by RobertCummins | Nov 5, 2014 | 45. Tears
Matthew 26:36-46
“In the fullness of time” is a phrase from Galatians 4:4 that keeps coming to mind as I read this passage. We know there is an appointed time for everything (Eccl 3). In my mind, it is in that moment when the appointed thing is accomplished when the time is “full”. In this passage, time is just on the verge of being “full” for Jesus (and us, since we are in him) as he takes Peter, James and John further into the Garden at Gethsemane. Here he gives an invitation and warning to those who are closest to Him as to how they are to compose themselves in this particularly full moment.
When I think of God I am frequently overwhelmed by the height and the depth and the length of His inscrutable wisdom and being. The sheer dimensions of His thoughts are infinitely beyond the knowing of man’s finite mind. Yet…. He takes some friends aside and confides to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death, (here is an invitation) remain here and keep watch with me.” The idea of God revealing His deepest emotions to man and asking him to share them (in some small measure) reveals, I believe, something of the depths of God’s heart and his relational aspirations for us.
Sleep apparently was a powerful temptation for the three since it won out over God’s invitation to keep watch with Him. As Jesus is pouring His heart out to God, praying, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt“, the disciples were sleeping! For the record, I do not fear God’s wrath. I am confident that His wrath toward sin was absorbed in the cross which Jesus endured. What causes me to tremble though is that I might fail to respond to the invitation to remain with Him and keep watch – that I might be asleep in the fulness of time.
“Sleep” was what Jesus warned them against. The problem with Jesus’ intimate friends was chronic. In this very full moment they succumb to the temptation to sleep three times. Finally, their opportunity to respond to the invitation passes and Jesus wakes them and says…”the hour has come and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
“Sleep” is also what He warns us against. He tells us, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” Read this verse and all that follows to hear Jesus speak directly to us regarding time and the critical nature of how we steward it. This may not effect our salvation but it is definitely going to affect our reward. (Matt 24:46-47) That is sobering to me.
Scripture indicates that a sign the time is once again full will be the heavy eyes that have succumb to sleep. I believe Jesus is still inviting us to stand with Him and keep watch in a time that is growing increasingly full. I also believe that a frightening number of us are asleep regarding the kingdom of God, having given ourselves over to the worries of this world, being driven to a frenzied pace by technology, consumed in our vocations and vacations – deluded in our perceived need of more. If you have remained awake this far congratulations. I invite you to listen to Paul’s words to the Ephesians;
“Awake, sleeper and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ”. (5:14-21)
In the spirit of the Blue Book (from which this writing originates) is an ongoing invitation to assess our own alertness, to listen to and respond to the invitations and warnings Jesus is still issuing to remain with Him a while – awake and watchful over our own hearts as the times are growing more full by the day. And…., I sincerely pray that my writing is a form of “speaking to one another” and “encouraging one another..as we see the day (that will be utterly full) drawing near“.
Father, help us to hear Your loving invitation to slow down and listen to our own hearts and to Yours and make those changes in our lives that wise stewards make which will lead to greater intimacy with You as well as kingdom responsibility, opportunity and reward. In Your kindness, awaken us and help us to compose our hearts to respond to the things that are most grievous to you today. Amen
by RobertCummins | Nov 4, 2014 | 45. Tears
Matthew 23:37-39
Where do our tears come from anyway? Were Adam and Eve the first to weep? As far as I know there are no animals with the capacity to cry. From what the scriptures have to say, it appears that it is just us and God who weep. We can cry because we were created in His image. This is part of what distinguishes us from the beasts. I am curious if the advocates of evolution have discovered if before there was Cro-Magnon there was Cry-Magnon man? (I couldn’t resist)
We are all familiar with what causes our tears. Some of them come as we are surprisingly by something pure and beautiful or we are moved by an act of love or kindness. Some of our tears are joyful but I suspect that God, who collects tears, would confirm there is still a radically lopsided proportion of sorrowful tears to joyful ones. But, what brings tears to God’s eyes? This passage leads me to the idea that God’s nature and His role as creator and parent are the sources of His sorrow.
“Oh Jerusalem. Jerusalem…..”, Jesus laments over a people he created to commune with Him who have spurned every overture of love He has ever made. In God’s nature, there is the perfection of holiness and righteousness and then there is his heart that is bound up in love with a people hell-bent by their fallen nature on rejecting Him.
This passage reveals that there are ultimate consequences to rejecting the love of God. “Behold, your house is being left desolate!” This is probably in reference to the temple which will be razed in the not too distant future. (Perhaps it was the Spirit of God vacating that house that allowed the destruction of that city and the Jew’s Temple?) Jesus bid these people who were so dear to him a farewell until another time when they have returned in their hearts to Him and can say, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!”
