September 14th - Reflection

Mark 11:20-25 (NRSV)
Forgiveness for those who forgive In the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. Then Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered." Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

"Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."

Reflection
It's not about what I want. It's not about what I want to take place. It's all about what God wants and what God wants to take place. I pray that I may be involved with what God wants and what God wants to take place.

I believe and trust God enough to sacrifice my will for God's will. I believe and trust God enough to be God's living sacrifice.

As far as I know, I feel no need to do anything about fig trees or mountains. But if this be God's will then God will provide me with the wherewithall to do something about it.

Reflect on Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac. Abraham was giving up the promise of life through him to a command from God. Abraham came just that close to sacrificing his son for God. But God stopped him. God would do this through Jesus.

So as we stand in prayer, it's not about what I or you want, it's about what God wants to do through us. And one of those things God states that God wants in this passage is for each of us to forgive one another. That's just one of those things that God wants through us, God's living sacrifices. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Jesus, you became my sacrifice for my sin. May I be a living sacrifice to you today... tomorrow... and forever. All in what you want. --- Amen