34th Day of Lent
The Urgency of the Questions We Bring
"A Man Ran Up and Knelt Before Him and Asked..." Mark 10:17

As we've observed elsewhere, Martin Marty has caused us to pause and focus on words that we might typically read right past.  In this lesson, the words are "ran" and "knelt."  A man ran up to Jesus with an urgent question, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"  He ran to Jesus.  How often do we so want to be in the presence of God that we run to do so?  ( I do see people running into church several minutes late, but that's running for a different reason :))  Perhaps a good prayer today would be for God to give us a heart that so desires to be with Him, we race to do so.

And then there is the word knelt.  When was the last time you knelt in the presence of another out of a humble and sincere sign of respect?  It's been a long time for me, if ever.  There is something worshipful and respectful about kneeling.  It brings the sense of awe  to our awareness.  God is so much greater than ourselves.  Kneeling makes us feel that.  Perhaps as you finish this devotion, assuming your knees allow it, you might try kneeling as you pray.  Running and kneeling are ways to come before and honor  God, who loves us so much, even to die for us.