July 27, 2015: Mark 6:21-29

-Mark 6:21-29 (NIV)

21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.  The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”  “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.


Reflection: Emotion Rollercoaster
Often times we find great relationships with others disrupted and even severed by the ulterior motives of a third party.  Herod was caught in the moment of awe from the dance of a young lady.  In the heat of the moment, he responded in a way he would have never known the results it would bear.  One of the take-aways from this text is that we should be weary of making decisions and promises in the heat of the moment.  This is no easy fare.  We all to often respond from our emotions- often to regretful ends.  We live in a culture of extremes.  This and that are “awesome”.  Things you have never seen and encounters which sway your emotions.  The Christian faith calls us to include the Divine in the daily.  Even in our overwhelming emotions, we are called to respond in faith.  We cannot be fruitful in our responses without being faithful first.  It is only through integrating our lives and our faith that we can overcome our emotions.

Questions:
What is the biggest emotional struggle in your life right now?
What is your greatest weakness?
Noon Question:
How has your focus on God rather than your emotions this morning changed the outcome of some situations?
Evening Questions:
What have you discovered that needs work in your life in your life?
Ask God for strength and guidance in these areas.