#5kMay2020 Blog (Day 14)

For the third morning in a row Jodi and I took one of our daughters out for their first full-run 5k of #5kMay2020. First it was Piper, then Abigail, and this morning it was Taylor. All of them did great!

I have been digging “Take-It-Easy Thursday”… this morning we just lugged along and got a nice 3.1 miles in. My legs were quite tired, so it was a good break from several days of running much further and much harder. Tomorrow I will go for a longer run, again, but today was nice and easy.

Daily Run: Jodi, Taylor, and I ran the “Arrowhead Route” this morning. There is some sort of bridge construction happening in Apple Creek. It felt pretty dangerous to run through the construction zone yesterday, but we noticed that they had changed up the traffic pattern, and had the single open lane looking better this morning, so we decided to try it again. Somehow it felt even more dangerous this morning. I think we’ll be done with the “Triangle Route” and “Arrowhead Route” until the construction is finished. Today we ran 3.1 miles in 30 minutes and 17 seconds, which was an average pace of 9:45 per mile.

Daily Bible Reading: I suppose this is the year for tackling hard subjects and difficult passages. I won’t go into great detail, but I want to take a closer look at Mark 13. This is one of those “end times” chapters. A lot is said, and much could be said about it, but I want to spend my time here focusing on eight key phrases throughout the chapter.

Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Mark 13:2, ESV

This whole conversation starts with one of Jesus’ disciples pointing out how wonderful the stones and buildings are in Jerusalem. Jesus tells him plainly that, “There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Yowsa! That was probably a little more than the disciple was looking for… I can almost see the disciple recoiling a bit and thinking, “I just meant that it was nice…”

The rebuke seems to center around the disciples’ lack of eternal focus. It is easy to fix our eyes on temporal things, like beautiful stones and buildings. But Jesus quickly reminds us that these things will pass away. Rather than being in awe of things that are here today and gone tomorrow, we should be in awe of eternal realities. 

“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?”

Mark 13:4, ESV

Apparently the disciples could not get Jesus’ strange response out of their minds, so when the opportunity presented itself, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Jesus for further clarity on what He had previously spoken only briefly about.

I believe that Jesus wants us to come to Him with questions. He is not afraid of our questions, but we are not always ready for His answer.

“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.”

Mark 14:9, ESV

After answering His disciples’ questions, Jesus solemnly warns them to be on their guard. Truly terrible things will accompany the end of the age. There will be tribulation, false christs and false prophets, and many will be led astray. Jesus repeats His warning to “be on guard” again in verse 23.

…after that tribulation… they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.

Mark 13:24-26, ESV

Jesus promises that He will return after the tribulation. People will see Him coming in clouds with great power and glory.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Mark 13:31, ESV

Jesus seems to come full circle now in explaining Himself. “Heaven and earth will pass away.” Temporary things will pass away. “My words will not pass away.” Only eternal things will last forever. Be in awe of that.

Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.

Mark: 13:33, ESV

No one knows for sure when this will all take place. Therefore, be on guard. Keep awake. Be ready.

And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

Mark 13:37, ESV

Jesus finishes His epic explanation of the end of the age but including not just the immediate disciples in His presence, but every one of His followers… “Stay awake.” 

We need to live with eyes wide open, fixing our hearts and minds on the things that will last.