Tag Archives: discipleship

Reading:
1 Kings 19:11-18

No, I don’t think God was quite so casual in speaking to His prophet — but maybe that way of putting it brought you here.

Anyway, God’s question for Elijah, as recorded in the second half of verse 13, echoed in my heart:

“And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?”

Yeah, Mark — Whatcha here fer?

In that Elijah’s case, I take the question and the circumstances to suggest that Mr. Prophet should have been elsewhere.

Maybe in my case, the question is merely intended to provoke a review of what I’m up to here and for what purposes.

Because if the question for me really means I should be elsewhere, that’s a problem. I don’t know where else I’m supposed to be.

(Though I think I would like to be serving in Mexico again. Shhhh!)

[The Scriptures say in 1 Kings 19:10 -- I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts]
from 1 Kings 19:10

Reading:

Matthew 15:1-9

The religious leaders of the Jews had many questions for Jesus. This time the question had to do with the behavior and the values of His disciples:

“Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders?” (Matthew 15:2).

If those who observe my life could easily go to Jesus face-to-face to ask about me, what would He say to this question: “Why does Mark…?”

Can we at all imagine the sadness (and shame?) in Jesus’ heart when the question is a legitimate one? (An example. You want an example. Well…try this one: “Why does Mark promote himself so much?”)

Thankfully, the question of the scribes and Pharisees was one about which Jesus could defend His disciples!

Jesus turned the question back on the accusers, probing the darkness in their own hearts:

“Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” (Matthew 15:3).

Wow! I like it when Jesus is my defender!

That’s a blessing and an encouragement to me this morning.

But it’s sobering — extremely sobering — to me to put myself in the disciples’ shoes and think of Him being questioned about some aspect of my life.

And there’s also this additional challenge: Before going to Jesus with a complaint about another, I’d better throw out the darkness that may be within me.

Come to think of it, that challenge also applies to going to someone else with a complaint about another!

[The Scriptures say in Matthew 15:8 -- This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth]
from Matthew 15:8