Day 178 The widow’s gift Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21: 1-4

Guided reflection:

I love this story!  It lets me know that God knows my heart and my circumstance and realizes that even if I cannot give much, if I give what I have, God knows.   Isn’t it good to know we do not have to be all puffed up nor make a big production about our gift giving to God… we just show up, just as we are, and give what we have.  But also notice that even though she had little, she still gave.  Giving is part of making our heart match God’s heart.  Even if we have very little, we still give because we want a heart like God’s! 

Guided prayer:

“Giving God, I want my heart to match your heart.  In your eyes, am I more like the Pharisees who gave out of their abundance… or am I like the widow, who gave out of her little? Make my little become much when placed in your hands.  Amen” 

Day 177 Jesus gives it to the Pharisees! Matt 23: 1-36; Mark `12:37b-40; Luke 20: 45-47

Guided reflection:

The writer of Matthew gives the broadest account of this confrontation.   I see at least seven times Jesus said“Woe to you… hypocrites, scribes and Pharisees, blind guides, vipers”   Jesus really used the word Hypocrites because they stood in the way of others finding God; instead of setting people free, their converts become more bound up!   They placed their trust in the physical altar in the temple; they strained at a gnat and ended up swallowing a camel; they worried so about washing cups just right, but ignored what when into the cup; they were dead bones walking around in robes… he ended his diatribe with “You brood of vipers!”  He called them snakes!  No wonder they shouted “Crucify Him!” Have you ever been a hypocrite?   Don’t read that real fast… take time to ask yourself, have you ever been a hypocrite?

Guided prayer:

“Wow, Jesus, you really got going on those Pharisees!  Are there places in my life where I am a hypocrite?  Do I bind folks up with rules? Do I judge others on whether they do things the way I think they should be done?  Forgive me, Lord. Amen”

Day 176 Jesus’ riddle Matt: 22: 41-45; Mark 12:35-37a; Luke 20:41-44

Guided reflection:

Jesus is really getting worked up over the Pharisees.  As a matter of fact, today and tomorrow’s readings show Jesus putting the Pharisees in their place.   We are just days away from the crucifixion and these readings add fuel to their fury at Jesus.  Since Jesus knows He is the Messiah, he messes with their minds.  How could David call the Messiah “Master” if he was really his son?  It was a riddle – because Jesus, the Messiah, was born of Mary from the linage of David and is Lord of all – the living and the dead – so that includes David of old!

Remember the song ‘Mary, did you know that the child you deliver will deliver you?”

Guided prayer:

“Open my eyes, Lord.   My thoughts are not your thoughts, so free me from thinking that I can have all the answers.  I place my trust in you.  Amen” 

Day 175 The Great Commandment Matt 22: 34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10: 25-28

Guided reflection:

Read Mark’s passage.   Remember the 10 commandments of the Old Testament?  Well, the religious leaders of Jesus’ day had made their job not only watching for the Big Ten, but had added pages and pages of extra rules on the poor Jews of the day.  Trying again to trick Jesus, they asked him which was the most important… and Jesus summed all of their rules up in one rule:: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your strength, and your neighbor as yourself.   Think about it – go over the list of commandments – doesn’t loving God cover the first 4.. and loving others and self are covered in the rest of them?  No biggie, the rule is LOVE!  We need to quit making it so complicated!   Do this and you will live, Jesus says!

Guided prayer:

“You keep it so simple and we make it so difficult.  The sole purpose of our lives on this earth is to be the center of your love and share that with others.  What do we try to make it so hard sometimes?  Forgive me, and show me where and how to love today.  Amen” 

Day 174 The Question concerning the Resurrection Matt 22:23-33; Mark 12: 18-27; Like 20: 27-40

Guided reflection:

Now be honest, haven’t you thought of this?  I had a friend whose first wife died and then remarried. He has wondered aloud about what it will be like to be in heaven with both wives - whose husband will he be!  He was quite relieved to read this passage – marriage and our sexual issues are things of this earth… not a heavenly issue!  Not sure if I am happy or sad about that, but Jesus would not be tricked again by the Pharisees and their details!  One less thing to worry about!

Guided prayer:

“Thank you, God, for being God of all life – earthly and heavenly.  Thank you for handling all the details that worry us so!  Amen!”

