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By John | September 26, 2008
From the Word : All she had ( from Mark 12:35-44)
”Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, ‘Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.’ ” (Mark 12:43-44)
What is the deal here? The deal is that she gave all. In tangible terms it was very small, but it was all she had, all she had to live on. I have heard this incident discussed in pragmatic terms, pointing out that what she gave was obviously not much, $1.50 to $2.00 in today’s terms (1/64 of a day’s wages - do the math for your own situation). That viewpoint questions the effectiveness of this event as a good illustration of what Jesus was trying to get across. It seems that for those who aren’t living on the cusp of desperation day to day, this event is hard to identify with. But Jesus dealt with the reality for her, not for them. What can I do realistically to enter into the reality of her world in order to benefit from the full impact of her example, and take to heart the point Jesus is making here?
Lord, I ask You to deal with me according to what You know my needs and my assets are, both what I have and what I don’t have. I want my life to make a difference; what difference can I make based on who I am? Lord, I pray for You to show me what You want me to do, that I might honor You with all that I have, as much or as little as it may be. Back to the five loaves and two fish; not much when You need to feed thousands. But that is where You come in, Lord. May You take all that I have and do with it, and with me, according to Your purposes and plans. I am Yours, I belong to you completely. Amen.
Please pray with us:
Friends of ours are currently travelling for about a month in Germany where they previously served as missionaries for several decades. They are back visiting German friends whom they made over the years, which includes a mix of believers as well as some whom have not yet made the step of commitment to Christ. Please pray with us that their time with their old friends would be refreshing and significant according to the needs and situation of each.
Topics: In the Word and Prayer |