Week 15 - Jesus chooses His Way

Theme:

Jesus chooses to do what He feels called to do. He will face temptation, but He knows what He has to do.

What I may wish to ask:

That I can choose together with Jesus, that I can make the same choices He made. That I can live my life in the same way He lived His life.

Music: Voor de Zevende Dag (For the Seventh Day) Huub Oosterhuis

Dutch:

Wek mijn zachtheid weer.

Geef mij terug de ogen van een kind.

Dat ik zie wat is,

en mij toevertrouw,

en het licht niet haat.

English:

Awaken my gentleness once more.

Give me back the eyes of a child.

That I may see what is

and entrust myself,

and not hate the light.

Spotify Link:

https://open.spotify.com/track/2b41wbDvtTwyxLhfvTd9Kp?si=f895670e2400479e

YouTube Link:

https://youtu.be/eDTEeLhXASM?si=ED7CbD9g52ENL1fX

Mark 3: 1 – 6

Again, He [Jesus] entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. And they watched him, to see whether He would heal him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 

I use my imagination to enter into this story. I look for a place in this synagogue and take my time to pay full attention to what I see and hear happening around me. Maybe I am standing at a distance observing. Maybe I am sitting with the Pharisees. Maybe I am someone with a withered hand. I look at the faces around me. I look at Jesus. What does all this evoke in me?

*

And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come here.” And He said to them, “Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. And He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, ….

Jesus was grieved at their hardness of heart. Do I recognise in my own life something of what Jesus is experiencing here? Do I sometimes look at others grieved at their hardness of heart? Do others sometimes look at me grieved at my hardness of heart?

*

…. and (Jesus) said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out, and immediately held counsel with the Hero′di-ans against him, how to destroy him.

The words and deeds of Jesus do not awaken gentleness but revenge. And yet Jesus still chooses His way. What does His way look like? If I choose as Jesus chooses, what is the way like for me? What does that mean for my everyday life?

*

In a couple of minutes we will end the meditation with the music. I consider what effect the words of this song have on me personally.

*

Music: