"Practically Divine" - Week 5

Wednesday, July 6th

“Practically Divine”

Summer Book Club – Week 5

I hope you enjoyed some time in the presence of Jesus yesterday. I have prayed that He helped you follow thoughts and emotions to Him. Creator God made us with all of these feelings and emotions, so we have to believe they will play a part in drawing us closer to Him through Jesus.

Today, read Mark 9:1-13. This will be the first of 3 passages we will read in Mark.

This passage of scripture is likely familiar to many of you. It is titled, “The Transfiguration,” because this is where Jesus was transfigured in front of three of His disciples. Moses and Elijah appeared and communed with them. Today, I was confronted by the reality that the disciples still didn’t get the point and purpose of Jesus being on Earth even when they saw His transfiguration in person. If they could misinterpret God’s kingdom when they saw it with their own eyes, I can expect I will have difficulty too.

My biggest curiosity with this section, though, is Jesus telling them again NOT to tell anyone about what happened until He’d died and risen. Scripture reports that He said this a lot. Today isn’t the last time we will see it, and I’m wondering if Jesus was demonstrating that people will not understand our personal interactions with Him. It’s as if He was saying to the disciples, “This was for me and you.”

Now, read Mark 9:14-29. This is one of my favorite stories in all of Scripture. As you read, please note human response contrasted with Jesus’ response. Notice how Jesus’ reactions are always calm, peaceful, limitless, and powerful while humans respond with fear, confusion, limitations, and weakness. Also, please notice that humanity is never shamed when lack is exposed in the presence of Jesus. The language of Jesus was always love and never shame. He always exposes our limitation in order to introduce His provision.

All things are possible to him who believes. (verse 23)

When He said this, the father didn’t cower in shame that he’d doubted. He professed his faith while at the same time confessing his unbelief. In the presence of Jesus, we know who we are. Our weakness doesn’t hinder us. It empowers us to seek more and more of Jesus.

Finally, read Mark 9:38-40.

I can honestly say I’ve never read this portion of scripture like I did today. I do not think I’ve ever noticed that Jesus’ disciples wanted to rebuke the people that were casting out demons in the name of Christ but were not part of their group. Jesus opposed them and said, “Don’t stop them. Thy prove they aren’t my enemy, and whoever isn’t against us is for us.”

This stopped me in my tracks, ladies. I’ve read the section over and over. I pulled out several different translations. In every one, it appears to me the disciples wanted to STOP the good that others were doing (casting out demons) simply because these people weren’t from their group, one of them. These were outsiders, and they were claiming to be on Jesus’ team. Jesus allowed it, though, and gave reasons why they should be allowed to continue. Even if they weren’t part of the disciples’ group, they weren’t in opposition.

The whole scenario makes me think of what is going on in the Body of Christ today. We are so quick to peek into other denominations or churches or families for the purpose of poking holes in their ways of sharing Jesus. Honestly, our only basis for doing this is that the “others” don’t exercise their faith and belief like us. By the disciples’ logic, since they disagreed with the other group of people, they should be stopped. If we listen to and follow Jesus’ way, we get to rest in the reality that those following Jesus differently than we are can’t be considered enemies.

Why do we feel called to correct others when they share Jesus, worship Jesus, or follow Jesus differently than we do? Why do we assume everyone that believes a little differently than we believe needs to be “fixed.” I think we’re doing damage! And, I think Jesus would say, “Hey…. We’re on the same team. If they’re not against me, they’re for me.”

And, if we are all disciples of the same Jesus, our love for one another should be greater than our offense with each other.

I love how Becca said it on page 69, “We all have stuff inside of us that needs to be discarded. Then we can have space to “come to find out” and live more practically divine.” I do not think there is anything more practically divine (supernaturally charged) than believers uniting through a love for Jesus even if there is a mountain of differences when it comes to religious preferences.

How does God want you to respond to today’s lesson?

God, I’m convicted to pray for the courage to be unified and to actively look for the things that bring us together as community rather than isolate into silos. We need the Body of Christ, the whole Body of Christ. Our enemy won’t stand a chance when God’s children stand together in the bond of love Jesus offers. Is this what You’re calling us to do in the middle of worldly chaos and confusion? We want to follow You, Jesus.