Called by "I AM" = Day 65 Month 3-6 Week 10-2

Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)


Leviticus 3:1-4:21 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%203%3A1-4%3A21&version=NASB1995

Psalm 54 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2054&version=NASB1995

Isaiah 47 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2047&version=NASB1995

Mark 10:46-11:14 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2010%3A46-11%3A14&version=NASB1995


Called by "I AM"


1. God said, through Isaiah the prophet, to Babylon, “For you have said in your heart, I am, and there is no one besides me.”  In the last few days we’ve read several passages about the dangers of putting ourselves in the place of God.  Babylon had become secure in itself and the prophet reveals that “your wisdom and knowledge have deluded you.”  Much of this world operates in that mindset.  In yesterday’s reading we discussed how the fools say: “There is no God.”  Today we read that Babylon is putting itself in the place of God.  It’s dangerous to claim “I AM.”  


When we do not acknowledge the presence and need for God, we create a huge void and often that void gets filled with something else.  Sometimes it’s selfishness and greed but often we replace God with a powerful leader and sometimes that powerful leader is a minister who represents God.


A few years back, Sylvia and I hosted and led a small group for our church.  A small group is a small gathering that would meet together at someone's house during the week and discuss the sermon from the Sunday before.  It was a functional mini-church within the bigger congregation where there was opportunity to build friendships, deepen one’s faith and receive support that is not possible in a weekly large gathering, because everyone is facing the front with no opportunity to ask questions or give input.  We always had a pot luck meal before our discussions.  It was a lot of fun and it built a great small community.  Now, we had a prominent pastor/teacher who was a real thinker and some of the messages he preached were so effectively delivered that we would almost be lost in the incredible way he could explain the Bible.  When a question would be discussed in the small group, we would often hear, “well ….(pastor's name)... said this”  or  “...explained it this way.”  In some cases, it would come dangerously close to putting the pastors' teaching above what the Bible said.  I would suggest the pastor’s intentions were always good and his goal was for all of us to understand the scriptures better.  However, when he had a serious moral failure, it devastated the whole church!  That church congregation of up to five thousand attending weekly was shut down.  Very simply, when we have a God sized void that is replaced by a fallible human, failure is imminent.


2. In Mark 10 we read about Blind Bartemaeus.  Jesus is surrounded by His disciples and a large crowd.  Bartemaeus is sitting by the road.  When he heard it was Jesus, he began to cry out to Him.  People try to “shush” him but he just gets louder and calls “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 


I have an incredible image in my mind of this taking place.  I noticed he wasn’t forcing himself on Jesus.  He was simply calling from the side of the road and he was determined to be heard by Jesus.   When Jesus said to bring him over……he throws off his cloak and comes running in Jesus’ direction.  You know from his actions that he truly believed Jesus could heal him and -  Jesus does heal him.  He immediately starts to follow Jesus.


I remember watching the “Price is Right” tv show when I was young.  I remember people in really weird costumes would be in the studio audience and at the beginning of the show, you’d hear names announced to come down and participate.  I believe it was an indiscriminately chosen member of the studio audience.  It would go like this: “(PERSONS NAME)!!  COME ON DOWN!!!!”  All of the contestants came running to the front and would have a short interview with the host.  But the contestants were bubbly and excited and they would RUN to the front!


That’s the image I see of blind Bartemaeus.  Jesus calls “BARTEMAEUS!!!!  COME ON DOWN!!!!”  Bartemaeus runs to the great I AM, is healed and follows Jesus.  Wow, what a powerful image!


When I met Jesus, I knew it was real but I did not feel the excitement that Bartamaeus had!  I was probably too young and “cool.” It was kind of a matter of fact but it was real.  We are all different.  Jesus meets us where we’re at.  Bartameaus was clearly an excitable person.  Sylvia’s experience is quite different from mine, having found Jesus later in life.  She may share her experience of meeting Jesus at a future “Intermission” . If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll pass on the suggestion.


Have a great day!

Steve


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