Matt 11:3 “Are You the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”
Matt 11:5-6 And Jesus answers: “Go and tell John what you hear and see: The blind receive their sight and the lame
walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the
poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by
me.” Jesus moved with Intent and
Purpose, a Bigger Story. Jesus
purposefully did not heal John who was beheaded. Jesus did not heal Job either nor raise up
his 10 children from the dead. The
invitation always stood: Come to
Me. Not for what Jesus can do for you
but for Who He is.
The invitation stands today:
Matt 11:28 “Come to Me,
all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Oh, to live the
Christian life as it is intended to be lived.
Job 21:4 “Is my complaint against man?” Job 21:15 “What
profit do we get if we pray to him?” Job’s
complaint was against God…isn’t our complaint really against what God is
allowing or preventing in our lives?
What is the intent of my heart? Is it to know my God better and draw near to
Him and make His Gospel known OR is it to be delivered from what is happening in my life that I don’t like? Blessed is the one who is not offended by
God.
At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children."
ReplyDeleteHave a great week, sisters. Let's seek Him with childlike Faith!
Such tender words today with rejected John's forlorn cry, "Are you the One who is to come, or shall we seek another?" Forgotten in a cell, about to be killed, he sends word to the One, are you here for me? Blessed is the one who is not offended. Not I'm coming, John. Hold on. Not I am He. Not even I haven't forgotten you. Simply Blessed is the one who is not offended on my account. John, who was holding Jesus as he baptized Him in the Jordan, who leaped from his mother's womb at the presence of Jesus, knew. He had the faith Jesus was looking for in men and women. And yet he was disappointed that Jesus (who could) did not. Don't be offended, John. I love you.
ReplyDeleteYou summarized it beautifully, Bev. Ms. Eliot knew that same offense. You knew as your womb gave way. We know through our disappointments Job and John both knew He could, but He chose not. We must look to Jesus in the same way-Not for what Jesus can do for you but for Who He is! Which is More than Enough.
Sit with Him today and bring Him your disappointments, your hurts, your wounded heart. Let Him comfort. Let your heavy-laden heart find His authentic rest.
I can not add one word to what has already been written. So beautifully said. It did make me think of a young man who is a prodigal and the hurting Dad....and I am seeing that the Dad is offended by God that this is happening to him. Great words to ponder over....Am I offended by God when things happen to me or my loved ones that I do not like, or that hurt, or are just plain wrong in the eyes of a holy God? Maybe that is a litmus test for us, when things happen that go against our grain in the way we think/want our life to run.
ReplyDeleteMay we all be as little children and allow Him to reveal His hidden treasures to us. Thinking of the seven year old yesterday who was so excited when he got baptized and said a very strong and loud yes, to the question Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Oh, may we all as adults have the same excitement as a the young child did yesterday....may he keep it for a very long time.
Annette, your words blessed me greatly.
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;
ReplyDelete26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.
27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Childlike faith is necessary to follow Christ. When life gets hard, He takes our burden and gives us rest.
Little feet tire as they follow in their father's steps. I'm so thankful that we have a Father who lifts us up and carries us when we are too weary to take one more step.
John was looking for Messiah.
Job was looking for an explanation.
And along comes Jesus, our Saviour.
What is man's greatest need?
To be rescued from
sickness?
from pain?
from suffering?
from captivity?
Our greates need is to be rescued from hell. Christ came to save.
But that was not enough. He carries our burdens, too.
All we have to do is come to him like a little child.
Dearest Sisters in Christ,
ReplyDeleteI don't know how to ask you this, but if you have a few minutes could you please go to my blog? My niece is reading the Bible for the VERY FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE and SHE NEEDS GOD MORE THAN EVER!! It's crisis time. I cannot get into the details right now, but I beg you to please please please go over there and leave her a comment on my blog. She spent a ton of time writing it and needs some input from some mature Christians and I cannot think of anyone better to ask than you! This is huge. I don't mean to sound so dramatic, but she needs you! Her mom is my sister who passed away when Maggie was 16 and she could use some "Motherly Wisdom."
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!