24 Hours

I have to comment about what I have been learning lately.  The church we've been attending has been doing a special series during lent on the "24 hours that changed the world" focusing on Jesus' final 24 hours before his crucifixion.  The pastor is trying to dig deep into every word that Jesus speaks and every move he makes.  Her focus has been on the idea that if any of us knew when and how we were going to die that everything we would do would be so intentional and have so much meaning.

I have learned so much in the past weeks about Passover, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the trial (or lack thereof) of Jesus before the High Priests and Pilate.  The part of the scripture that has stuck with me the most so far is the Garden of Gethsemane and how Jesus prays for there to be another way.  In the end he surrenders his heart and his will to God- for the first time in my life I have a true foundation and understanding for the saying "let Your will be done."  It is so powerful and fills me with faith, God is in control.   His work can only be done through me not by me.

Another part that has lingered in my thoughts throughout the past days is the fact that Barrabas was freed and in his place Jesus was killed.  The pastor did an unbelievable job of setting up the story and making sure we all felt and understood how much Barrabas was given- freedom, life, choice........and that Jesus died for his sins.  Our sins.  Jesus died to save me. 

Each week the church's readings have been coming from the book of Mark so today I got back into reading in Matthew and I'm almost to Passover so it's nice to read it with new eyes from what I've been learning.  On a discouraging note, I found out today that the pastor that we LOVE at this church is leaving and moving upwards:(  This feels like such a setback to me because she is so educational and gives a lot of detail and history and follows the scripture in a style that I love.  I am going to hope and pray that this church body can find another as effective as her, at spreading God's word.

Matthew 17-19

Matthew 17- I can't imagine what it must have been like for Peter and James and John to hear God and to have Jesus comfort them.  It is also hard to imagine what is must have been like for Jesus to know what was going to happen to him.  I'd like to believe that since he is the Son of God that he wouldn't feel the pain that he was subjected to by the hands of men but I know it isn't so and I am so thankful that this person, this real living person was willing to sacrifice his life to save me and to save my loved ones.

Matthew 18- I really like the phrase "unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."  I can understand this so much more fully as a parent who has a plan for my children; I set rules for them to protect them, to help them thrive, to help them help themselves and that is what God has done for us.  He has a plan and although we cannot understand it fully right now, we will see it someday.  I have to trust completely in Him and I have to be willing to "re-learn" so much.
There are so many amazing parables here; getting rid of temptations to sin, if your brother sins against you, the unforgiving servant.  These parables seem darker than earlier ones but I have often heard them preached about- it is always so crazy to me how "present-day" issues in the Bible are.  Although centuries have passed, the problems have not.

Matthew 19- I struggle greatly with the The Rich Young Man.  "Only with great difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven."  I worry about the balance between being responsible with money and being greedy; working hard and earning a nice home, having a safe car to drive, saving for college educations, saving for a rainy day in case something bad ever happened to us or our children, etc.  How do I balance what we want/need with others who need money more than us and then always determining how much is enough when it's never enough until it's everything.  I know that our good luck with finding jobs was not just luck, I know that God has blessed us in so many ways that was not "our" doing.  Ugh, I could ramble on about this for so long, my point is I think this will be a lifelong struggle for me. 

Matthew 14-16

Chapter 14 ~ The verses 22-33 speak of when Peter walked on the water with Jesus. This scripture is always so humbling to me and I feel so applicable to my life. My life is a walk of faith. There are no earthly reasons why I do the things I do or no way to fully explain what motivates me from day to day. The same way there is no physical way that Jesus could have walked on water and then called for Peter to join him on the water. Jesus proves how he transcends all earthly "rules" and that through Him Peter could have the power that only God can have. I think about this in my day to day life and just like Peter I start to look at the things around me that discourage me and pull me down and before I know it I am drowning in the sea of life. So amazing in this passage too how Jesus reaches His hand out to save Peter and I know He shows me that same grace and love.

Chapter 15 ~ The faith of Canaanite woman is inspiring. She knew Jesus was the Christ and she fervently sought after him to heal her daughter.

