New Rules
Have you ever felt that people are watching over your shoulder? Waiting to see if you get something wrong, make a mistake, stray from the expected route? People waiting to sit in judgement, ready to pounce and prove you inadequate or misleading?
A Question about the Sabbath
23One Sabbath Jesus and his disciples were walking through some wheat fields. His disciples were picking grains of wheat as they went along. 24Some Pharisees asked Jesus, “Why are your disciples picking grain on the Sabbath? They are not supposed to do that!”25Jesus answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his followers were hungry and in need? 26It was during the time of Abiathar the high priest. David went into the house of God and ate the sacred loaves of bread that only priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his followers.”
27Jesus finished by saying, “People were not made for the good of the Sabbath. The Sabbath was made for the good of people.
Moan, whinge… “your disciples shouldn’t be doing that”. Stick to our rules, not yours. Conform. Do what we say. We make the rules around here.
Now we discover what the Sabbath was for. The Sabbath was for freeing, not tying hands. The Sabbath was for life, not death. The old rules no longer apply – Jesus, by his resurrection, has made all things new. Are we going his new way, the way God meant it to be all along, or still worrying about the old way?
Tom’s prayer for today (p 180):
Show us,
Lord of all wisdom,
where we are clinging to the old signposts
when you are leading us forward to the goal
This year, I am again following the BigRead using Tom Wright’s Lent for Everyone – Mark. I’ll reflect here – if you’re following it too, or even if you’re not, please share with me.
Pam's Perambulation 