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TODAYS BIBLE READING

Reading Time: 15-20 Minutes

Leviticus 13; Matthew 26

TODAYS WORSHIP

A FEW THOUGHTS ON TODAYS READING... 

“This is so unfair!” Whenever news doesn’t meet one’s expectations this is often the phrase that’s used. Whether we had no part in it, some part in it, etc. the common complaint is it is not fair. But this whole line of thought is wrong and not scriptural. We read in Hebrews 4:14-15, “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen, but lets read His prayer from the Garden of Gethsemane in Matthew 26:39, “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

A moment later when He had received the answer, we read, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Jesus knew He would be drinking from the cup of God’s wrath which was the price of the sin of humanity. Following this, He is betrayed by a friend, falsely accused by false witnesses, then when the false verdict to the charges are stated we read next in 26:67-68, “Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck you?” We know what happens next: more beatings, a scourging, public rejection by the multitudes, crucifixion (from which we get the word excruciating from), then death. But the worst part was when this perfect, sinless Man, actually willingly allowed all of the sins of humanity: past, present, and future to be placed on Him while on the cross. What is so often missed, is that Jesus is in fact 100% God, He is also 100% Man. He accepted what He did not deserve so that we don’t have to receive what we do deserve, being that we are all sinners. What you never hear out of the lips of Jesus is, “this is unfair”!”

We must all honestly reflect a little. When Jesus prayed, He didn’t exert His own will, but said, “not as I will, but as You will.” Do we do that? Do we even think or believe that? Do our prayers more closely resemble a list of grievances some of which we might have had a part in, others which befall us, and plead with God to remove these unpleasant things from our lives? Do we seek escape rather than walking with Him through His will in the face of difficult circumstances? The words, “This is unfair”, should never pass our lips. We are in a living, breathing relationship with God. He knows what is best for us, we don’t. He knows what we need for growth, we often don’t. He knows that we must all learn to depend on Him rather than ourselves. We crave independence, He knows we need to depend and submit to His authority and His will. May we see Jesus, not as the mascot of our faith, but as One who went through circumstances more difficult and less fair than ourselves, but went through it without complaining, but in acceptance according to His Father’s will.

THIS WEEKS MEMORY VERSE

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. ~Matthew 26:41

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

"Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them." - Elisabeth Elliot

Warnings from Hebrews (touroftruth.com)
54:46

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

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