The power of the selected readings slay me.
Gently, I delve in just a bit. I let my heart rest in a verse or two.
Joshua 24, NIV:
13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’
This verse speaks to me of such extravagant grace: provided for and offered abundance purely through God’s mercy and provision. Do I receive the Lord’s gifts with this in mind? There is no deserving in me; it is all Him, and He is generous and good.
14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua (NIV)
We have to choose. There is a real engagement, choice, and commitment involved, and Joshua is exhorting the people to do so. There are days when I face choices. Who will I serve? I engage with power when I engage for Jesus.
Acts 4 ESV
19 But Peter and John answered them, k“Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for lwe cannot but speak of what mwe have seen and heard.” 21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, nbecause of the people, for all were praising God ofor what had happened.
Peter and John are irrevocably convinced for Christ. They knew that they knew that they knew, and they could not be silenced. Do I have that witness? Do I have that {God- given} power in my soul that cannot be silenced?
Matthew 27 ESV
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.
Jesus died and yielded up his spirit, and in that moment, the temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom. This verse stops me short. My heart beats harder. With His last breath, He gave us intimacy with the Father. He gave us access to the throne, to the mercy seat, to face-to-face relationship. He gave us holiness through HIM alone. The power of His death overwhelms me: earth shook, rocks split, tombs opened, bodies raised. The power of His death rocks me to my core. And now,– we, we have access to the Father. I take this for granted; I don’t reflect enough on what this really means. It slays me. I read a bit from this intriguing article from Desiring God exploring this very verse. I find it helpful. It is worth it to study this a bit more- even using other resources on the internet or in a study Bible.
To reflect on what it really means that the veil is torn is an exercise in heart-soaring worship.
Lord, the magnitude of Your word is like the expanse of the heavens to me. So great, too great for comprehension, only evoking utter awe. When I think of Your crucifixtion, the coming of the Holy Spirit (and His transformative power and boldness and healing and unity and goodness), I close my eyes. Let my heart be touched by You. Who You are, You alone. Let me know You, Lord. Let me be Yours. Amen.
Rebecca (offeringsbecca)
Sixty-six books in a year 