Specifically

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MARK

SPECIFICALLY

Mark 14:12-16

12 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" 13 So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. 14 Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' 15 He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there."  16 The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

NIV

It is notable that Jesus did not tell them to just go find a place suitable for the whole group of thirteen. Jesus was very specific in his instructions as to what they should do. In fact even to the point that a man would be carrying a jar of water and that man would meet them. They were to follow that man to an exact location where they were to go into the house and tell the owner the teacher what to know where my guest room. This room was already furnished and ready. It is just as, if not more specific then when they were told the donkey for the entrance into Jerusalem. Maybe we are living too much of our lives within the realm of our own specifics rather than waiting to hear what Jesus tells us to do. Maybe we think we are doing what we think he is telling us to do, but in reality we have not listened to his specific instructions. It certainly appears Jesus knows exactly how things should play out and in this case as with the donkey he was very clear as to exactly what his followers were to do and say. How much of our lives are based on exact instructions from our Lord? Do we simply live our own lives, doing our own thing, living where we want to live, working where we desire to work, go to church based on what we like in a church, or the personality of the pastor and even serve in the church based on what we enjoy doing? Maybe we should be waiting to hear from our Lord as to the specific place he wants us to live, the specific job he wants us to work and attend the exact specific church he desires us to be a part of serving in the specific area he has called us to. Do we justify all those things we are doing based on our own likes as living for Jesus? Do we tell ourselves and others that he has giving us specific instructions regarding all those areas of our lives? Jesus is specific and perhaps we should learn more how to listen before we make any move, any choice, and any actions in our lives. Yes, of course, we are to make all the adjustments regarding our personality, our relationships and our behaviors, based on the specific instructions Jesus has already laid out for us in the scriptures. But should we not also apply that kind of specific instructions to our whole life? We should live specifically.