23rd. January. 2021. Daily Devotion.
31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.” 33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. 34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:31-35
Does Jesus have anything to say about dealing with difficult relatives? Is there an example of Jesus bringing peace to a painful family? Yes, there is. His own …
It may surprise you to know that Jesus had a family at all! You may not be aware that Jesus had brothers and sisters. He did. Quoting Jesus’ hometown critics, Mark wrote, “[Jesus] is just the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters are here with us” (Mark 6:3).
And it may surprise you to know that his family was less than perfect. They were. If your family doesn’t appreciate you, take heart, neither did Jesus’ …
Yet he didn’t try to control his family’s behaviour, nor did he let their behaviour control his. He didn’t demand that they agree with him. He didn’t sulk when they insulted him. He didn’t make it his mission to try to please them. From He Still Moves Stones M. Lucado.
“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows; it empties today of its strength.” ~ Corrie ten Boom.
Prayer to Be Close to God
Mighty Lord, I come before you today to thank You for all the blessings that You have given me. Many times, my life is so full of busy work that I neglect my relationship with You, and for that I am deeply sorry. I know that You never neglect me, for if You did my very life would cease to be. Continue to pull me to Yourself, guide me in my journey, and hold me close in Your bosom until the day I come home to be with You forever. Be with me now as I am here in my online community, in Your name, that I and all who pray with me may feel your presence among us. In Jesus precious name I pray. Amen.
Prayer of Praise
Glory to Thee, transfiguring our lives with deeds of love,
Glory to Thee, making wonderfully Sweet the keeping of Thy commandments,
Glory to Thee, making Thyself known where man shows mercy on his neighbour,
Glory to Thee, sending us failure and misfortune that we may understand the sorrows of others,
Glory to Thee, rewarding us so well for the good we do,
Glory to Thee, welcoming the impulse of our heart’s love,
Glory to Thee, raising to the heights of heaven every act of love in earth and sky,
Glory to Thee, O God, from age to age. Amen. ~ Grigori Petrov.
We are not abandoned.
Good and gracious God, at this time of pandemic
help us to know that we are not abandoned.
Assist us in bearing this cross of suffering,
illness and death.
Guide us to an increase in Faith
in the life, death and Resurrection.
May we see that the difficulties of
this moment can be carried
with the Light of Your Love.
We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ,
Our Lord and Saviour. Amen. — By a Columban Missionary