MAY 4, 2023

  “Yeah. Beethoven was deaf. Helen Keller was blind. I think Rocky's got a good chance.”

-Adrian, 'Rocky'

1 KINGS 8-9

54When Solomon had finished all these prayers and supplications to the Lord, he rose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had been kneeling with his hands spread out toward heaven. 55He stood and blessed the whole assembly of Israel in a loud voice, saying:56“Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. 57May the Lordour God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. 58May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. 59And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel according to each day’s need, 60so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God and that there is no other. 61And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.”(8:54-61)

LUKE 23:39-56

44It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”^e When he had said this, he breathed his last.

47The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

JOURNAL 

In human terms this whole scene is a complete sad disaster. Jesus appears to have failed. The King of the Jews...the messiah...the Son of God...has just been executed as a criminal. He has been abandoned by those closest to him who are weeping and hiding in fear. Those closest to him stand watching from a distance. This is horrible, this is God's rescue plan and it has ended horribly...how is this the path and the plan of God? How is this good?? There is so much left to do...so many sick that need to be healed...so many persecuted wrongly. So many who are in power whose hearts are evil and wicked. Why has God seemingly abandoned Jesus and all the new believers?

Because earthly failure is often the fertile ground of God's greatest works. Moses, Joseph, Paul, Peter, Job, David...all these were counted out and deemed lost causes at one point in their life...it's the ultimate beauty and message of the Bible. What man deems lost and worthless God sees as having infinite value. What man sees as impossible God sees as perfect timing. 

It is why we are not equipped to judge correctly. We can't see the future, we can't see the depths of a man's heart and soul, we can't even know fully the depths of our own. It's God's grace that compels us to trust him, rather than ourselves, society, another man etc. It's God's grace and wisdom through his word that gives us the strength and power to push through adversity, tough times and even success. It compels us to focus on today and his provisions. It compels us to trust that tomorrow will work out in ways that will grow the kingdom, that right will prevail. We are not alone and this world never has the final verdict on the future. Yet we have a part to play...we must trust God for tomorrow and rest in the grace and gift of today. 

31But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

MARK 10:31