Obedience to the Father’s Will
Lord Jesus, In your Last Week on
earth, U Prepared the disciples
for the Last Days by telling them
to take up their cross (M8:34).
You performed startling miracles
including transfiguration (M9:2)
and urged them to Have Faith in
God and not doubt (M11:22-23).
U taught the most Impt teaching
to love the Lord wholeheartedly
and to love others (M12:30-31).
And you prophesied earthquakes,
famines, lawlessness (Mark 13:8);
gospel spread to all nations (v10);
severe persecutions before you in
your mercy shortened it (v11-20);
false prophets, cosmic signs just
before your coming in the clouds
to gather your elect (v21-27). And
urge watchfulness & dependence
on God, You said My words will
not pass away (Mark 13:28-37).
Lord, having thoroughly prepared
the disciples, your actions in the
Final Day on earth shows you are
Fully Obedient to the Father’s Will
to Give Yr Live as ransom (M10:45)
At the Last Supper, U said one of
u who eats with me will betray me
(M14:18) & yet U did not stop him.
You greatly desire to get out of
the intense suffering and yet You
went to Gethsemane to pray: Not
what I will but what You will (v36).
You chose to surrender to the
Father’s will in loving obedience.
Lord,at trial before religious leaders
You chose to remain silent when
false charges were thrown at you.
And yet when high priest asked:
Are You the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed? You said I am. And you
will see the Son of Man coming
with the clouds of heaven (v62).
At trial before political authority,
when Pilate asked: Are you King
of the Jews? You said: It is as you
say. And yet when Pilate asked
about priests’ false accusations,
You answered nothing (M15:1-5).
In all your previous encounters
where religious leaders accused
You of wrong doings You had
no problem defending yet this
time You chose not to do so?!
Lord, at the cross when teachers
of the law mocked You; He saved
others but He can’t save himself?
Let this Christ come down now
from the cross, that we may see
and believe (Mark 15:27-32).
You who Calm the sea (M4:39) &
yet chose to remain at the cross.
And then there was darkness over
the whole land for 3 hours (v33).
And You cried: My God, My God,
why have You forsaken me ?
Then the veil of the temple was
torn in two from top to bottom
So when the centurion saw that
He cried out like this & breathed
His last, he said: Truly this Man
was the Son of God! (M15:34-39).
Thank U Lord for Yr love enduring
all the suffering on our behalf.
We love you in deep gratitude!
Lord, we purpose to trust yr word:
We note U appeared to the eleven
and rebuked them for their lack of
faith and their stubborn refusal
to believe those who had seen him
after he had risen. Then he said:
Go into all the world and preach
the good news. Whoever believes
and it is baptised will be saved,
but whoever does not believe
will be condemned (M16:14:20).
Lord, with Your resurrection,
we have good news to proclaim
in obedience to Your commission.
Lord, You have good plans for us
and You fulfil promises. We learnt
from last three chapters of Mark,
You are fully obedient to Father’s
will. Whilst Your sacrificial love
is really lofty, we are challenged
to be more obedient to God
and His mysterious ways. Holy
Spirit, grant us grace to take up
our cross, trust U without doubt
and carry out our assigned tasks
out of love of You and others.
Whilst there may be challenges,
we know the Almighty, all loving
and all faithful God is our side!
In Jesus Mighty name, Amen.