Chapter 16 ~ This chapter really starts to set the stage for Jesus' crucifixion. The tone of the writings change from the celebrations of all the people over the miracles Jesus had done and now they are all concerned and distraught over losing their friend, Jesus. However, He knows why he came to earth and that was to die. He even calls Peter Satan for trying to interfere in His primary mission as a man - dying on the cross.

Matthew 11-13

Chapter 11 ~ In verses 25-29 it really stuck out to me how Christ revealed truth not only to adults but to the little children. I am not sure if this verse is saying that literally or figuratively but I am thankful Jesus spoke to my heart at a young age. I think either way it is referring to the childlike faith we need to have in order to trust in a heavenly Father. I can see that belief and trust in children even about the smallest things. What a blessing that they can trust Christ with their life even though they may not understand every detail of what that means. I knew at age 5 that I was a sinner, that I needed a Savior and the Jesus had died for ME on the cross and I accepted that and believed with my whole heart that He would save me from my sin. God's grace is so amazing.

Chapter 12 ~ In this chapter it seems like Jesus is facing so much opposition. I am so challenged by the way he continues with his message. He doesn't answer their questions but instead questions them about their beliefs and why they hold to their laws. This scripture reminds me that as a Christian there will be a lot of times I feel like everyone is against me or that I am fighting the current but Jesus is such a great example of perseverance and strength.

Chapter 13 ~ Jesus speaking in parables is so interesting to me. I love literature, poetry and things so its very intriguing for me to read his parables and to try and figure out what he is speaking about. I am thankful for when he does reveal the truth in his own parables so we don't have wonder or assume. However, I think its just fascinating how he decided to teach in this way so that the simple would not understand the true meaning but the diligent would study to know the applicable truth.

Matthew 12-16

Jesus was searching for those who will remain strong and faithful, he is looking and giving people the chance to believe.  So often he encounters those who need proof and then once they have it they are still too afraid to believe the truth and they use it against him.  I loved hearing the readings of the seeds that were spread on the different terrains- and told several times and revisited- Matthew found this important, I am interested to see if Mark, Luke and John use such emphasis.  I've heard them multiple times throughout my life but I really think the meaning of the seeds is so important.  So many people and even myself want to claim to be believers in God's word and God's promise but I really don't feel that my faith has ever been tested.  My soil has been undisturbed.

Matthew 10-11

These passages spoke to me- when Jesus talks about bringing the sword and that his mission will not always be peaceful because fathers and sons, mothers and daughters and other family ties will be broken.  We are to choose God above all others and this message has been on my mind all week.  What strength his followers must have had.  I am worried and torn about leaving the Catholic church just because I don't want "hard feelings" and these people in these times were facing DEATH for believing in Jesus!  My Matt has said for the past few years that we have to follow our hearts and do what we think is right for us and our family and forget about parental concerns because there is much more at stake here and Matthew's scripture really echoed that to me. 

Matthew 10

chapter 10 - After reading how Jesus spoke to his disciples about what they were soon to face in the world and the job He had for them it reminds me that the Christian life is not all rosy paths and sunshiny days. He reminds the disciples that they should not fear men but fear God. What a promise that if we are walking the path that God has for us he will give us the grace we need, the words to speak and the strength to carry on.

It was interesting that you mentioned about people you have read about losing loved ones. Our good friend Justin Miller, Jason's best man, has an older sister who was about 36 weeks pregnant and due Feb 15 I think. She lost the baby this last Thursday and was taken in for a C-section right away. It was a little boy and the cord was wrapped around his neck. It would have been their 4th child and they were all so excited. It was such a blow to me to hear about this sweet little baby and the loss their parents were now experiencing. I am so thankful that they know the Lord and that He has been ministering to their spirits and encouraging them. They have such faith in the Lord and through FB they have attested to how the Lord is working in their lives - they have bad days and moments but through it all they have not had to grieve as people who do not know God. We can trust HIS heart even when we can't trace HIS hand.