Daily Devotion for Lent 2015, Day 20

Daily Devotion for Lent

Thursday,  March 12, 2015, Day 20

Mark 8:11-21 (NRSV)

In seminary, they spoke about having a theology of scarcity versus having a theology of abundance.

A good example of a theology of scarcity was a country church where the treasurer began to put a little extra back into a secret, rainy day account.  This was unbeknownst to the Finance Committee, the Pastor or the Administrative Council.

When it was finally discovered, the treasurer told the church that she was only looking out for their best interests.

While she may have had good intentions, it communicates that she doesn't really trust the church to do what is right with their money.  It states that she knows better than the collective wisdom of the congregation.  Even if this would have proven to be true in a particular instance, it in effect subverts the authority of the church as a whole to act on behalf of God in the world.

A theology of abundance is more in line with what Jesus is trying to get the disciples to capture for themselves.  Jesus shares with them the miracle of the abundant feast when they thought they only had a little.  In the Kingdom of God, the abundance is present and all will be fed.

Abundance is celebrated in every culture.
It is interesting to see how God speaks to
this in different settings.

This can be difficult to believe.

Can the Pharisees be faulted for asking for a sign?  For proof?

It is quite natural for us.

The difficult thing is that Jesus has already provided many signs.  Just as God has already provided many blessings of abundance in our lives.

If we're stubborn and don't have eyes to see or ears to hear, Jesus might just get in his boat and sail away.

Prayer from Kenneth Koeman:

Our Father, forgive us for thinking small thoughts of you and for ignoring your immensity 
    and greatness.
Lord Jesus, forgive us when we forget that you rule the nations and our small lives.
Holy Spirit, we offend you in minimizing your power and squandering your gifts.
We confess that our blindness to your glory, O triune God, has resulted in shallow 
    confession, tepid conviction, and only mild repentance.
Have mercy on us.  
In Jesus’ name.  Amen.





Prayer by Kenneth Koeman, © 1993 Faith Alive Christian Resources

Photo by By Starscream (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons