MORNING REFLECTION
READY: This psalm is titled, song of quiet trust. Prepare yourself to read this psalm by singing a worship song that expresses to God your trust.
READ: Read through the psalm 3 times out loud. Ask God that peace, rest and quiet would be released each time you read it.
REFLECT: This psalm has a beautiful picture of a mother and a child. A weaned child does not have to look for sustenance from its mother but can simply enjoy the closeness and peace of relationship. Ask God to make this picture real to you and let it speak to you about your relationship with your heavenly Father.
REPENT: The psalmist begins the psalm by saying his eyes and his heart are not lifted too high. The psalm seems to suggest that pride and rest and quiet do not coexist well together in the same heart. Repent of pride, self promotion, and selfish ambition. Realize how they have stolen peace and intimacy with God from you.
REJOICE: Praise God for the hope that we can depend on and that flows out of intimate
EVENING READING Mark 9:42-50
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” ’ 20He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ 21Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money* to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ 22When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ 24And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is* to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ 26They were greatly astounded and said to one another,* ‘Then who can be saved?’ 27Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.’
EVENING REFLECTION
READY: Jesus tells his disciples ‘for God all things are possible’. Prepare yourself to read this text by focusing on this verse and asking God to let the power of this truth prepare you for reading this story.
READ: Read the text twice. Picture the story as you read it and ask God to make the story come alive to you.
REFLECT: In this story we see the emotions of the rich young ruler and the disciples as they think through the pull treasure has on us spiritually. The disciples were perplexed by Jesus words on the kingdom and wealth. Meditate on these stories. Any place where dealing with riches or the lack of riches has perplexed you, ask God to give you direction and insight into your own soul as you read about the rich young ruler.
REPENT: Jesus’ words to the rich young ruler overwhelmed both he and the disciples. Repent of the ways that dealing with these questions has overwhelmed you.
REJOICE: Jesus gives Peter and the disciples a promise. Anyone who has left house, sister, mother father, children, or fields for my sake and for sake of the good news will receive a hundredfold in this age and in the age to come. Praise God for His promises.
