Thursday Mark 12:13-17
BIBLE PASSAGE
[Please read and meditate on the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]
I wish I could be so wise in giving such replies to people when they try to trap me. But Jesus wasn’t trying to be clever when he answered, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Sure, that strange but convenient alliance of the super-religious and the pro-establishment was out to trap Jesus with their trick question of who to pay taxes to. The super-religious would emphasize giving only to the Temple (and thereby to the Jewish nation) and denying Rome; the pro-establishment would say the opposite to maintain the status quo (and peace with Rome). But for Jesus, it wasn’t a case of just fulfilling your duties or the Law. It never is for God (more later in verses 30 & 31). The deeper question is: How do you see yourself and your possessions in relation to the world, and in relation to God? Yes, to be part of the world, we need to fulfill our responsibility to society. But we can best do that by first fulfilling our responsibility to God. And what do you think that is? (Does yesterday’s devotion give a hint?)
Prayer: Father, I remember reading in Proverbs 9:10 that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” You really don’t want me to show the world that I belong to you by giving people clever answers to their (cunning) questions, do you, Lord? Help me to be a witness to them by my genuine (authentic) devotion to you in all that I am (my identity), and through all that I have (my possessions). I know that only by doing this will I reveal my love, respect, and awe of you, and strangely, I will also want to fulfill my responsibility to the society I live in – for your sake! Teach me, change me, and work through me, my Savior, Lord, and Holy One. Amen.
Great Matt Redman song : CLICK HERE
[Please read and meditate on the passage before (or after) reading the devotion.]
I wish I could be so wise in giving such replies to people when they try to trap me. But Jesus wasn’t trying to be clever when he answered, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” Sure, that strange but convenient alliance of the super-religious and the pro-establishment was out to trap Jesus with their trick question of who to pay taxes to. The super-religious would emphasize giving only to the Temple (and thereby to the Jewish nation) and denying Rome; the pro-establishment would say the opposite to maintain the status quo (and peace with Rome). But for Jesus, it wasn’t a case of just fulfilling your duties or the Law. It never is for God (more later in verses 30 & 31). The deeper question is: How do you see yourself and your possessions in relation to the world, and in relation to God? Yes, to be part of the world, we need to fulfill our responsibility to society. But we can best do that by first fulfilling our responsibility to God. And what do you think that is? (Does yesterday’s devotion give a hint?)
Prayer: Father, I remember reading in Proverbs 9:10 that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” You really don’t want me to show the world that I belong to you by giving people clever answers to their (cunning) questions, do you, Lord? Help me to be a witness to them by my genuine (authentic) devotion to you in all that I am (my identity), and through all that I have (my possessions). I know that only by doing this will I reveal my love, respect, and awe of you, and strangely, I will also want to fulfill my responsibility to the society I live in – for your sake! Teach me, change me, and work through me, my Savior, Lord, and Holy One. Amen.
Great Matt Redman song : CLICK HERE
Recent
Archive
2026
March
Monday Mark 1:1Tuesday Mark 1:2-8Wednesday Mark 1:9-11Thursday Mark 1:12-13Friday Mark 1:14-20Saturday Mark 1:21-28Monday Mark 1:29-34Tuesday Mark 1:35-39Wednesday Mark 1:40-45Thursday Mark 2:1-12Friday Mark 2:13-17Saturday Mark 2:18-22Monday Mark 2:23-28Tuesday Mark 3:1-6Wednesday Mark 3:7-12Thursday Mark 3:13-19Friday Mark 3:20-22Saturday Mark 3:22-30Monday Mark 3:31-35Tuesday Mark 4:9-12Wednesday Mark 4:1-8, 13-20Thursday Mark 4:1-8, 13-20Friday Mark 4:21-25Saturday Mark 4:26-34Monday Mark 4:35-41Tuesday Mark 5:1-20
April
Wednesday Mark 5:24-34Thursday Mark 5:21-24, 35-43Friday Mark 6:1-6Saturday Mark 6:7-13Monday Mark 6:14-29Tuesday Mark 6:30-44Wednesday Mark 6:45-56Thursday Mark 7:1-13Friday Mark 7:14-23Saturday Mark 7:24-30Monday Mark 7:31-37Tuesday Mark 8:1-13Wednesday Mark 8:14-21Thursday Mark 8:22-26Friday Mark 8:27-30Saturday Mark 8:31-33Monday Mark 8:33-35Tuesday Mark 8:35-9:1Wednesday Mark 9:2-13Thursday Mark 9:14-29Friday Mark 9:20-27Saturday, Mark 9:30-37Monday Mark 9:38-41Tuesday Mark 9:42-50Wednesday Mark 10:1-12Thursday Mark 10:13-16
May
Friday Mark 10:17-25Saturday Mark 10:24-31Monday Mark 10:32-34Tuesday Mark 10:35-40Wednesday Mark 10:41-45Thursday Mark 10:46-52Friday Mark 11:1-11Saturday Mark 11:15-19Monday Mark 11:12-14, 20-25Tuesday Mark 11:27-33Wednesday Mark 12:1-12Thursday Mark 12:13-17Friday Mark 12:18-27Saturday Mark 12:28-34Monday Mark 12:35-40Tuesday Mark 12:41-44Wednesday Mark 13:1-8Thursday Mark 13:9-27Friday Mark 13:28-37Saturday Mark 14:1-11Monday Mark 14:12-26Tuesday Mark 14:27-31Wednesday Mark 14:32-42Thursday Mark 14:43-52Friday Mark 14:53-65Saturday Mark 14:66-72
June
Monday Mark 15:1-15Tuesday Mark 15:16-20Wednesday Mark 15:21-32Thursday Mark 15:33-37Friday Mark 15:37-41Saturday Mark 15:42-47Monday Mark 16:1-8Tuesday Mark 16: (9-20)Wednesday John 20:11-18Thursday Luke 24:13-33Friday Luke 24:33-34Saturday John 20:19-25Monday, June 15, 2026Tuesday, June 16, 2026Wednesday, June 17, 2026Thursday, June 18, 2026Friday, June 19, 2026Saturday, June 20, 2026Monday, June 22, 2026Tuesday, June 23, 2026Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Categories
no categories
No Comments