Confessing Frustration

Today's Reading: Job 19:25-27 & Mark 1 & 2

Scripture:

"Immediately the Spirit impelled Him to go out into the wilderness." Mark 10:12

Observation:

It had to be an incredible moment. Jesus walks forward in obedience to the Father's call and allows John to baptize. John dips the Darling of Heaven underneath the murky waters of the Jordan river and as he raises Him back up the heavens open and God the Father affirms God the Son.

The serenity of the moment is then crudely interrupted by scripture referenced above. The affirmation that God gave Jesus was not intended to usher Him into a place of peace; it's intent was to prepare Him for what was to come next. Over the next forty days Christ would find Himself alone in the wilderness; tormented and tempted by satan.

Application:

I want God to speak to me so that I can feel better. I can sugar coat that or word smith it to death but the heart of the matter is that I seek after God more for my own good than do I pursue Him for His plan and purpose.

Prayer:

Father I must confess that I have been frustrated towards You this week. I have allowed my desire for resolution to some things in my life to become more important to me that my relationship with You. My desire to find a solution has hijacked my thoughts and my emotions. As things have piled up this week I have struggled keeping You front and center in my life. I pray to You this morning asking for your forgiveness.

As I look at the life of Jesus this morning I am totally enamored with how He loved and connected with You. His life did not matter to Him. His all consuming desire was to see that Your mission was accomplished. He suffered far beyond the petty things that have annoyed me this week and yet He stayed on task.

There is a desire and a willingness inside of me to model this trait of Jesus, but I am unable to overcome my flesh's drive for self-preservation. I ask that You empower me today to thrive on Your presence in my life and to walk above the things in this world that pursue me. I rest in Your promise to fulfill what You said I can never do on my own.