Verse 46 - "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
Answer: Me
Reading this today was difficult. More so than ever before, these words troubled me and made me hurt. My sins were on that cross. My disobedience was on that cross. My bad and selfish desires and thoughts were on that cross. My idolatry, my cursive mouth, my lack of reverence for the Sabbath, my lack of honor and respect for my parents, my murderous heart, my heart and eyes of adultery, my stealing, my lies, my covetness - ALL on that cross......nailed to Jesus.
The returning thought I have had the last few days is "how I do not revere God and treasure my salvation through Christ". This was a hard chapter to read today. I have never felt like I, personally, was in this chapter, than when I read it today.
Father, forgive me for I DO know what I have done and continue to do. I am so sorry for how I have devalued your sacrifice for me. I want, need, and desire to change this - starting right now.
Matt 27:3-4...Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying.."I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."
This statement was "in my face..." I have always heard Judas preached that he was indeed, the sinner that God did not forgive....and I could feel good about myself, I did not sell Jesus out. No so today.
We seem to think that Judas was not saved...but, yet he was a follower of Jesus. Yes, he carried this dark part of himself that Satan was able to use for his advantage. Is he really any different than me? Do I not have dark parts within myself that the enemy can use to hurt the Body of Christ. Is he any different than any one of us at any given time, that in our weakness, our unconfessed sin, any place that has not been submitted to Jesus, the devil uses to manipulate and control our desires and our actions. He was a follower of Jesus for at least a year, if not more....and he took care of the money. Jesus knew he was stealing. Jesus knew this dark place within him, yet we never see Jesus dealing with this weakness like He did with Peter and James and John. Did He?
Afterward, Judas realized his sin, so the devil must have left him and God was able to shine the light of Truth back into his life,and we see that he was full of remorse. Aren't we all when we see our sin. In the moment of my action, in anger, in hurt, in covetousness, in addiction, I do not think, and I do not see what I have done....but then....I do see and I am full of remorse. Judas even went to rectify what had been done. He confessed and gave back what he had taken. He saw his sin and the situation that he had put someone else in..... and that innocent blood was about to be shed. Here I am, a sinner...wretched that I am, and if I confess my sins.....God, You are so faithful to remove my sins and wash me clean. But does that take away the guilt? Only love can do that. He was used, and am I not used to bring harm to innocent blood? Have I not been lured and conned by the enemy in ways that harm a brother or sister, part of the body of Christ. Of course, I did not send Jesus to the cross....but, in fact, I did. I do. He went to the cross for my sins as well as Judas and the whole world. He knew my sin before I was born, and He loved me anyway.
Lord, You show me mercy, in my sin, in my betrayal of You, in my submission to sin, and what the enemy uses for harm, You bring about for good to those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.....How do I know that Judas did not love you? AT this moment Lord, I see my sin, I see my betrayal of You, I see myself for who I am....a sinner, saved by grace. You show me mercy, over and over again. Mercy....Mercy....Mercy triumphs over judgement. Thank You Lord.
Charter Oak Church is a family of Jesus followers who want to reach out to those who are searching and equip believers to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.
Verse 46 - "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"
ReplyDeleteAnswer: Me
Reading this today was difficult. More so than ever before, these words troubled me and made me hurt. My sins were on that cross. My disobedience was on that cross. My bad and selfish desires and thoughts were on that cross. My idolatry, my cursive mouth, my lack of reverence for the Sabbath, my lack of honor and respect for my parents, my murderous heart, my heart and eyes of adultery, my stealing, my lies, my covetness - ALL on that cross......nailed to Jesus.
The returning thought I have had the last few days is "how I do not revere God and treasure my salvation through Christ". This was a hard chapter to read today. I have never felt like I, personally, was in this chapter, than when I read it today.
Father, forgive me for I DO know what I have done and continue to do. I am so sorry for how I have devalued your sacrifice for me. I want, need, and desire to change this - starting right now.
Matt 27:3-4...Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders saying.."I have sinned by betraying innocent blood."
ReplyDeleteThis statement was "in my face..." I have always heard Judas preached that he was indeed, the sinner that God did not forgive....and I could feel good about myself, I did not sell Jesus out. No so today.
We seem to think that Judas was not saved...but, yet he was a follower of Jesus. Yes, he carried this dark part of himself that Satan was able to use for his advantage. Is he really any different than me? Do I not have dark parts within myself that the enemy can use to hurt the Body of Christ. Is he any different than any one of us at any given time, that in our weakness, our unconfessed sin, any place that has not been submitted to Jesus, the devil uses to manipulate and control our desires and our actions. He was a follower of Jesus for at least a year, if not more....and he took care of the money. Jesus knew he was stealing. Jesus knew this dark place within him, yet we never see Jesus dealing with this weakness like He did with Peter and James and John.
Did He?
Afterward, Judas realized his sin, so the devil must have left him and God was able to shine the light of Truth back into his life,and we see that he was full of remorse. Aren't we all when we see our sin. In the moment of my action, in anger, in hurt, in covetousness, in addiction, I do not think, and I do not see what I have done....but then....I do see and I am full of remorse. Judas even went to rectify what had been done. He confessed and gave back what he had taken. He saw his sin and the situation that he had put someone else in..... and that innocent blood was about to be shed. Here I am, a sinner...wretched that I am, and if I confess my sins.....God, You are so faithful to remove my sins and wash me clean. But does that take away the guilt? Only love can do that. He was used, and am I not used to bring harm to innocent blood? Have I not been lured and conned by the enemy in ways that harm a brother or sister, part of the body of Christ. Of course, I did not send Jesus to the cross....but, in fact, I did. I do. He went to the cross for my sins as well as Judas and the whole world. He knew my sin before I was born, and He loved me anyway.
Lord, You show me mercy, in my sin, in my betrayal of You, in my submission to sin, and what the enemy uses for harm, You bring about for good to those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.....How do I know that Judas did not love you? AT this moment Lord, I see my sin, I see my betrayal of You, I see myself for who I am....a sinner, saved by grace. You show me mercy, over and over again. Mercy....Mercy....Mercy triumphs over judgement. Thank You Lord.