A Word (or two) from Mark

Caller ID technology changes the way we use our phones. Now we can answer (or not answer) the phone because we know who is on the other end.  There are probably times when each of us have screened our calls this way.

If prayer is always a response to God’s initiative toward us, then I have to ask myself… am I screening His “calls” too.  Revelation 3: 20 uses another image. It portrays Jesus as knocking on our doors, desiring to come into our lives and to spend time with us over a meal.  Do I welcome this greeting, or do I ignore the knock?  Do I answer “the phone” or does the caller ID keep me from picking up the receiver.

This past week, I realized I haven’t always been responding to God’s initiatives toward me. I have been screening His calls at different times. How about you? Are you answering the phone, or have you been too busy when your Caller ID shows God is calling?

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The week between Palm Sunday and Easter is often referred to as Holy Week.  We remember the days of Jesus’ life prior to His crucifixion.  These events can be difficult to read.  But they are enormously important.  Recently, I saw an article that claimed that the presence of evil in the world proved that God could not be all good.  It would be possible in a short-sighted way to allow the pain and suffering we encounter in the world to cause us to despair of anything better.  We could give in to such thoughts that maybe God isn’t good… until Holy Week.  Then we face something quite different.  God did not leave the world as it was.  He did not remain detached in some kind of unfeeling way.  Jesus came and suffered unimaginable pain and heart ache at the hands of mankind, His own creation.  He took upon Himself deep wounds for our sin so that we could be healed.  Yes, there is pain; there is suffering.  Yet evil does not win.  Jesus has risen as He said.  All will be made new.  Hallelujah!

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