February 18 I Saturday

Leviticus 23-24

Mark 1:1-22

“Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.”    —Matthew 10:17-18

Jesus sends His disciples to proclaim the good news that the kingdom of heaven has come near and gives them the power to heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons. But the mission that Jesus is sending them on is not an easy feat, as He tells them that they are like sheep among wolves. He elaborates, “Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On My account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.…Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone because of Me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 10:17-23).

       Jesus tells His disciples that what lies ahead of them will be flogging and arresting, betrayal by family members, hatred by everyone and persecution. We can reinterpret these into three types of “wolf’s dens” that exist. There are the religious wolves, the government wolves and the wolves that are members of our own family.

       Sometimes, we think that if we embrace Christ and live a good life of obedience that it will automatically mean we will live a peaceful and prosperous life. Deep down, many of us believe that if we do our part, God will protect us and everything will be easy. As we study Scripture, we will realize that this is not what Jesus taught His disciples. In fact, He taught the exact opposite: to obey Him was to find that life might become harder and more dangerous.

       Some of us may have experienced some form of insult, hardship or difficulty living our faith in the culture, such as the mocking of a peer group or social isolation that happens when people find that we obey and follow the teachings of Jesus. Some may even have faced ostracization or persecution from our own family.

       To embrace Jesus while we are still on this earth is to embrace being a sheep among wolves. If we are facing adversity, it does not mean God has abandoned us. In fact, it may mean that we are exactly where He wants us to be. He knows full well what He is sending His sheep into. As our Good Shepherd, He is the One directing His sheep.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, even though I may experience insults, hardships and difficulties as I live out my faith, I know that You have not abandoned me. Thank You for directing my path. Praise You!