Today’s scripture:MARK 10:17-22

¹⁷As 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; Honor 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. 

If you go to this link you get to go on a tour of the Sistine Chapel.  It’s pretty incredible if you ask me.  Have you ever seen the Sistine Chapel? If you haven’t or if you have forgotten how cool it is because there were soooo many people surrounding you, this is a way to get a glimpse of the experience.  The music is moving as well.  This morning I have just left it on to listen while I write.

But of course, you may be too busy this morning to truly enjoy.  You may just be rushing through this experience to get to the next thing.  Or you may need to get to something else.  Or perhaps you really won’t have the patience to look around, to listen, or to appreciate what is happening within the link.  Maybe you are interested…that could happen as well.  Maybe you are way more interested in that other thing or that one object…way more than this particular landmark of beauty.

What is holding you back from spending a bit of time to check it out?  What is getting in your way?

What is getting in your way then of seeing God already this morning? Have you been preoccupied with getting up, getting moving, and moving on?

Of course, Jesus is talking about possessions this morning but I think it is even more than that.  Jesus is talking about whatever is standing in your way to seeing God.  Jesus is talking about the moment when you think you have done everything right and yet something is in the way to see the Sistine Chapel and admire God’s work in the world.  I have noticed that Jesus doesn’t require everyone to sell of all of their possessions, just this guy in this moment.  There is some commentary on wealth and things here.  This resonates because of our pruning right now.  But he doesn’t tell everyone all around to go home and sell all…he tells this guy because Jesus knows that all of this is getting in his way to follow.  Things are getting in the way for him but he could have said, just as easily, “Go and cancel everything on your schedule, then follow me.” or “Go and give up your needing to be right and follow me.” or “Go and give up your worry….your objects…your need to feel like the martyr….and follow me.” or “Go and give up the extra and follow me.” You get the idea.

So today as you listen and watch, say a prayer to talk with God about what is in the way.  What is in the way of following this morning?  It is all part of your journey as we enter into holy week.

Peace,

Courtney