May 3rd, 2024

Today is May 3rd.   
   
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace through the power of the Holy Spirit.     
   
Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.”    
   
Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 20.  


Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them,  “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.They will condemn him to death  and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!” 
 Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.  “What is it you want?” he asked. She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”  “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said to them. “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” 
   

Zebedee’s wife askes Jesus an impertinent question. Right after He speaks about his own humiliating, tragic and tortured death, she leans in to ask if her boys can sit in the places of power next to Christ once it’s all over. She didn’t seem to get the plot. She didn’t seem to understand that power in God’s kingdom comes in upside down sort of ways. Do you ever feel like you ‘lose the plot’ of what it means to be a Christian? Do you ever find yourself surprised at the actual cost of your faith?  
   
Jesus’ reply to her seems to be so kind, and so patient. I would have lost my temper! Or gotten angry at such a selfish, ill-timed question. Instead, he answers her. In the text, it actually says that Jesus answers ‘them’… implying that maybe her sons had convinced mom to ask the question that was actually on their minds! Listen to the passage again, consider each individual in the story and how they are relating to Jesus. 
   
Jesus says to them, “You don’t know what you’re asking”. There are all sorts of questions we bring to the Lord. Some of them probably make less sense than we think. Others are deep, full of meaning for us. As we end our time of prayer today, consider the questions you hold in your heart, and bring them to Jesus – trusting in the kindness of his answer.

Lord God, Almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day: Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all I do, direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.   
 
Music: "Wear The Crown" - Vineyard Worship - (YouTube)