Today’s Scripture Reading
Mark 10:45
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life a ransom for many.”
This is a verse that may be familiar to many of us. It’s one that can serve as an inspiration to our service in Guatemala with Faith In Practice. But how so? What are the priorities here in the kingdom of Jesus? Many call this the “upside down kingdom” because many of His priorities are counterintuitive to what we see in our world today.
He emphasizes service. Wouldn’t it seem logical that Jesus, claiming to be God, would be worthy of being served? But that’s not how He rolls. Let’s back up into an earlier portion of chapter 10 of Mark‘s gospel.
At this point, the apostles, James and John, are asking about being given a place of power and notoriety in the coming kingdom of Jesus. And I can’t say I blame them. They were betting on a Messiah that was going to overpower the Roman oppression of the Israelites of their day. Why wouldn’t you want to be in the King’s cabinet? But Jesus turns the priorities upside down and shows the real model for leadership. The next event told us of the miraculous healing of blind Bartemus .However, like all of Jesus miracles, they’re not for show, but they are steeped in the restoration of brokenness. He’s always passionate about healing, both the physical and the spiritual.
Jesus knew he was going to the cross to completely empty himself of His power out of love for us to redeem our brokenness. The disciples would realize this later after the resurrection; but first the crucifixion had to be endured and indeed that Friday afternoon looked very bleak and hopeless to all those around him. We’re told that he was deserted by all his closest followers; but the love of God was not to be denied because Easter morning came with the greatest source of hope ever witnessed in the resurrection.
Who can make up a story like this? History’s darkest afternoon preceded the brightest morning of all time. That bright hope is what our patients lean into by their faith and prayers as they approach us with their own personal good Fridays because they know the object of their faith.
Let us join our patients and their families in leaning in to this resurrection faith and power to accomplish God‘s healing mission in Faith In Practice this Easter season.
Dr. Mark Woolf
