Living in the Spirit
October 14, 2018
Scripture Reading: Mark 10:17-31
Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’ –Mark 10:28-31
Jesus’ response to Peter regarding those who had left everything to follow him follows the story of the rich young man who could not walk away from what he had. Jesus asked for a total commitment as a part of his plan to reshape the world. In general, our commitment requires us to use fully the talents and skills God instilled in us at our creation. The key element needed is to become the very best we can become for the right reason. I am reminded of these words:
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what can I give Him?
Give Him my heart*.
You may recognize this poem as the last stanza of the Christmas hymn, In the Bleak Midwinter. It is one of my favorite carols usually sung during epiphany. The author came from a well-educated artistic family. While they suffered a financial setback when the father contracted tuberculosis and depression, her background was rich in the classics and she became a popular poet. Christina Rossetti understood clearly the driving force of her work: the furtherance of God’s love.
Prayer: God Who is Love, keep my focus accurate, forgive he when I stray toward things of little consequence that get in the way of my loving you and loving like you. Amen.
*What Can I give Him, Poor as I Am? By Christina Georgina Rossetti see at https://hymnary.org/text/what_can_i_give_him_poor_as_i_am