Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Dr. Kari Vo "It's Not Enough" for Monday, February 26, 2018
And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.... (Jesus said) "She out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on." (Mark12:42, 44b) Read Mark 12:41-44
Mark 12:41 Then Yeshua sat down opposite the Temple treasury and watched the crowd as they put money into the offering-boxes. Many rich people put in large sums, 42 but a poor widow came and put in two small coins. 43 He called his talmidim to him and said to them, “Yes! I tell you, this poor widow has put more in the offering-box than all the others making donations. 44 For all of them, out of their wealth, have contributed money they can easily spare; but she, out of her poverty, has given everything she had to live on.”
***Two little coins, which together make a penny. Not much of an offering, is it? Humanly speaking it's just foolish: somebody is now going to have to give charity to support this woman, and the cost will certainly be more than a penny. Balance the offering against that support and you have a net loss. Why should she give anything at all?
It's not enough. But it's all she has.
And Jesus honors that. He praises her: "She out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on." She is now totally dependent on God to provide for everything she needs, both in body and soul.
And provide He does -- because though she doesn't know it, God Himself is close to her, God in the flesh. And He has come to Jerusalem for the same reason she has -- to make an offering of everything He has, to give Himself up for the salvation of the world. Within days Jesus will be hanging on a cross, bearing the guilt for every evil thing we have ever done. He will lay down His life there, holding nothing back, giving all He has -- making Himself a sin offering for us. Because of Him we will be forgiven and cleansed, restored to God and life. And then Jesus will rise again.
Jesus also offers everything He has. And it's enough -- enough for the poor widow, wherever she came from, and wherever she went. It's enough for us, too, however needy and broken we may be. Jesus will not desert us. We belong to Him. His self-offering is enough.
THE PRAYER: Lord, we trust in You both now and for eternity. Keep us and help us when we are in need, and hold us close to You. Amen.
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Leviticus 6-7; Mark 6:1-29
Leviticus 6:1 (8) Adonai said to Moshe, 2 (9) “Give this order to Aharon and his sons: ‘This is the law for the burnt offering [Leviticus 6:2 Hebrew: ‘olah]: it is what goes up [Leviticus 6:2 Hebrew: ‘olah] on its firewood upon the altar all night long, until morning; in this way the fire of the altar will be kept burning. 3 (10) When the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, the cohen, having put on his linen garment and covered himself with his linen shorts, is to remove the ashes and put them beside the altar. 4 (11) Then he is to remove those garments and put on others, before carrying the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. 5 (12) In this way, the fire on the altar will be kept burning and not be allowed to go out. Each morning, the cohen is to kindle wood on it, arrange the burnt offering and make the fat of the peace offerings go up in smoke. 6 (13) Fire is to be kept burning on the altar continually; it is not to go out.
***
It's not enough. But it's all she has.
And Jesus honors that. He praises her: "She out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on." She is now totally dependent on God to provide for everything she needs, both in body and soul.
And provide He does -- because though she doesn't know it, God Himself is close to her, God in the flesh. And He has come to Jerusalem for the same reason she has -- to make an offering of everything He has, to give Himself up for the salvation of the world. Within days Jesus will be hanging on a cross, bearing the guilt for every evil thing we have ever done. He will lay down His life there, holding nothing back, giving all He has -- making Himself a sin offering for us. Because of Him we will be forgiven and cleansed, restored to God and life. And then Jesus will rise again.
Jesus also offers everything He has. And it's enough -- enough for the poor widow, wherever she came from, and wherever she went. It's enough for us, too, however needy and broken we may be. Jesus will not desert us. We belong to Him. His self-offering is enough.
THE PRAYER: Lord, we trust in You both now and for eternity. Keep us and help us when we are in need, and hold us close to You. Amen.
Reflection Questions
- Do you ever look at your own offering or service and think, "It's not enough"? If so, why?
- How are you dependent upon God to provide for your needs? Give specific areas of your life.
- Jesus offered everything He had and was-for us-for you. Why?
Today's Bible in a Year Reading: Leviticus 6-7; Mark 6:1-29
Leviticus 6:1 (8) Adonai said to Moshe, 2 (9) “Give this order to Aharon and his sons: ‘This is the law for the burnt offering [Leviticus 6:2 Hebrew: ‘olah]: it is what goes up [Leviticus 6:2 Hebrew: ‘olah] on its firewood upon the altar all night long, until morning; in this way the fire of the altar will be kept burning. 3 (10) When the fire has consumed the burnt offering on the altar, the cohen, having put on his linen garment and covered himself with his linen shorts, is to remove the ashes and put them beside the altar. 4 (11) Then he is to remove those garments and put on others, before carrying the ashes outside the camp to a clean place. 5 (12) In this way, the fire on the altar will be kept burning and not be allowed to go out. Each morning, the cohen is to kindle wood on it, arrange the burnt offering and make the fat of the peace offerings go up in smoke. 6 (13) Fire is to be kept burning on the altar continually; it is not to go out.
