Deuteronomy 16-18; Mark 10:32-52
We have every reason to celebrate a Christ-followers no matter what this world is doing or where we think it's going. Even though the future seems bleak to many, there is something bigger to be looking to rather than what this world is doing. We are reminded today in our readings what Christ has done for us and Who we look to ultimately when we worry about the future.
When we worry, we tend to worship other things or ideas. Are you clinging to the news you hear around you right now? Stop. I'm not saying be ignorant about what is going on in this world, but stop dwelling on the things going on in this world. We are not of it as Christ's followers, even though we are to help. When every conversation starts out "we're doomed, because of the thing I heard on the news..." however, something in that heart is refusing to trust God and His work to come. Faith is and will be essential as you hear about all the crap in the world. Rather than looking negatively at it, remember Who is still on the throne. This was reiterated over and over and over again to the Israelites as Moses stated his parting address to them. They faced struggles and thought their world was ending too. They continually saw how God worked, yet failed to trust Him when the next bit of hardship came. They were tempted to look to other things and other gods to find security. As the song goes "...in the good times and bad, You are on Your throne, You are God alone."
An interesting thing the people are told at the end of chapter 17 is that when a king is to be selected, the Lord must be the One to choose who that is. I think we forget to consult the Lord in many decisions in our lives. We like our freedom, but the greater freedom comes when God has a hand in our lives because He knows exactly what we need and when. Even if we make poor decisions though, we can rest assured that He has us still. We may not acknowledge we've screwed up at first, or even not for years down the road, but God will still use those screw ups to make something beautiful. Praise Him for His grace and sovereignty, no matter what our poor decisions are.
Another thing we are warned about when it comes to worry about our future is not to use fortune-tellers, sorcery, tarot cards, etc. This may not be an issue for you, and you may take it lightly, but it's pretty laid out here. The same goes with false prophets. Only God knows the future, and He knows the true power that Satan and gain against us. Rely on God to lay out the plans for you here in this world and take it day by day. Allow Him to lay out the plans eternally as well, and simply stay close to Him and His Word to know your way throughout.
Jesus lays out His death sentence in Mark, and as you can probably imagine, the disciples probably didn't like it. They didn't understand the grand plan or the bigger picture to come. In fact, even Jesus says the God is the ultimate decider on things of heaven, as James and John ask to sit in the prime spots in heaven. Jesus tries to explain to them the suffering that would come with those seats, but doesn't see them quite fully understanding it, as they eagerly state they are willing to suffer. Humility is the key to being first. To be at the top of the ladder, you need to place yourself at the bottom. Rather than being served, you need to serve. Rather than always thinking about what others should be doing for you, you need to be thinking about what you should do for others. It's so backwards of what this world states brings true greatness.
Finally, we read of Bartimaeus, a blind man who longed to be healed by Christ. Without caring about what the people around him think, he hollers and shouts for Christ to come to him. Jesus displays mercy and Bartimaeus is healed because of his own faith. Are you always looking around at who is watching you, rather than looking up at what truly matters to God? Do you get ashamed of your faith when we are called to be bold? Don't allow this world and it's judgments of Christians to get you down. The only opinion you need is from the One Who sits on the throne and sees your heart.
It's easy to forget in such a fallen world Who is still sitting on the throne with the grand plan. We can get so discouraged by the news, the opinions of others, that we turn to things that aren't healthy for us spiritually. Don't give in to the temptation of finding instant gratification and worrying about what you think you deserve. Remember Who truly knows what you deserve. Praise Him for grace and continue to look up, rather than around for your acceptance. Remember that He's still on the throne and that is all that matters.
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