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Trading Frustration for Forgiveness

May 7, 2024

Hey Clawson Family!


Song:



Scripture:


Mark 6:14-29


The Death of John the Baptist


14 Herod Antipas, the king, soon heard about Jesus, because everyone was talking about him. Some were saying,[e] “This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead. That is why he can do such miracles.” 15 Others said, “He’s the prophet Elijah.” Still others said, “He’s a prophet like the other great prophets of the past.”


16 When Herod heard about Jesus, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has come back from the dead.”


17 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. 18 John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias bore a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But without Herod’s approval she was powerless, 20 for Herod respected John; and knowing that he was a good and holy man, he protected him. Herod was greatly disturbed whenever he talked with John, but even so, he liked to listen to him.


21 Herodias’s chance finally came on Herod’s birthday. He gave a party for his high government officials, army officers, and the leading citizens of Galilee. 22 Then his daughter, also named Herodias,[f] came in and performed a dance that greatly pleased Herod and his guests. “Ask me for anything you like,” the king said to the girl, “and I will give it to you.” 23 He even vowed, “I will give you whatever you ask, up to half my kingdom!”


24 She went out and asked her mother, “What should I ask for?” Her mother told her, “Ask for the head of John the Baptist!” 25 So the girl hurried back to the king and told him, “I want the head of John the Baptist, right now, on a tray!” 26 Then the king deeply regretted what he had said; but because of the vows he had made in front of his guests, he couldn’t refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner to the prison to cut off John’s head and bring it to him. The soldier beheaded John in the prison, 28 brought his head on a tray, and gave it to the girl, who took it to her mother. 29 When John’s disciples heard what had happened, they came to get his body and buried it in a tomb.


Matthew 11:1-6


Jesus and John the Baptist


11 When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region.


2 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,[a] or should we keep looking for someone else?”


4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 6 And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me



Devotional:


At Clawson, we say your expectation affects your experience! Our frustration with God can happen when our expectations of what God should do are different from what God actually does. If God always did exactly what you wanted him to, He wouldn’t be God, He’d be your personal assistant. 


Think about  John the Baptist in the passages we just read. Here he is sitting in prison because Herod got mad that John called him out for his inappropriate relationships! He is probably waiting, thinking alright God I was in the right! I stood up for your standards. Now please work a miracle and bust me out! Maybe he was waiting on Jesus. Surely Jesus would come and rescue him? 


In Matthew 11:3 NLT, John asks Jesus: “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”


In other words, “Are you really who you say you are? Because if you are why am I still in prison!”  


Jesus doesn’t answer John’s question with a simple “yes” or “no” answer, but clearly he was saying I am the Messiah! Who else could make the blind see, the deaf hear, and the dead be raised to life?


Then Jesus adds something.


“God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.”Matthew 11:6 NLT


What does that even mean?


Another translation of that same verse says, “God blesses those who are not offended by me.”


Jesus was saying that you’re blessed if you’re not offended by God’s activity—or at times the seeming lack thereof. Jesus is acknowledging that some people will be disappointed by His lack of activity. The marriage still fell apart. The cancer wasn’t cured. Your prodigal son never returned. John the Baptist ended up being beheaded in prison.


Our circumstances are not necessarily a reflection of His goodness, but His presence is. You’re blessed when you can trust God in the valleys even after you’ve seen Him move mountains. Sometimes the blessing is there even without the breakthrough. So when God doesn’t act in the way you expect, it’s okay to feel frustrated. It’s okay to question, to doubt, or to wrestle. 


But you’re blessed when you’re not offended by God and instead spend time with Him—forgiving Him, experiencing Him, and loving Him for who He is and not just for what He’s done. 


Journal:


In your journal write down how knowing that sometimes you might not understand the way God answers prayers makes you feel. Think about a time in your life you have seen God work through unanswered prayers. 


Training:


Father, 


I’m sorry for the way that I’ve treated You like an assistant instead of a Savior. Help me forgive You for not always meeting my expectations and forgive me for putting my human expectations on Your infinite power.


 In Jesus’ name, amen.



Ask God to help open your mind so you can have a better understanding of why He doesn’t

always answer prayer instead of living in frustration.


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