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The Price
When James and John asked Jesus if they could sit, one at his right hand, and the other at his left when he came into his glory, Jesus replied, "You don't know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup of suffering that I must drink? Can you be baptized in the way I must be baptized?" (Mark 10:38).
"You don't know what you are asking for." Perhaps Jesus said that to James and John because they weren't sufficiently aware of the price that would have to be paid for a request such as theirs. And from that point of view they did not know what they were asking. Did they perhaps want the glory without fully accepting the suffering, the reward without fully accepting the struggle? Maybe they were like those who want to become star athletes, but without the training. It never seems to work out.
There is a path that leads to glory with Jesus. It is a path of service, a giving of the self, a letting go of the ego. It is a path of compassion, a willingness to listen to others and to ease their pain at the expense of our own time and energy. The experience of the peace that only God can give comes when we do those things. That seems to be how we get ready for the glory.
Lord, I'm not very courageous. I'm not sure I can be fully baptized into your baptism, but I will live my life as well as I can, one day at a time. Help me to die to myself that I might live unto you.
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Tuesday, January 5, 2010
What's in a name?
Oh by the way, check out the side panel, Article for the week,... What if Jesus meant all that stuff?
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