Week Ten: I’m Just a Vessel
This Week’s Readings
Day 1: Numbers 27-30
Day 2: Numbers 31-33
Day 3: Numbers 34-36
Day 4: Mark 1-5
Day 5: Mark 6-10
Day 6: Mark 11-16
Day 7: Catch up
Reflections
In what ways have you underestimated yourself?
In what ways do you believe others have underestimated you, perhaps because you’re a woman?
If you could change a rule to benefit others, what would it be?
Reflections from The Bible in 52 Weeks by Dr. Kimberly Moore
GraceNotes - My Reflections
Mark 5:34
“Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
The story of the woman with the issue of blood is top two not two for me. This woman was isolated, was sick, was broken in more than one way due to her ailment. She heard of Jesus and knew in her heart that if she could just reach out and touch the hem of His garment, she would be healed. Imagine having this level of faith - to just know but a touch would remove all of the pain, the illness, the burdens from your life — and that faith made her well.
Mark 9:50
Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt among yourselves, and be at peace with each other.
One thing about it, if there’s no salt/flavor, I am not eating it. I’m screaming “what is this?” in my best Chef Ramsey voice…but what Jesus is really saying here is that we as Christians are as unique as salt. Salt was used for many different things before modern inventions - it was used to preserve, to cleanse, to season and the list goes on…but when salt loses its taste, it loses its purpose. We are called to be in the world and not of it; if we take on worldliness, our uniqueness diminishes and we become like everyone else.
Mark 11:24-25
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. I cannot even begin to tell you that it has taken work to forgive myself and to forgive others for a multitude of things - even as little as getting cut off on the highway or as big as betrayal in a friendship. But how can I go to God asking for blessings in prayer or even for Him to forgive me, when I am holding grudges? God gives us grace so willingly and so freely that we can only strive to make it to that level of love, but what I have learned is that forgiveness is for you. Forgiveness if for you — because it makes you free of the bitterness that leads to hatred which is the complete opposite of the love and light that we as Christians are called to spread. We have the authority to pray, and to pray boldly knowing that God can do exceedingly above all that we can ask, think or imagine; but we also cannot tap in to this boldness without first following divine orders — repenting of the sin of unforgiveness and being free.
Hey Ladies! Drop your revelations, thoughts, and those lightbulb "aha" moments right down there in the comment section! Let's create a space to spill the beans on how God is throwing us some divine vibes as we dive deep into His word. Time to share the spiritual tea!
