Mark 10-12 & Psalm 19

Mark 10-12

In today's reading of Mark, we find Jesus answering the questions of the religious leaders.  We can see that the religious leaders are spending more and more time around Jesus because they are seeking the right moment to arrest Him and put Him to death.  They first pose a great question about divorce.  This is a very difficult question in our day as well.  "What does God think about divorce?"  (For more reading on this topic, check out Genesis 1:27; Deuteronomy 24:1-3; 1 Corinthians 6:9-20 & 7:10-17; Ephesians 5:31; Malachi 2:16; Matthew 5:32) 

Jesus teaches on faith.  We are to have child-like faith.  You know the kind of faith a child has in the protection and provision of their parents.  We should have that kind of faith in God.  

We are now into the last week of Jesus' life.  It is what we refer to as Palm Sunday in Mark 11.  The people are joyous and celebrating because they think Jesus is going to overtake the Roman rule in Jerusalem.  So they go all out celebrating Him!  

But they Jesus encounters the Pharisees and other religious leaders.  And they attempt to trap Him again.  Check out the wisdom of Jesus as He answers their questions directly but at the same time not the way they expect Him to.  They ask questions that trap Him either way He answers but He always finds a "third" answer that they cannot get Him with.  Questions about paying taxes, and marriage in heaven (these guys didn't even believe in the resurrection), and which commandment is greater.  But He shows them up every time!  The time is drawing closer to His death though.  In Mark  10:32-Jesus predicts His death a third time.  This is just before they enter Jerusalem.  

Psalm 19

This is one of my new favorite chapters in all of the Bible.  Psalm 19 is a worship song to God.  As you read through the chapter, did you have a sense of worship?  Psalm 19:1-6 describe how God has revealed and continues to reveal himself in the skies (in His creation).  Psalm 19:7-11 describe how God reveals Himself through His word.  Psalm 19:12-14 describe how God has caused us to know our sin and our need for Him to remove that sin.  

As you read the first six verses, you just kind of want to go out and look into the sky and say "WOW!"  This is one of  the perks of living in the rural part of the world because you can see so many stars in the sky.  "The heavens tell of the glory of God" says Psalm 19:1.  This is what the Apostle Paul was referring to when he wrote in Romans 1:19-20 "since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the worlds, God's invisible qualities-His eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse."  

The next five verses speak about the Word of God.  Many times what is called the "Law of the Lord" is referred to as something that bosses you around.  It places restrictions on you.  And for some, this is seen as a bad thing.  But David only speaks of the Word with praise.  He refers to God's Word as "perfect, reviving, trustworthy, wise, right, joy, clear, insightful, pure, eternal, fair, more desirable that gold, sweeter than honey, warming to hear, they are a reward."  Have you ever thought of God's word like that.  Remember as you are reading God's word, it is God speaking to you.  

Verses 12-13 turn the page and shows how God's word reveals sin in our lives.  This is a good thing.  Because God shines light on the areas we need to surrender to Him and allow change to come in our lives.  

Verse 14 is my prayer for today and for everyday.  Did you know that God knows and considered every word that comes from your mouth and every thought in your heart before you ever do them?  He does!