7 (14) “‘This is the law for the grain offering: the sons of Aharon are to offer it before Adonai in front of the altar. 8 (15) He is to take from the grain offering a handful of its fine flour, some of its olive oil and all of the frankincense which is on the grain offering; and he is to make this reminder portion of it go up in smoke on the altar as a fragrant aroma for Adonai. 9 (16) The rest of it Aharon and his sons are to eat; it is to be eaten without leaven in a holy place — they are to eat it in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. 10 (17) It is not to be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my offerings made by fire; like the sin offering and the guilt offering, it is especially holy. 11 (18) Every male descendant of Aharon may eat from it; it is his share of the offerings for Adonai made by fire forever through all your generations. Whatever touches those offerings will become holy.’”
(ii) 12 (19) Adonai said to Moshe, 13 (20) “This is the offering for Adonai that Aharon and his sons are to offer on the day he is anointed: two quarts of fine flour, half of it in the morning and half in the evening, as a grain offering from then on. 14 (21) It is to be well mixed with olive oil and fried on a griddle; then bring it in, break it in pieces and offer the grain offering as a fragrant aroma for Adonai. 15 (22) The anointed cohen who will take Aharon’s place from among his descendants will offer it; it is a perpetual obligation. It must be entirely made to go up in smoke for Adonai; 16 (23) every grain offering of the cohen is to be entirely made to go up in smoke — it is not to be eaten.”
17 (24) Adonai said to Moshe, 18 (25) “Tell Aharon and his sons, ‘This is the law for the sin offering: the sin offering is to be slaughtered before Adonai in the place where the burnt offering is slaughtered; it is especially holy. 19 (26) The cohen who offers it for sin is to eat it — it is to be eaten in a holy place, in the courtyard of the tent of meeting. 20 (27) Whatever touches its flesh will become holy; if any of its blood splashes on any item of clothing, you are to wash it in a holy place. 21 (28) The clay pot in which it is cooked must be broken; if it is cooked in a bronze pot, it must be scoured and rinsed in water. 22 (29) Any male from a family of cohanim may eat the sin offering; it is especially holy. 23 (30) But no sin offering which has had any of its blood brought into the tent of meeting to make atonement in the Holy Place is to be eaten; it is to be burned up completely.
7:1 “‘This is the law for the guilt offering: it is especially holy. 2 They are to slaughter the guilt offering in the place where they slaughter the burnt offering, and its blood is to be splashed against all sides of the altar. 3 He is to offer all its fat — the fat tail, the fat covering the inner organs, 4 the two kidneys, the fat on them near the flanks, and the covering of the liver, which he will remove with the kidneys. 5 The cohen will make them go up in smoke on the altar as an offering made by fire to Adonai ; it is a guilt offering. 6 Every male from a family of cohanim may eat it; it is to be eaten in a holy place; it is especially holy. 7 The guilt offering is like the sin offering; the same law governs them — it will belong to the cohen who uses it to make atonement.
8 “‘The cohen who offers someone’s burnt offering will possess the hide of the burnt offering which he has offered.
9 “‘Every grain offering baked in the oven, cooked in a pot or fried on a griddle will belong to the cohen who offers it. 10 But every grain offering which is mixed with olive oil or is dry will belong to all the sons of Aharon equally.
(iii) 11 “‘This is the law for sacrificing peace offerings offered to Adonai: 12 If a person offers it for giving thanks, he is to offer it with the thanksgiving sacrifice of unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, matzah spread with olive oil, and cakes made of fine flour mixed with olive oil and fried. 13 With cakes of leavened bread he is to present his offering together with the sacrifice of his peace offerings for giving thanks. 14 From each kind of offering he is to present one as a gift for Adonai; it will belong to the cohen who splashes the blood of the peace offerings against the altar. 15 The meat of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for giving thanks is to be eaten on the day of his offering; he is not to leave any of it until morning. 16 But if the sacrifice connected with his offering is for a vow or is a voluntary offering, then, while it is to be eaten on the day he offers his sacrifice, what remains of it may be eaten the next day. 17 However, what remains of the meat of the sacrifice on the third day is to be burned up completely. 18 If any of the meat of the sacrifice of his peace offerings is eaten on the third day, the sacrifice will neither be accepted nor credited to the person offering it; rather, it will have become a disgusting thing, and whoever eats it will bear the consequences of his wrongdoing. 19 Meat which touches something unclean is not to be eaten but burned up completely. As for the meat, everyone who is clean may eat it; 20 but a person in a state of uncleanness who eats any meat from the sacrifice of peace offerings made to Adonai will be cut off from his people. 21 Anyone who touches something unclean — whether the uncleanness be from a person, from an unclean animal or from some other unclean detestable thing — and then eats the meat from the sacrifice of peace offerings for Adonai, that person will be cut off from his people.’”
