Psalm 137, 144; Micah 7:11-20; 1 Pet. 4:7-19; Matt. 20:29-34
In the week of judgment prophecy we come to Micah’s vision of what remains after that fierce judgment has passed. Micah sees Israel as extending her borders and the nations in humility and fear coming to her. Their own lands and kingdoms lie in waste and they come to see the glory of Israel still standing. She is the Lord’s own and He has protected her in His great love for her and now all the surrounding nations will come and see her as the Lord sees her. In the end, Micah gives praise to God for His mercy and forgiveness but above all for His steadfast love and faithfulness to the covenant in spite of Israel’s apostasy. What a joy it is to know that our covenant relationship rests on His faithfulness and not our own. We know ourselves well enough to know that if it were there would be no hope for us.
In spite of what He knows will be His own lot, Jesus is never too busy to show compassion on others. In His own hour of need others still are more important. These two blind men on the road call out to Him using a Messianic title, Son of David and the crowds, eager to bask in the glory of Jesus, attempt to silence the men. Jesus, however, has compassion on them and asks what they want Him to do for them. They do not want alms or charity, they want something no earthly king could grant, their sight. No one ever stops me on the street asking for such things, it is always about money, but Jesus is no ordinary king. He is able and willing to grant them their request and they join in the apostolic band as they go to Jerusalem. They will now be eyewitnesses to something they would rather not have seen with their eyes. Better perhaps to have been blind than to see what will be done to the one who has given them sight.
It is strange to see Peter, of all people, encouraging the church to endure suffering gladly, thankful even for being counted worthy to share in Christ’s sufferings. You can almost see Jesus looking down at Peter with a wry smile on His face as He remembers that this same Peter was so afraid that he might suffer for Jesus that he denied knowing Him to even a slave girl. Peter was a man utterly transformed into the man he wanted to be by the death and resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in his life. Peter will indeed suffer for Jesus in his time and he will go willingly to his death. Peter had learned that eternal glory was far better than anything this world had to offer and now he lived for Christ alone, he knew there was life beyond the grave.
May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say.
May the Word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour,
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power.
No comments:
Post a Comment