follow Christ: Jesus must increase, and I must increase. That is the true path of life. 

Cayce Fletcher writes and podcasts at amorebeautifullifecollective.com. Check out the blog and other resources to help you create a life you love and cultivate your heart for God. This free resource here will help you take your Bible study one step further with a Bible reading tracker, Bible study reflection page, and more.  

Reflection Questions

  1. How do the miracles and signs we read today show the authority that God has given Jesus? 
  2. What is so important about belief? Why is belief in Jesus the cornerstone of our faith (as opposed to action or other traditions)? 
  3. How are you choosing the path of belief and obedience in your life? Is your life bearing witness to Christ?

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