Mark 12:1-12

Be Still:
Lord, help me to be still before you. Help me to listen. Help me to receive. I ask you to transform my heart and my mind as I choose to spend this time with you today. Amen.

Read: Mark 12:1-12


He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.' (v6)

Encounter:
In the parable of the tenants, the vineyard owner patiently sent servant after servant to collect what was his, but each was beaten or killed. Finally, in an act of both risk and hope, he sent his beloved son. Surely, they would honour him. But even then, the tenants rejected and killed him too.

This verse reveals both the patience and the heart of God. He didn’t stop at sending prophets. He sent his Son. The tenants’ rejection of the owner's son mirrors humanity’s rejection of Jesus. 

It’s interesting to notice the words: ‘whom he loved.’ Before the Cross, before rejection, before betrayal, the Father’s love for the Son is clear. And through Christ, that same love has been extended to us. The rejection of the Son became our redemption.

This verse challenges us: what do we do with the Son? Do we respect him, trust him, and give him what is rightfully his in our lives? Or do we, like the tenants, push him aside so we can hold onto control?

Apply: Today, ask yourself honestly: Am I respecting the Son with my life? Is there an area where I’m withholding what belongs to him – my time, obedience, or worship? Take a moment to yield that place to Jesus in love.

Devote:
Father, thank you for sending your beloved Son for me. Forgive me for the ways I have rejected or resisted him. Help me to honour Jesus with every part of my life. May my words, actions, and heart show that I love and respect your Son above all else.