February 10th: Exodus 19-20, Psalm 73 and Mark 6

There is a reference to Jesus in Mark 6:3b:  "Are not his sisters here with us?"

Yeah, imagine being that guy's loser brother-in-law.

Jesus'-Sister:  "Carl, did you leave your robe on the floor in the bedroom again?"

Carl:  "Woman, seriously, I've had a long day. First the pigs ran into the water, then there was a massive storm on the Sea that suddenly stopped and now you're yelling at me."

Jesus'-Sister: "My brother never would have talked to me that way."

Carl:  "Your brother made like 70 gallons of wine at the Gould-Cohen Wedding and we took them a stupid clay oil lamp.  We're on two totally different levels here!  Him? Son of God.  Me?  Son of the guy you buy eggs from."

I bet that conversation never happened because it's ridiculous.  

On a serious note, take a look at Exodus 19-20 where Moses takes the people of Israel to Sinai.  The people don't want to be close to God, they shy away from the mountain.  It's too frightening.  It's too holy.  It's been three months since they left Egypt. Three months since they saw the violence but missed the grace.  And now they've been complaining, whining, sinning.  I wonder if it could have been different.  God wanted to be among them.  But they basically denied him.  They started moving away from Him right there.  Tragic.

I love what David says in Psalm 73: "But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may tell of all your works."  Man, I hope I can say that instead.