“Go back?" he thought. "No good at all! Go sideways? Impossible! Go forward? Only thing to do! On we go!" So up he got, and trotted along with his little sword held in front of him and one hand feeling the wall, and his heart all of a patter and a pitter.”
20This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. 21In everything that he undertook in the service of God’s temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered. (31:20-21)
JOHN 18:1-23
15Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
17“You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.”
18It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
JOURNAL
Hezekiah goes above and beyond and restores all traditions of sacrifice and worship. He doesn't do it halfway, he does it completely, just as it was done in David and Solomon's time. As a result the whole kingdom repents and begins to diligently follow God. He takes action and he leads the action.
Jesus is arrested and tried before Pilate. Peter follows and then denies his association with Jesus. Again here is an example of actions not following intentions. There is no doubt that Peter loves Jesus and believes in him, yet when Peter is alone and everything he believes is questioned, he folds like a paper doll.
To follow Jesus involves actual physical life change and life change must include persistent diligent action. It's not something that exists just in the mind, it must play out physically in our lives. It's hard and many times is not something we "want" to do. Often I find that the circumstances in which I find myself tempt me to alter my course and betray my deepest convictions. It is a constant moment by moment battle. Which is why it is vital to daily get up and surrender my life to God. Even though doing so is often against the grain of the world and therefore against the grain of my emotions, my desires, my thoughts...yet when I do it and do it consistently, I receive a peace that truly is "beyond understanding". A peace which doesn't make sense, but gives me the fortitude to move forward...
ROMANS 8:1-4
Jesus is arrested and tried before Pilate. Peter follows and then denies his association with Jesus. Again here is an example of actions not following intentions. There is no doubt that Peter loves Jesus and believes in him, yet when Peter is alone and everything he believes is questioned, he folds like a paper doll.
To follow Jesus involves actual physical life change and life change must include persistent diligent action. It's not something that exists just in the mind, it must play out physically in our lives. It's hard and many times is not something we "want" to do. Often I find that the circumstances in which I find myself tempt me to alter my course and betray my deepest convictions. It is a constant moment by moment battle. Which is why it is vital to daily get up and surrender my life to God. Even though doing so is often against the grain of the world and therefore against the grain of my emotions, my desires, my thoughts...yet when I do it and do it consistently, I receive a peace that truly is "beyond understanding". A peace which doesn't make sense, but gives me the fortitude to move forward...
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set youa free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,b God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.c And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
No comments:
Post a Comment