Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. When he exercises his messianic authority, however, that authority is immediately challenged.
Mark 11 Verse by Verse
Reply
Tag Archives: prayer
A Prayer Prompted by Mark 11
Dear heavenly Father,
Your people have often fallen into times of deep hypocrisy and in this chapter we see Jesus confront a group of people who were in one of those times.
Help us to be especially sensitive to the ways that our lives do not line up with your desires for us.
Let us always remember that you get to set the agenda in our lives individually and in the church.
And help us not to forget the importance of prayer. We know it can be really effective when we truly believe and consistently bring our requests before you.
We also know that before prayer comes a heart of forgiveness. Help us to be those people that refuse to hold grudges and refuse to let unforgiveness cloud our relationship with you.
And we thank you for all the ways and the times that you have forgiven us.
In Christ,
Amen.
A Prayer Prompted by Mark 10
Dear heavenly Father,
We acknowledge that we are sinful people who live in the midst of a sinful nation. Particularly in the areas of marriage and sexuality we have so distorted your desires for us that there is no way left for us to untie the knots.
Please forgive us, please transform us and please help us to make right whatever we can.
Help us to rely fully on the sacrifice of Jesus to cleanse us of our sin.
Help us to exercise a childlike faith and trust in you.
Like the blind beggar Bartimaeus, we really are helpless and have nothing at all to lose – except perhaps our sin and shame.
Therefore, we submit fully to Jesus as our Savior, Messiah and Lord.
In Christ,
Amen.
A Prayer Prompted by Mark 9:23-24
The interaction between Jesus and the father of a demonized boy is highly instructional.
23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Heavenly Father,
We know that you are all-powerful and all-good. You deserve every bit of faith and trust that we can give. Sadly, however, that faith and trust is still sometimes sorely lacking. We believe and yet we don’t. We trust you, but not completely. We have faith, sort of, but it wavers almost uncontrollably.
We believe, Lord; help our unbelief! If the faith we have is no more than a mustard seed, please respond by moving the mountains that we face. It may look as if our chances and hopes are dismal, but they are no worse than the hopes of this father with the demonized son. Our challenges are no greater than those of the disciples on the Saturday after Good Friday when your body, Jesus, was still in the tomb.
Please act, Lord! Please hear our prayer! Please pull us up from the depths of our unbelief, doubt and despair, and teach us to trust more fully in you.
It is in your name we pray,
Amen.
Central Reflections 