PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Mark 6:21-29
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her.” (Mark 6:26)
Why do we do things we shouldn’t do, or not do what we should do?
How much does external pressure prompt our bahaviour?
A desire to be thought well of, or to save face, or improve our standing?
Herod was a strong leader in public, but weak in private.
People claim that they want to be free, but how much of our life is bondage?
We are not so free afterall; we are slaves to sin and to its consequences.
As Jesus followers, we have surrendered ourselves to a new master.
This sounds restricting, but it is actually liberating.
We are free from the pressure to do what others expect of us.
We are free from Satan’s accusations and enticements.
They still come, but now we can refuse them with Jesus’ help!
Herod did what he didn’t want to do, because he felt pressured to.
In Jesus we have the motivation and the support to do the right thing.
But only if we have surrendered to Jesus as our new master!
PRAYER
Lord, there is no freedom apart from surrender to You. Any other master but You – including myself – will only make my life unbearable.
First of all I’m thinking how reckless, how stupid the king was to make such an oath. But then who would have thought that his step daughter would ask such a gruesome thing as the head of John the Baptist when there are many more things she could have wanted for herself. I too have to watch myself not to make ‘rash promises or vows’ – better not too. Then pride and prestige, image etc. makes us carry through. I remember that in the ‘dare you to do this or that’ phase as a school aged boy. I pray that the HS may help me to be protected from myself especially when it comes to making promises. Let me follow Jesus!
What causes me to act/behave the way that I do?
My choices and influenced by friends, by choosing right or wrong or by my living for Jesus. In all that I do I need His Word and therefor dress each day in His armour so that I am able to stand.
In doubt and temptation
I rest, Lord, in Thee;
My hand is in Thy hand,
Thou carest for me;
My soul with Thy counsel
Through life Thou wilt guide,
And afterward make me
In glory abide.
Refrain
My God, I will extol Thee
And ever bless Thy name;
Each day will I give thanks to Thee
And all Thy praise proclaim.
In glory Thou only
My portion shall be,
On earth for none other
I long for but Thee;
My flesh and heart falter,
But God is my stay,
The strength of my spirit,
My portion for aye.