Mark 9:32
Mark 9:32 But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
Jesus had just finished telling his disciples (the ones we now call apostles) that he would be betrayed, killed and three days later 'rise again'.
We don't know whether they were 'afraid' because they felt less than brilliant, afraid to ask what he really meant by that..... or afraid that they had heard something so horrible that they would rather NOT bring up the subject, somehow hoping it would go away.
Asking for clarification or further information can bring some startling results. If you ask a question, you just might get an answer -- and the answer you get might not be the one you were hoping for.
Just perhaps.... they were afraid to ask because if Jesus' statement were verified, that truth would shake their world, shatter their hopes and alter forever their expectations. They wouldn't be jockeying for position by Jesus' side if they knew that he would be murdered and their fate as his disciples would be a death sentence for them as well.
These days some of us can only deal with unvarnished truth on a 'need to know' basis, little bits at a time, presented in a palatable way. In the short term, that is easier, less messy. As time passes on we lose a great deal if we are not presented with truth - as is. The feelings, the actions, the reactions, the adjustments, the growth are postponed. The truth will win out, sooner or later.
Let us ask the Spirit for the courage to ask the hard questions- and the courage to deal with the truthful answer in all our dealings. Amen and amen.
Jesus had just finished telling his disciples (the ones we now call apostles) that he would be betrayed, killed and three days later 'rise again'.
We don't know whether they were 'afraid' because they felt less than brilliant, afraid to ask what he really meant by that..... or afraid that they had heard something so horrible that they would rather NOT bring up the subject, somehow hoping it would go away.
Asking for clarification or further information can bring some startling results. If you ask a question, you just might get an answer -- and the answer you get might not be the one you were hoping for.
Just perhaps.... they were afraid to ask because if Jesus' statement were verified, that truth would shake their world, shatter their hopes and alter forever their expectations. They wouldn't be jockeying for position by Jesus' side if they knew that he would be murdered and their fate as his disciples would be a death sentence for them as well.
These days some of us can only deal with unvarnished truth on a 'need to know' basis, little bits at a time, presented in a palatable way. In the short term, that is easier, less messy. As time passes on we lose a great deal if we are not presented with truth - as is. The feelings, the actions, the reactions, the adjustments, the growth are postponed. The truth will win out, sooner or later.
Let us ask the Spirit for the courage to ask the hard questions- and the courage to deal with the truthful answer in all our dealings. Amen and amen.
posted by Joanna Depue | 6:10 PM
1 Comments:
This is beautiful; I really love to see people who are really active in a christian church pondering and talking about their faith.
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