Why marry? Naomi tells Ruth, “…shall I not seek rest for thee?” Marry for rest?

The Greek word means “to permit one to cease from labor in order to recover and collect strength.”

Think of an unmarried woman. She works long days and has a house and yard to maintain. Who has time to rest?

The car needs to be inspected, and the lawn mower broke. The roof has a small leak and the toilet a big one. When does she rest?

She doesn’t. Men, are you prepared to provide rest?

Mark writes of a running man (Mark 15:36). Who is he? He lacks the dignity of a noble. No VIP would be caught running in public.

And the running man is ignorant. He thought that Eloi was Elias and not Elohim. He was not the only one.

And he is not a soldier. That did not keep him from grabbing a soldier’s wineskin, however.

The running man is cruel. Not only did he offer Jesus vinegar when Jesus said that he was thirsty, but he also told the people around him not to give Jesus anything to drink.

The running man gets people’s attention by taunting someone who appears to be helpless. And it works. The coward is included in the Bible.

How do you trip a running man? Jesus focused on completing His mission. He didn’t speak to the running man. Nobody apparently did, and we read no more of that nameless man.

Refuse to give a Running Man the one thing that he wants: Your attention. Ignore him. Let God wipe him off the earth. Focus on completing the mission that God has given you.

How have you been dealing with a running man?

Returning to school brings emotional warfare. Unending feelings of exhaustion, defeat, and invisibility claim you. It is a spiritual fight.

Fantasy author Sara Ella touches on that disease of the soul, depression. Now is a good time to read her book Coral before the first shot is fired.

I translated Mark 15:29-31 last week. The men “mocking” Jesus and the passersby “railing” on him are different evils. How so?

The passersby attacked Jesus’ reputation, speaking about him. Imagine: Mary his widowed mother and John his best friend forced to listen as ignorant people gossiped. Emotional warfare.

But the religious leaders heaped up insults upon Jesus, making certain that he heard every word. Mary and John were standing right there. It was emotional warfare, but they won.

In an infinite moment Jesus saved the world by obeying God’s will for his life. God warns his children of suffering while demanding the sacrifice of praise. It’s a sacrifice. It hurts, but it heals.

When you are the talk of the passersby… When you are bearing your cross… Do you have a clear vision of God’s will for you? You can’t win the war on your emotions without it.

Don’t do it. Once you know the meaning of the F Bomb word, please stop.

In old England when someone committed a heinous crime, part of the stigma was that the act was called the perp’s name.

What was the F Bomber’s crime? Rape. When you drop this bomb, you are threatening to do it or asking God to make someone else do it for you.

A jerk cuts you off in traffic. Will you administer this punishment? A “friend” embarrasses you in front of others. Do you drag her into the locker room? Some would. Would you?

Yes, I know. The F bomb is hyperbole. It’s an exaggerated response to a real offense. But I cringe every time I hear it. Why?

A third grader was lured into a closet by a school janitor. And then her classmate. A high school friend’s stepfather insisted that she walk home from work. One night a stranger dragged her off the road.

A male college friend was put to a knife. And he never quite recovered.

Then there are the stories my students tell. And their parents corroborate.

Don’t do it. Please, don’t drop the F bomb. Not on me, or anyone else.

Fantasy writer, Philip Wilder, challenges you to sacrifice your dreams for God’s dreams for you. Think about your hopes for the future. Will you resent God for the hopes He doesn’t fulfill? Or will you thank Him for giving you better dreams?

As I look back on my life, I see many unfulfilled dreams. But my translation for the day was Mark 15:25. “And it was the third hour, and they crucified [Jesus].”

No spouse, no children, no house, no land, no book contract, and no movie deal: Christ sacrificed mankind’s dreams for the will of the Father.

Our Father loves His children. Trust Him.

So what dreams are you willing to sacrifice to gain the dreams from doing God’s will?