FPCLA February 22, 2021 Lenten Word Meditation

lent background image

Today’s Lenten Word Meditation comes from John 12:27-36a NRSV:
27“Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say — ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. 34The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. 36While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.”

 
The word, troubled (tarasso in Greek) means to agitate, trouble.  Jesus made his “triumphant” entry into Jerusalem, and everyone was hoping he would be the messiah they always expected.  Yet, Jesus knew otherwise as he knew he was going to die. 
 
This morning I sit, hold, and pray with the word, troubled.  How did Jesus deal with the expectations of others, especially a whole nation?  What did his mother and sisters and brothers expect of him?  What about his followers? 
 
During this time of Lent, I am troubled.  I know growing up, parents and others had expectations of me…what I will become, where I will be, etc.  Sometimes I felt like I lived for the expectations of others, which led to failure because I was living for their expectations and not mine. Today, I wonder what others expect of me?  Would I be a failure if I didn’t fulfill those expectations?  Old feelings of insecurity arise at times. 
 
How do you live with expectations of others? 
 
Pastor Sam

Share:

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on google
Google+
Share on email
Email
Share on pinterest
Pinterest

You might also enjoy:

Thank you

You should hear
from us soon