Thursday, March 20: Beth Zobel

Mark 4:21-34. And Jesus said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.”

We In Him/He in Us
In this passage, Jesus calls us to responsibility. We are to pay attention and put some effort into living a God-centered life. We are even promised reward for taking these steps. You’d think with this assurance from God we’d be all OVER paying attention and making right effort! But, alas, we continually miss the mark. We are predisposed to inattentive minds that dart about seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. (Try this: spend a day counting the times your motives are geared toward wanting or aversion.) But Jesus knows there is more in us. He sees our true capacity. He knows what it is to be fully human-so asks of us only what is attainable. During this Lenten season, I intend to follow His teachings and path to the cross with this understanding: Jesus asks me to pay attention and commit to wise effort because he KNOWS I am capable-because HE LIVES IN ME.

— Beth Zobel