Traveling Mercies
Father… we know that by the gift of Your only Son, Jesus Christ, You have given to us all that we need…. In some small way we seek to walk with Him this week; You have asked us to embrace His suffering. Please teach us then Father to trust You, and Your will, above our own. We have so much – and often times it is difficult to trust completely in something other than our many earthly possessions and our own resources. Help us today Lord, to discover more about our Savior Jesus than we knew yesterday. Father, You sent Him to us to show the way. Our prayer is that we open our hearts to Your Holy Spirit, and shut ourselves out from the things in us, and about us, that keep us from completely following Him. But then again… which of us is complete without Jesus? So Father, we come to You as the finisher of our faith… we come because of Your love… and we come only in the blessed name… Jesus. Amen
Meditations
The Word Becomes Flesh… In spite of all that Jesus knew about us as God, He still came for us as a man – that is outrageous Love, and amazing Grace, right? The bible says that Jesus is the living word – the Son of God, the firstborn over all creation, and that in Him all things consist – yet he came freely and openly to us as a humble servant. The gospels say that John baptized Jesus as man—and then publicly recognized Him as Lord; declaring Him “the coming Messiah.” Scriptures say that Satan tempted Jesus the man, but Jesus conquered His enemy as God; encouraging followers, “be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” He was hungered, but He fed thousands; indeed He is the bread of heaven that gives life to all mankind. He was thirsty—but He cried, “If any man thirsts let him come to Me and drink.” He promises that fountains will flow from all those who believe. He was weary and tired—but He is comfort, rest, and a hiding place to those who are tired, afraid and overwhelmed. He wept bitterly for the lost—but He promises to dry every tear from our eyes. Jesus asked, “Where is Lazarus laid?” Why? Because He grieved the loss of someone He loved—but He raised Lazarus from the dead because He is a compassionate and merciful God. Jesus was betrayed by a close friend, and sold-out for a cheap thirty pieces of silver —but He redeems the world through the great price of His own death, and the sacrifice of His life-blood. Jesus was led like a sheep to slaughter—but yet He is the Good Shepherd and His sheep know His voice. As the Lamb of God He was silent before His accusers—but He is the “Living Word” and is proclaimed by the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Jesus was bruised and wounded—but He heals every disease and sickness. He willingly laid down His life—but He had the power to take it back again. He died—only so He could give us life. He was buried—only so He could rise again. Jesus would make the journey into death and darkness—but only so He could redeem and lift the souls of men, and become forever the Light of World.
Daily Bread
(Please read) Matthew 21:18-43, Zechariah 9:9-10
Pondering the Path
- How do we wrap our minds around the fact that God would come for us, or that Jesus would die for us even while were still sinners?
- How can we explain that God still loves us, in spite of knowing what He knows about us?
- In that context, what are we learning about ourselves, and what are we learning about God?
The Father’s Wisdom
“The first step in your spiritual journey is to begin accepting Me as your new reality. It will not be easy to leave your old everyday realities that so quickly change moment to moment in each situation and circumstance, leaving you to feel as if what you were experiencing was beyond my realm of reality and possibility. Reach deeper into Me, and know the hopelessness you are feeling is not true. Take your next step, and know your new reality – He a person, He is My Son, He is alive, and He is your hope and salvation.”
