Mark Devotionals
[Please read and meditate on the passage before (or after) reading the devotion]
It is Jesus’ turn now to be the one who asks the questions of those so-called religious teachers. Did they really know and understand who this “Messiah” that they were expecting was? Did they really think him to be a human descendant of David, or was he somebody much, much more? I think we can understand what Jesus was trying to say in this way: The way we behave (act) as followers of Jesus is proportional to the way we actually perceive how great and awesome Jesus is. If our perception of Jesus is small then our behavior is likewise small minded. Like the religious teachers’ perception of the Messiah was small – they thought he would be a human descendant of David. They definitely didn’t believe he would be divine (as Jesus was). And so their behavior was likewise so much less than divine – they craved attention and took advantage of the weak; what earthly leaders often tend to do. The person who knows (and experiences) Jesus as He truly is – awesome, almighty, amazing – will behave in like manner. Their thoughts, desires, actions will be far higher and more meaningful than those religious teachers in Jesus’ day. In fact it is such people who are witnesses for Christ, and bring Him pleasure. How big is your perception of your Jesus?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, forgive me for often perceiving you as no greater than a remarkable human. But you are much more than that. You are God; awesome, almighty, glorious. And you have given me the privilege of calling myself your child – a child of the King! I want to represent you in every way O Lord. Teach me to act worthy of my Parentage. I want my desires, thoughts, actions/behavior to show that I belong to a Great God – the God who loves unconditionally, who acts on behalf of the voice-less, who identifies Himself with the marginalized and out-caste, who forgives again, and again, and again… Amen.
