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September 30, 2021

God Is Present Even in Suffering

Kerri Hefner   |   Read Mark 10:1-12

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Lectionary Week
September 27–October 3, 2021
Scripture Overview

This week we read about Job, an upright man who faces severe trials but never loses his faith. Job’s story brings us face-to-face with the fact that living a godly life does not make us immune to suffering. Like Job, the psalmist wonders why he suffers, even though he lives according to God’s standards. Hebrews presents Jesus as the ultimate example of unwarranted suffering, yet because of his perseverance he is ultimately glorified. In Mark, some Pharisees test Jesus on the interpretation of the law concerning divorce. Jesus makes strong statements about marriage, but his larger concern is that their hearts have become hard. He contrasts them with little children, who model faith by receiving God with an open heart.

Questions and Suggestions for Reflection

Read Job 1:1; 2:1-10. What helps you to live with integrity?
Read Psalm 26. Do you feel free in your prayer life to honestly share with God all that you are feeling?
Read Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12. In what ways does God speak to us in our day?
Read Mark 10:2-16. What qualities found in children do you try to cultivate in your spiritual life?

Respond by posting a prayer .

Mark 10:1-12

1 Jesus left that place and went beyond the Jordan and into the region of Judea. Crowds gathered around him again and, as usual, he taught them. 2 Some Pharisees came and, trying to test him, they asked, “Does the Law allow a man to divorce his wife?” 3 Jesus answered, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a divorce certificate and to divorce his wife.” 5 Jesus said to them, “He wrote this commandment for you because of your unyielding hearts. 6 At the beginning of creation,God made them male and female. 7 Because of this, a man should leave his father and mother and be joined together with his wife, 8 and the two will be one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. 9 Therefore, humans must not pull apart what God has put together.” 10 Inside the house, the disciples asked him again about this. 11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12 and if a wife divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

Unless otherwise indicated, scripture quotations are from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible. Used by permission.

Learned people challenged Jesus on all sorts of topics: healing, observance of the sabbath, taxes, marriage, and more. They hoped to trip him up with hair-splitting questions on technicalities of living the faith. Each time, Jesus responded with a challenge to deeper discipleship. In this passage, Jesus first challenges the...

Lord, help me to see others with your loving eyes. Keep me from insisting on my own privileges, and help me see things from the perspective of those more in need than I. Amen.


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