Today’s Scripture: Mark 15:33-39
33 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 34 Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
35 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. 36 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. “Wait!” he said. “Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down!”
37 Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.
39 When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”
Today’s Devotional
As I read this passage about Jesus’ death I immediately find myself thinking about the disciples who watched it happen. How devastated they must have been. Their entire world was ending right before their eyes. They had no idea what the next few hours would hold – much less the rest of their lives. It must have felt like that moment – and the emotion of that moment – was going to last forever.
I’m currently reading a book about fear and came across this line: “no matter how difficult circumstances may seem, today is not my forever.”
Today is not our forever.
That’s hard for me to believe sometimes. (Ok, it’s hard for me to believe most of the time.) But I know it’s true. I know that the way things are today are not how they are going to be tomorrow – and certainly not forever.
But our minds play tricks on us and make us think that the way things are, are the way things are – forever. We get overwhelmed with our circumstances and unable to see a way out or a different future.
The disciples watching that day could not have imaged their future. I’m sure it felt like they were going to be stuck at the foot of that cross forever. But three days later everything changed.
Remember today that this moment, this situation, this circumstance is not your forever.
Today’s Prayer
God give us eyes to see beyond our present. Remind us that you are always with us and are planning a future for us. Give us the imagination today to see what you see and the courage to move toward you.
Amen
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