It amazes me that the infinite, holy, wild, untamable God longs, craves to live within and among us.
Then have them make a sanctuary for me,
and I will dwell among them.
Exodus 25: 8
He doesn’t burst on the scene with fireworks, sounding horns and choreographed dancers. He comes gently, quietly on the back of a donkey. The crowds know who they want him to be. They gather in numbers to give him a reception worthy of king. When Jesus enters Jerusalem, the city wonders and asks who this man is. The crowd answers with partial understanding, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” Matthew 21:11
But Jesus is so much more. He is the Messiah sent by God, yet he is not the world’s idea of a messiah. Instead of working from the outside in, he works from the inside out. He is on his own terms. He is not impressed with our wealth, power, importance or our schemes to control the future. Jesus rejects all of that and literally turns the tables over.
He has come to claim what has been stolen from the God…broken hearts crying out for meaning, needing healing and looking for a love that will stay and never let go. For that, Jesus is hung on a cross. His love for us, his desire to claim the sanctuary of hearts is so strong that he breaks the power of sin and death. All we have to do is call out to Him and invite Him in.
Lord, forgive me when I try to make you into the messiah I want, not who you are. I surrender this heart to you. I give you the things I have tried to replace you with. Come live within and take hold of this heart. Make it beautiful for you. Amen.
Klueh
Let me live that I may praise you. Psalm 119:175
Sixty-six books in a year 