22 Adonai said to Moshe, 23 “Say to the people of Isra’el, ‘You are not to eat the fat of bulls, sheep or goats. 24 The fat of animals that die of themselves or are killed by wild animals may be used for any other purpose, but under no circumstances are you to eat it. 25 For whoever eats the fat of animals of the kind used in presenting an offering made by fire to Adonai will be cut off from his people. 26 You are not to eat any kind of blood, whether from birds or animals, in any of your homes. 27 Whoever eats any blood will be cut off from his people.’”
28 Adonai said to Moshe, 29 “Say to the people of Isra’el, ‘A person who offers his sacrifice of peace offerings to Adonai is to bring part of his sacrifice of peace offerings as his offering for Adonai. 30 He is to bring with his own hands the offerings for Adonai made by fire — he is to bring the breast with its fat. The breast is to be waved as a wave offering before Adonai. 31 The cohen is to make the fat go up in smoke on the altar, but the breast will belong to Aharon and his descendants. 32 You are to give the right thigh from your sacrifices of peace offerings to the cohen as a contribution. 33 The descendant of Aharon who offers the blood of the peace offerings is to have the right thigh as his share. 34 For the breast that has been waved and the thigh that has been contributed I have taken from the people of Isra’el out of their sacrifices of peace offerings and given them to Aharon the cohen and to his descendants as their share forever from the people of Isra’el.’”
35 On the day when Aharon and his sons were presented to serve Adonai in the office of cohen, this portion was set aside for him and his descendants from the offerings for Adonai made by fire. 36 On the day they were anointed, Adonai ordered that this be given to them by the people of Isra’el. It is their share forever through all their generations.
37 This is the law for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the consecration offering and the sacrifice of peace offerings 38 which Adonai ordered Moshe on Mount Sinai on the day he ordered the people of Isra’el to present their offerings to Adonai, in the Sinai Desert.
Mark 6:1 Then Yeshua left and went to his home town, and his talmidim followed him. 2 On Shabbat he started to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They asked, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom he has been given? What are these miracles worked through him? 3 Isn’t he just the carpenter? the son of Miryam? the brother of Ya‘akov and Yosi and Y’hudah and Shim‘on? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 But Yeshua said to them. “The only place people don’t respect a prophet is in his home town, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 So he could do no miracles there, other than lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of trust.
Then he went through the surrounding towns and villages, teaching.
7 Yeshua summoned the Twelve and started sending them out in pairs, giving them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them, “Take nothing for your trip except a walking stick — no bread, no pack, no money in your belt. 9 Wear shoes but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place; 11 and if the people of some place will not welcome you, and they refuse to hear you, then, as you leave, shake the dust off your feet as a warning to them.”
12 So they set out and preached that people should turn from sin to God, 13 they expelled many demons, and they anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
14 Meanwhile, King Herod heard about this, for Yeshua’s reputation had spread. Some were saying, “Yochanan the Immerser has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 Others said, “It is Eliyahu!” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the old prophets.” 16 But when Herod heard about it, he said, “Yochanan, whom I had beheaded, has been raised.”
17 For Herod had sent and had Yochanan arrested and chained in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod had married her, 18 but Yochanan had told him, “It violates the Torah for you to marry your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted him put to death. But this she could not accomplish, 20 because Herod stood in awe of Yochanan and protected him, for he knew that he was a tzaddik, a holy man. Whenever he heard him, he became deeply disturbed; yet he liked to listen to him.
21 Finally, the opportunity came. Herod gave a banquet on his birthday for his nobles and officers and the leading men of the Galil. 22 The daughter of Herodias came in and danced, and she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you want; I will give it to you”; 23 and he made a vow to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” 24 So she went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” She said, “The head of Yochanan the Immerser.” 25 At once the daughter hurried back to the king and announced her request: “I want you to give me right now on a platter the head of Yochanan the Immerser.” 26 Herod was appalled; but out of regard for the oaths he had sworn before his dinner guests, he did not want to break his word to her. 27 So the king immediately sent a soldier from his personal guard with orders to bring Yochanan’s head. The soldier went and beheaded Yochanan in the prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When Yochanan’s talmidim heard of it, they came and took the body and laid it in a grave.
***
Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
CHANGE THEIR WORLD. CHANGE YOURS.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
Share this email:
No comments:
Post a Comment