- Luke 18:31-19:27
- Ezekiel 16
- 2 Samuel 14:25-15:12
- Psalm 55
Observations:
In the Luke passage, we see a few things going on. First, Jesus predicts his death to the disciples. Second, we see two instances of faith, the first of the blind man, who recognised Jesus as the Son of David, the Messiah, and the second of Zaccheus, the tax collector whose desire to see Jesus led him to climb a tree just to see him and was changed by his interaction with Christ. Last, we see a parable which reflects into this time, of a king to be crowned who goes away and leaves a portion of money with a number of servants. While away, some individuals conspire against him to prevent his crowning. When he returns, he asks of the servants what they did with the money given them. To those who returned a greater portion, he gave rulership of cities. To the one who returned no profit, he chastised and gave the capital to the one who returned greatest, before turning to he slaughter of his enemies.
In the Ezekiel passage, we see the analogy of Jerusalem as an infant raised by God, in adulthood, taken in covenant by God, and who has whored herself out to other gods. We see the punishment heaped upon Jerusalem and the comparison of Jerusalem's iniquity against that of righteous-seeming Sodom and Samaria. Lastly, we see the issuance of a promise for an eventual, eternal restoration that would come.
In 2 Samuel, we see the rise of Absalom, the handsome, as he attempts to undermine the rule of his father, David.
In the psalm, we see David appealing to God for succour. By all appearances, it seems as though someone close to him has betrayed him, yet David casts this burden upon the Lord and leaves the vengeance to him.
Application:
Firstly, I love the imagery of the Ezekiel passage - it is one that always will stand out to me and is still of immense applicative value today.
Secondly, I really like how the blind man in Luke was healed by his faith. If we look at what the man said about Jesus, we see that, most immediately, he believes that Jesus can heal him, but, more importantly, we see him acknowledging Jesus as God. When is the last time I actually acknowledged God as the almighty God when I asked something of him?
Thirdly, I think this is really the first time any talet-ish parable has made sense to me in a post-resurrection, pre-return sense. Now is the time in which we should be investing that which is given to us and combating those saying Jesus is undeserving of kingship. We must take the Gospel, the seed of our faith to those around us and invest it, making it grow in others, returning a yield, a harvest, of more disciples - this is not a numbers game, mind you. We're not talking about flag-stamping everything, but about cultivating a harvest, a field of new believers, fully equipped to do the same. At the end, we see the rewards given to those who have invested that which was given to us, akin to the crown which Paul talks about us receiving in 2 Tim 4:8, and 1 Cor 9:25. At the same time, we will see the utter defeat of the king's enemies, the false prophets and forces of Satan.
My application, then: first, let me not take lightly the gifts given to me - let me not entrust them to other, false gods, but instead, let me invest them into the harvest, keeping faithfully to the work given to me. Second, let me cultivate the pure, unadorned, simple faith of the blind man, who trusted completely in God's power to work, where I know God could work, but my doubts and skeptical realism occlude such a pure completeness of faith.
Prayer:
Lord, where do I begin?
Remind me of your power, Lord. Give me a glimpse of your ability to work and act beyond all wisdom and sense of man. I desire to see your glory, yet my fear of your greatness prevents me from genuinely asking to bask in your presence. Forgive me for my sin of self, that I would prefer to maintain what mortal faculties and presence I have than obliterate myself in the face of your majesty. I count myself fortunate, Lord, that you even choose to speak to me and allow me to speak to you, yet I must ask: allow me to see just the train of your robe as you pass by with your splendour.
I know I profess much with my head and do little to affect or change my heart, the cowardice of my sins that holds vestige there, preying on my fear of change, keeping me from making the jump into unfettered faith, that I would become and live a self-less life, devoid of the flaws and foibles the characteristics that make me me, the sins that I bemoan, while finding myself returning to. The sinful aspect of myself fears its obliteration while that of me which has been redeemed and is sanctified would ask nothing greater than to be suffused with your presence, given over completely, such that I am no longer me, but your reflection.
Hammer out my impurities, Lord and bring to the fore, develop, that which you have invested in me. Let me be inspired by you, permeating the very core of my being. Yet again, Lord, do I open up my heart. I acknowledge the dark corners of fear and pet sins. I acknowledge that there are even sins my conscious will not alight upon for fear they be exposed and exterminated. Lord, bring these sins to light; disinfect my heart and soul. Bring full function back into my self, that I would be a complete whole, in full use of my every attribute, in strength, thought, emotion, and spirit.
Allow me to die more fully to myself, that the sins in me would quake at your presence and the flesh of others would grieve.
Allow me to bring to you praise, true praise, such has not been uttered from my lips.
Hallelujah
Amen
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