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Mar 27, 2023 18:30pm

Awestruck and Speechless

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I remember watching an episode of the Golden Girls many years ago where George Bush, the President, was coming to their house on his tour of Miami. The girls were excited. Well, except for Dorothy. She was going to give him a piece of her mind. She knew it would be a short visit, just a few moments and she might have time for one question or one subject to bring up. She contemplated which of the issues she was so passionate about to take up with the big man. She was determined to get answers to these important subjects!

The day came for his arrival, the girls were ready, Dorothy especially, and the door opened, the President stood there greeting them and it was Dorothy’s chance. There she was, face to face with the man in charge, the President of the United States of America, and she was speechless. Not one word would come out of her mouth! She stammered but couldn’t form anything intelligible!

We begin chapter 10 of Mark with Jesus traveling to the other side of the Jordan River to continue teaching to those that gathered and His disciples. In the crowd, we find the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees. They were tired of Jesus. They wanted rid of Him. So, every chance they had, they tried to trick Him into saying something that would allow them to have Him arrested, hated or killed. This time was no different.

“And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Mark 10:2-9)

These men had heard Jesus was coming. They had one chance to ask Him anything. Can’t you imagine how they must have contemplated exactly what to say or ask? Just as Dorothy had done waiting for the President. They finally conclude that this will be the one thing that will trap Him. John the Baptist had been beheaded not long ago for confronting King Herod about adultery and divorce, so the Pharisees assumed Jesus would do the same.

Jesus took them back to the Word and shared with them the “what” and the “why”. Moses had only granted a divorce because of the sinfulness of the people. It was allowed to protect innocent victims, but the sinful people only turned around and abused their right to divorce.

Nonetheless, their plot was foiled. Jesus was not taken in by their deceitful plan.

It’s sad really. These men had the opportunity to ask Jesus anything, and this is what they chose.

I think we’ve all said at one time or another, “When I meet Jesus, I’m going to ask Him…” you can fill in the blank. But let me tell you my friend, I don’t know that I could even speak. I’d be more like Dorothy, awestruck and speechless. Whatever seemed so important before might not be so important after all as I stand before the Holy and Almighty Creator God. Everything else will fade in comparison to beholding His beauty and presence. Like Isaiah, I might only be able to declare, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

I may not understand everything that happens in this world. The whys don’t always seem to be made known and we are left with questions. But who is God if not higher than us? Surely, we cannot know the mind of God and understand everything there is to know! Not in this life. And when I see Him for the first time… I can only imagine.