Day 173 Are we to pay taxes? Matt 22: 15-22; Mark 12: 13-17; Luke 20: 20-26

Guided reflection:

Don’t you wish Jesus would have answered this differently?  The Pharisees were trying to trick Jesus by posing a question that pit Jesus either against the temple leaders or Caesar… but Jesus gives is a life lesson instead.  We are IN the world, even though we are not OF this world.  As long as we live here, work here, and make our livelihood here, we are to open the laws of our land.  Separation of church and state!

Guided prayer:

“Since this story is about taxes, right now I thank you for allowing me to be born at this time in history, in the United States of America… and when I pay my taxes this year, I will try to not complain but see it as rent for being “in” this world on my way to be with you in the next world.  Amen” 

Day 172 The Parable of the Wicked Tenants Matt 21: 35-46; Mark 12: 1-12; Luke 20: 9-19

Guided reflection:

Read the Matthew passage, it has the fuller story.  Jesus, of course, is saying that the Pharisees are the wicked tenants – they have been given the chance to be in God’s vineyard, yet they take advantage of others and even kill the son… predicting what they plan to do with him.  Jesus is predicting that their influence in the kingdom is taken away from them for their wickedness.    Matthew ends this portion by saying that the Pharisees seemed to get it that they were the brunt of Jesus’ stories, but could Jesus be speaking to us too?   God has blessed us with so much… have we taken advantage like the tenants and not been faithful with what God has shared with us?  Our gifts?  Our Family?  Our influence?  Our green earth?

Guided prayer:

“OK, Lord,  I know that I squander what you have given me and sometimes I think that all you have share with me is really mine and you are not a part of the scheme of my life.  Forgive me for my arrogance.  Remind me again that I am living for you. Amen.”

Day 171 The Parable of Two sons Matthew 21: 28-32

Guided reflection:

Jesus tells an interesting story.  One said he would not help, yet repented and did help… the other said he would help yet did not!  Jesus is telling the Pharisees and anyone else listening, don’t just talk about what you are going to do…. DO what the Heavenly Father requests… and if at first you do not do what God wants, if you repent and do it, that is what is most important!   It is not your intentions, but you heart that is open to repent and go the right thing after all that is most important. Have you ever said one thing and done another… or changed you mind to do the right thing?

Guided Prayer:

“My heart is open, O God, to have you show me what you would have me do, even if I have said I would not do it.  Help me see your will and where I am missing the point.  Most of all, keep my heart open to repent and go in a new direction.  Just for practice, where shall I make a change today? Amen” 

Day 170 Questions about Jesus’ Authority Matt 21: 23-27, Mark 11: 27-33, Luke 20: 1-8

Guided reflection:

The cat and mouse game with the Pharisees and Jesus becomes a little bit more heated.  Jesus goes to the temple to pray and the Chief Priest and some of the elders come to him and ask him by what authority he does miracles?  Jesus knows they do not want real answers, they just want more evidence to add to their list of how evil Jesus is…. So he answers their questions with a question, and ties them in their own knot. Are you ever like the Priests and Elders, just trying to punch a hole in someone else’s good thing?  Do other people ever get your goat because they seem to be doing things better than you. Or do they make you uncomfortable with the way they do things?  Can you feel the tension in the air as we go through these days?  Take a moment and put yourself in the story – hear the shouts, hear the taunts, hear Jesus’ frustration… it is all part of the story.

Guided prayer:

Father, forgive me for the times I have no clue what I am doing. Forgive me for the times I have not seen what you are doing in others’ lives while I have judged them.  Forgive me.  Amen.” 

Day 169 A Fig Tree issue Matt 21:18,19; Mark 11: 12-14

Guided reflection:

The story continues around Jesus’ anger in the temple… well, actually, at all things that are not producing the kind of fruit they were intended.  The Temple was to be a place of prayer and it was now a place of money scamming; Jerusalem was to be the holy city that could recognize the Messiah yet did not; and a fig tree is suppose to produce figs and it does not!  Jesus curses the tree to die!  When they passed by that same fig tree the next morning, it had withered and died over night!   They were amazed… and Jesus uses this as an example about the power of their words and prayer!   Whatever you ask in prayer, you will have it if you believe… and if you forgive others their sins, your Heavenly Father will forgive yours as well.  Where have you seen your words have power?  Where have you forgiven so that now your sins are forgiven as well?

Guided prayer:

“You see me just as I am, O God.  I cannot hide the truth from you. Where I am like the fig tree, looking all nice and trimmed but not producing a lick of fruit?  Bring me back to life, O Lord.  Amen.