Lenten Meditations: Sunday, March 17

As we journey together through Lent, Christians throughout Columbia will be sharing their own beautifully written personal meditations. Each will be accompanied by a corresponding scripture reading, and be linked to that passage in the Holy Bible. If you would like to join us on Columbia’s Lenten journey, please submit your personal meditation by email. Especially meaningful submissions will be printed. Let us continue our Lenten journey, day by day, to its glorious culmination on Easter Sunday.

Scripture reading: Mark 8:31, 9:1

When Jesus spoke that He was going to die, not many people could understand that He was going to die. Peter did. He did not like it, and so got mad at Jesus. Then Jesus said, “If anyone wants to come after me (go to heaven), he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” To me that means that if anyone wants to go to heaven, then he or she must confess and give up.

Confess that we know God is right, confess that we have problems and confess that following Him is the best plan. Because if you want to save your life, Jesus says you will lose it.

When He asks, “What can a man give in exchange for his soul?” I think He meant that once you give up your soul, you can’t get it back. Good or bad. You need to make the right choice and give it to God so that you can go to heaven.

Finally, when He says, “Some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power,” I think He is saying that before some of us die, He will come again.

I hope we can all go with Him. Heaven is the best reward for confessing and giving.

Talley Moorman

Columbia, South Carolina

You might also like to read:

• Bible Verse of the Day
• Daily Bible Guide
• Growing in Christ
• Bible Study Tools Online
• The Jesus Walk Bible Study Series

A discussion of today’s Lenten meditation is encouraged. If you would like to participate, please feel free to write a comment in the space below. There are many different outlooks and interpretations of scripture passages and, the more we share, the more we learn.

Sharon is a member of the Community Church of the Midlands that meets at Seven Oaks Community Center at 200 Leisure Lane in Columbia and is a frequent participant, with her husband Douglas, at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral located at 1100 Sumter Street in Columbia.

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If you enjoyed this article, you can find more at Sharon's Columbia Biblical Studies Examiner homepage.