Fire, Hammer, Heavy Hand--March 17, 2013

 God, your word can be fire,

or a hammer that breaks rocks;

and your hand can be heavy upon us.

Christ calls us to life by losing it for his sake,

and to freedom by becoming a slave to all.

But if we are willing, the fire purifies;

the hammer cracks open hard hearts;

and your hand will lead and protect,

if only we learn what it means to

serve you and truly be free.

Lectionary Readings

Ps. 84; 150; 42; 32

Jer. 23:16-32

1 Cor. 9:19-27

Mark 8:31-9:1

Selected Verses

Ps. 32:4

For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
          my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.     Selah

Jer. 23:29

Is not my word like fire, says the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

1 Cor. 9:19

For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might win more of them.

Mark 8:35

"…For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.  …"  [Jesus to his disciples and to the crowd]