Near in My Mouth, far from My Heart--Mar. 30, 2015

Too often you are near in my mouth

yet far from my heart, O Christ.

I want to know you and the power

of your resurrection, but would this

mean becoming like you in your death?

Your disciples did not understand these things

at first--perhaps they did not want to understand.

I could empathize with them in that regard.

I pray that your steadfast love will

become my comfort and

my motivation.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 119:73-80; 145; 121; 6

Jer. 11:18-20; 12:1-17

Phil. 3:1-14

John 12:9-19

Selected Verses

Ps. 119:76

Let your steadfast love become my comfort
          according to your promise to your servant. 

Jer. 12:2

You plant them, and they take root;
          they grow and bring forth fruit;
you are near in their mouths
          yet far from their hearts.

Phil. 3:10

I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death…

John 12:16

His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him.