The Widow's Offering

So, my readers, I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to write yesterday. I had a very busy, but rejuvenating Lord's Day.

I got up at 7am so that I could drive back to school and attend my church there. I feel so at home at this church, and I'm really sad about not being able to attend next year when I move back home after graduation. I have to say that I have never attended a church other than this one where I feel convicted after every sermon. The fellowship is awesome, and there's a balance in the music, but the lyrics are always theologically rich. I feel it's the closest to perfect a church could ever be for me.

That aside I guess I'll recap. Sunday school consisted of a small group discussion of the plagues. I love studying the Old Testament when I know how it works in line with the New Testament. Sunday night was a pastoral discussion on multi-site churches and whether they are biblical. It's something I had been thinking about myself and found the sermon very helpful. This kind of thing happens a lot, though, where something I've been contemplating is the topic of a sermon at this church.

The service, though, was on the Widow's Offering (Mark 12:38-43) and was very revealing. My pastor stated that most often, when this passage is preached, pastors say this is an illustration on giving to the church and Jesus' praise of the widow since she gave all that she had. This explanation is what most of us think when we think of the parable, as well. However, this is most likely not the story's purpose, which my pastor proceeded to illustrate. In verse 40, Jesus says that the temple leaders "devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." Immediately following this, Jesus then tells the story of the widow's offering. The lesson isn't in that she gave all that she had, but that the temple leaders let her do this and accepted the offering. They clearly let a poor woman go hungry for their own vanity (verses 38 and 39). The story of the Widow's Offering is a condemnation of the church leaders for letting a poor woman give to a church that was not in need (verse 41). Needless to say, I was astounded by this explanation, especially after rereading the passages and seeing how much more sense it made this way. I wonder how I could have comprehended it in any other manner.

Today, was uneventful in itself, especially compared to the thought-provoking insight I received Sunday. I mostly caught up on school work (I don't have class on Mondays) and relaxed, followed by some invigorating yoga earlier this evening. I'm trying to make it imperative that I do not neglect taking care of my body since it is the temple of the Lord, which means exercising as well as the usual abstaining from any harmful substances most associate with keeping the body a Holy dwelling place. I find when I think about it this way, I'm much more motivated to exercise. But now it is time for bed so I can be fully rested and alert for classes tomorrow and exercise my brain.
SDG