LENT 2011, Day 31

Mark 7 has 37 verses packed with punch. Mark sets up the first lesson of what Jesus teaches very well. The Pharisees and scribes were all about following specific rules. In fact, they had made those traditions their doctrine - replacing God's commandments with rules made by men. Their worship was in vain because they worshipped from their view of what was right instead of from God's view of what was right.

I am only 8 verses into the chapter and I am stopped short. I am, by nature, a rule follower - but I am also a child of God's grace. I understand the point of what Jesus is teaching. Those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. And - it isn't about what we do - that's not the focus. It's about what He did.

The reality for my morning is - I have to read and run. My self-imposed 'rule' is that I made a commitment to write every day in my blog as my discipline for my Lenten journey - but I made a 10 a m appointment - and I have to go soon to do what I scheduled.

Today would have been Melanie Stewart's 51st birthday. She got to celebrate her 50th birthday surrounded by those dearest to her. The next day she and her husband headed back to the hospital to get updated testing done - to assess her condition. 3 days after her birthday - on April 16th, 2010 - Melanie took her last breath in this life - and emerged to her new life, whole again - in the presence of the Lord.

The hard part was and is for those left behind - particularly her husband. Grief is hard - even as Christians, when we know the eternal destiny of the person we grieve for. It takes time - but I know beyond a doubt, that even in those darkest moments, the Lord is there. Not because we necessarily tangibly feel His presence through the pain - but because He promised.

Shortly after Melanie went to be with the Lord, I made a commitment to grow my hair out to donate to Locks of Love in her memory. I have chosen today - the date of her birthday into this world - to have her best friend cut my hair. More about that later....

And more of this chapter later.... It is too rich not to delve into!

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It is 2 p m. I am back. My hair is short - - and I have the pictures to prove it. It was tender, precious and a ton of fun! I didn't expect that as a bonus!

There is so much to balance in this chapter. However, when I distill the first section, I realize that it comes down to the difference between our doing what we think would please God – and what truly pleases Him. He is honored by obedience to Him – by living out our lives in response to His ever-present leading, not by an ill-placed artificial devotion of pompous piety.

And he uses dirty hands as an object lesson to make His point. In fact, He declared that nothing going into a man can defile him (and I will add – spiritually). He wasn’t saying we shouldn’t wash our hands, or use wisdom about what we eat – those things can make us physically ill. What He was telling them was that they were so caught up in their rules that they had missed the point. True worship has to come from the heart. True worship yearns for pleasing God. True worship places us in right relationship with God and changes lives.

The defiled life is reflected in a life lived out in sin. “What comes out of a person is what defiles him,” Jesus says. “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” It is those things that keep us from having healthy relationships with God - or with others. They defile. They destroy.

The next lesson in Mark 7 is a hard one for Gentiles to read. Jesus came to the Jews first and foremost. They are the ones who are chosen - but we are grafted in! I can accept that. They are His firstborn - but we are dearly cherished as well.

This chapter of Mark ends with Mark relating a story of Jesus' healing of a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment. Apparently I have never paid close attention to this account before. I thought I knew all of His healing stories - but I didn't remember the details of this one. Jesus took the man aside - and in private, he touched his ears - then Jesus spit (presumably on His finger) then touched the man's tongue.

This is a great chapter to the people with germ fettishes.... It starts with people eating without washing first - -yuck! And ends with sharing saliva! My reaction to those specifics is just to shake my head.... Really, Lord, you are so unpredictable! Thank you for that - thank you for catching me off guard and making me once again aware that Your ways are higher than my ways. You truly do all things well.