“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
― Kahlil Gibran
“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.”
― Kahlil Gibran
― Kahlil Gibran
LEVITICUS 14
21“If, however, they are poor and cannot afford these, they must take one male lamb as a guilt offering to be waved to make atonement for them, together with a tenth of an ephahe of the finest flour mixed with olive oil for a grain offering, a log of oil, 22and two doves or two young pigeons, such as they can afford, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering.(14:21-22)
MATTHEW 26:55-75
55In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. 56But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
57Those who had arrested Jesus took him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled. 58But Peter followed him at a distance, right up to the courtyard of the high priest. He entered and sat down with the guards to see the outcome.
59The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward 61and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ ”
62Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64“You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”e
65Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered.
67Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”
69Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
73After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
74Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
JOURNAL
Complete and total rejection. This is what happened to the perfect son of God. This is what people and society do. They reject perfection. They rejected and had Jesus executed. How horrible and how ridiculous. Yet this is our sin...this is the sin that we have to accept and understand that it is part of this life. Good will be rejected...if we seek God and follow him, we will suffer for that and in that.
To see and know that we as a human race killed perfection...and then to really assess my own motives and behaviors and see how often I reject perfection. To see how often I run from what is good and right. It just makes me sick. I then look at the diatribes on social media and it just reinforces the despair.
We have done the truly miraculous with technology and yet we still can't trust God and love others. This command to love God with all our heart and to love others as ourselves...we don't even come close! How does God not absolutely destroy us in disgust?
Because Jesus died to save us from our sin. He died in my place, he died for all of this sin and carnage and hate. He allows it to exist because he died to forgive it...that is so hard to get my head around yet it heals my heart. It reminds me that my rebellion crucified Christ, my rejection, jealousy and hatred is what beat him with whips and nailed him to a cross. Yet he forgives me, time and time again. He loves me and accepts my pitiful attempts at righteousness.
There are moments when this overwhelms me and I am awakened to the reality and absurdity of the cross. I ask Father that this be in my heart every moment of every day. I ask that the pendulum not swing so violently from obedience to rebellion.
Complete and total rejection. This is what happened to the perfect son of God. This is what people and society do. They reject perfection. They rejected and had Jesus executed. How horrible and how ridiculous. Yet this is our sin...this is the sin that we have to accept and understand that it is part of this life. Good will be rejected...if we seek God and follow him, we will suffer for that and in that.
We have done the truly miraculous with technology and yet we still can't trust God and love others. This command to love God with all our heart and to love others as ourselves...we don't even come close! How does God not absolutely destroy us in disgust?
Because Jesus died to save us from our sin. He died in my place, he died for all of this sin and carnage and hate. He allows it to exist because he died to forgive it...that is so hard to get my head around yet it heals my heart. It reminds me that my rebellion crucified Christ, my rejection, jealousy and hatred is what beat him with whips and nailed him to a cross. Yet he forgives me, time and time again. He loves me and accepts my pitiful attempts at righteousness.
There are moments when this overwhelms me and I am awakened to the reality and absurdity of the cross. I ask Father that this be in my heart every moment of every day. I ask that the pendulum not swing so violently from obedience to rebellion.
6Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
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