You search the Scriptures,
because you think you have eternal life through them;
even they testify on my behalf.
But you do not want to come to me to have life. – John 5: 39 – 40
Reflection
Today’s readings from Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent, talks a lot about the rebellion of God’s people.
In the first reading, Moses is on Mount Sinai speaking with the Lord, and has received the two tablets of stone with the commandments written by God’s own finger, when the Lord instructs him to go down for the people of Israel have rebelled against Him, by worshiping a golden calf.
In this scene, the Lord tells Moses, that he would wipe out the sinners and make of Moses a great generation instead.
Moses pleads on behalf of the people and asks God for mercy, and the Lord relents in his anger.
In the gospel, we see the Lord Jesus confronted by Pharisees who are deeply offended by his actions healing a man on the Sabbath day.
Their annoyance at the Lord Jesus, increases even more when Jesus calls God His Father.
They plan to kill Him and refuse to listen to what He has to say.
The Lord is deeply grieved by their rebellion against Him, and informs them that their knowledge of Scriptures would be of no benefit to them, if they fail to believe in Him.
In other words, the Lord was clearly telling them, that He is the fulfillment of all Scriptures.
Anyone who wants to be saved, has to come to Him to find life.
Christ’s warning to the Pharisees is a stark warning to us that self-reliance on our knowledge of Scriptures is a fast road to nowhere….or perhaps somewhere else rather than heaven!
This means that for us as Christians, what matters is not just knowledge of Scriptures, but knowledge of Scriptures firmly rooted in Christ Jesus, which is completely demonstrated in our obedience to Christ’s commands.
Our knowledge of Scriptures should lead us to Christ, to want to draw more and more each day, from the Living Waters that flow from His side.
Today, let us ask the Lord for mercy for occasions of pride and boastfulness.
Those times, we have been so confident in our own knowledge and failed to demonstrate the humility of Christ and our total dependence on His Grace.
Also let us ask the Lord, that our thirst for His Word, would increase daily in our hearts, that our hearts would burn again with His Word, and that through the power of His Word, we might be changed, transformed in heart and mind so that we do not seek human praise, but the praise that comes from the only God.
Prayer
Almighty Father, today we come before You in total surrender to Your Son Jesus.
We confess that Jesus alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
We repent of every rebellion in our lives, sins of idolatory in all its forms…
Father in the Name of Jesus, please forgive us
Father by the Blood of Jesus, please cleanse us
We thank You Father for Your mercy
And as we stand before You this day, made whole again by the redeeming Blood of the Lamb
We pray that our hearts and minds may be raised to You alone
In our thoughts, words and actions, may You be glorified
Give us grace to ponder the scriptures, by day and night
So that as we ponder Your Word of Truth, Your Son Jesus may have His Way in our lives
Forever and ever.
Amen.
Song
Lord I come to You, let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace that I’ve found in You
Lord I’ve come to know, the weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away by the power of Your Love
– Copyright “Power of Your Love” by Hillsong.
Always & Forever,
To The Lamb.
With all my love.
15-March-2018