C-19 Reflection #12: Holy Tuesday - Creating Space

C-19 Daily Reflection (#12) – Holy Tuesday

 Theme: Creating Space

 Scripture Reading: Mark 6:30-44

 Scripture Focus: Mark 6:31

 Reflection:

 Jesus had a habit of inviting people to things. You can see this pattern emerge and develop throughout the Gospels at various times on the journey – come follow me – come with me to a quiet place – watch and pray – give them something to eat – feed my sheep.

It should not be lost on you as you read these invitations that they are invitations for you every bit as they were for the first disciples. This is how God speaks to us today.

Holy Week is a quiet week on purpose and for obvious reasons. But this Holy Week is quite unique because we don’t have to create a quiet mood artificially. Most of us are in our homes this week – resting, reading, working, connecting with others as much as we can, cleaning, praying, longing and planning for better days. So this invitation by Jesus to come with him to a quiet place (v.31) becomes a very real opportunity for you to create some space in your life, in your heart, in your schedule, as unspectacular as it is just now, where you become the one who invites God to come and work.

As you reflect on the text and the quote below, which seeks to explain and encourage you to create space for God, and as you take this invitation seriously, I hope that you will notice that there are other invitations that come along as well.

May God bless you today and everyday as you take time with Jesus and allow him to feed your soul.

May God bless you also in finding ways to feed others during these crazy days.

Finally, may God bless you in understanding the connection between these two things.

Quote:

“Discipline is the other side of discipleship. Discipleship without discipline is like waiting to run in the marathon without ever practicing. Discipline without discipleship is like always practicing for the marathon but never participating.

It is important, however, to realize that discipline in the spiritual life is not the same as discipline in sports. Discipline in sports is the concentrated effort to master the body so that it can obey the mind better.

Discipline in the spiritual life is the concentrated effort to create the space and time where God can become our master and where we can respond freely to God's guidance.

Thus, discipline is the creation of boundaries that keep time and space open for God. Solitude requires discipline, worship requires discipline, caring for others requires discipline. They all ask us to set apart a time and a place where God's gracious presence can be acknowledged and responded to.”

 ~ Henri J. M. Nouwen