{"id":16378,"date":"2021-02-24T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-02-24T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailchi.mp\/urc\/urc-daily-devotion-wednesday-24th-february-2021"},"modified":"2021-02-24T06:00:00","modified_gmt":"2021-02-24T06:00:00","slug":"urc-daily-devotion-wednesday-24th-february-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trinitywimbledon.org\/index.php\/urc-daily-devotion-wednesday-24th-february-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"URC Daily Devotion – Wednesday 24th February 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

St Mark 10: 35 – 45<\/strong><\/p>\n

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, \u2018Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.\u2019  And he said to them, \u2018What is it you want me to do for you?\u2019  And they said to him, \u2018Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.\u2019  But Jesus said to them, \u2018You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?\u2019  They replied, \u2018We are able.\u2019 Then Jesus said to them, \u2018The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;  but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.\u2019<\/p>\n

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, \u2018You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.  But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.  For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reflection<\/strong><\/p>\n

I remember when my children were very young; they used to squabble continuously about who got the first choice on anything.   Sound familiar?  In many ways it is just the same with adults.  Some of us are more competitive than others, some more power-hungry (we all know someone who cannot bear to lose at Monopoly), but we each have within us the lurking desire to be better than someone else.  It is right to tell people when they have done a good job, and we all like to have our effort and achievement recognised but when we seek power and recognition for their own sake, the healthy \u201cWell done, mate. Good job.\u201d can become an unhealthy obsession.  Now, it\u2019s not a bad thing to want recognition for something done well, in however small a way but in its worst excesses, we can become obsessed with status, power, authority.<\/p>\n

Actually, we don\u2019t have to do that. We do not have to strive for these things, and that\u2019s not because we already have them, nor because we really do deserve them. It\u2019s because we really don\u2019t deserve them. You fear that you are not good enough? You\u2019ve not. Neither am I.<\/p>\n

It is because there was once, someone who truly did deserve all approval, all respect, all admiration, all love, because he was good enough. He was already acceptable. And his love is big enough that he will let us all become acceptable. We get to take his \u2018good enough\u2019 as our own. Why? Because we deserve it? I don\u2019t think so!  <\/p>\n

When we realise that we cannot ever make ourselves acceptable we can simply say \u2018thank you\u2019 to the only one who can exchange our worthlessness for his worth. Jesus the carpenter \u2013 who fixes things.  And when we are content that our worth in God\u2019s sight is not earned by good works or approval from those around us, then we can be happy to take the humble position that Jesus did.
That\u2019s good enough for me!<\/p>\n

Prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n

My Father,
Please teach me to find my security
in knowing that you love unlovable me 
in seeking first your kingdom and righteousness 
in striving for the ultimate reward of being your good and faithful servant
through your son, my Lord and example.<\/p>\n

Amen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

St Mark 10: 35 – 45 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, \u2018Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.\u2019  And he said to them, \u2018What is it you want me to do for you?\u2019  And they said to him, \u2018Grant … <\/p>\n

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