The absence of God ultimately led to the decimation of Jerusalem. Their ruination was relatively fast. I have wondered, having invited God out of one arena of life after another, if our nation isn’t experiencing a slower more drawn out kind moth-eating judgement where we are plagued with shallow and immoral leaders whose collective judgements are resulting in what amounts to God’s judgement on us – a people He loves, like Jerusalem, yet who must experience the discipline that is demanded by His loving and just heart.
Father, may your discipline be recognized for what it is, wherever it is. May our hearts learn wisdom from it, the kind of wisdom that would recognize that Your heart is to gather and to protect those You love. May we grieve over the things You grieve over. May our tears lead us to prayers and petitions. May we be the generation who recognizes and listens to your prophets. May we be that generation that proves itself eager to see Your overtures of love (which even include Your judgements) accomplish that for which they were sent. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Nov 3, 2014 | 45. Tears
John 11:17-44
When I read the scriptures, I am assuming they are God breathed. To me this has meant that the ideas and truths embedded there are coded with the DNA of eternal life. It has followed in my thinking that, as such, they are compatible with the DNA He has also breathed into us – when he made us His own offspring. So, there is more than just a credible history of God in scripture. I believe there are eternal realities within us the Spirit awakens when we partake of His Word. These were the first thoughts I had after reading the passage a few times. The next thoughts had to do with how similar our stories are with those described in this narrative. Within the scriptures there are echoes of ourselves.
In the following descriptors of God, which one seems incompatible with the others? God is; a) omniscient b) omnipotent. c) holy d) emotional. If you chose “d”, you are likely in good company. Are we conscious that the God who spoke galaxies into existence also has feelings? OK…..so If God has emotions, what are they and what triggers them?
As He was entering Bethany, Jesus was met by some who believed He was the Messiah and others who did not. Sadly though, both groups were of the opinion that the One who could have done something about their tragedy had failed to do so. This only added to the pain of His followers. Does this scenario sound familiar yet? The tears of believers can double in volume since their God, who could have prevented the pain in the first place, had not done so.
“Jesus wept” may be the shortest sentence in scripture but the revelation in it, that our God weeps with us, makes it one of the most precious. I believe what disturbed Jesus so deeply and eventually caused Him to cry was His acute awareness that our incomplete understanding of Him adds to our sorrow. He had come with a heart to reveal good news, not add sorrow on top of sorrow. I think it grieves God when we perceive He has shorted us in any way. I believe it deeply troubles Him when we perceive Him as “late” or as a “no-show”. That Jesus is a Man of sorrows who is well acquainted with grief endears Him to me as much as His transcendent nature.
This story gives me hope in another way. It reveals that God can also surprise us by being ahead of our expectations. Martha didn’t anticipate seeing her brother again until Resurrection Day. Instead she witnessed a miracle and saw her brother within the hour.
I think I do better in my walk of faith when I keep some timing issues in perspective, such as; *The days I will live on earth are numbered. The ones I will live in heaven are without number. *I ultimately have no control over time so I need to handle it very open-handedly. * There will be a Resurrection Day yet even today, regardless of my perception, is the Day of salvation – (forgiveness, healing and deliverance).
Lord. that you have wept for us adds a new dimension of understanding to the intimacy of our relationship. May our hearts discover security and rest in Your compassions which are fresh each morning and will never fail. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Nov 6, 2013 | 45. Tears
Matthew 26:36-46
“In the fullness of time” is a phrase from Galatians 4:4 that keeps coming to mind as I read this passage. We know there is an appointed time for everything (Eccl 3). In my mind, it is in that moment where the appointed thing is accomplished when the time is “full”. In this passage, time is just on the verge of being “full” for Jesus, and us, as he takes Peter, James and John further in to the Garden at Gethsemane. Here he gives an invitation and warning to those who are closest to Him as to how they are to compose themselves in this full moment.
When I think of God sometimes I am overwhelmed by the height and the depth and the length of His inscrutable wisdom. The sheer dimensions of His thoughts are infinitely beyond the knowing of my finite mind. Yet…. He takes some friends aside and confides to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death, (here is the invitation) remain here and keep watch with me.” The idea of God revealing His deepest emotions to man somehow grips me.
Sleep apparently was a powerful temptation for the three since it won out over God’s invitation to keep watch with Him. As Jesus is pouring His heart out to God, praying, “Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”, the disciples were sleeping. I do not fear God’s wrath. I am utterly confident that His wrath toward sin was absorbed in the cross which did not pass from Jesus. What causes me to tremble though is that I might fail to respond to the invitation to stand with Him and keep watch.
“Sleep” was what Jesus warned them against. The problem with the intimates of Jesus was chronic. In this very full moment they succumb to the temptation to sleep three times. Finally, their opportunity to respond to the invitation passes and Jesus wakes them and says…”the hour has come and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
“Sleep” is also what He warns us against. He tells us, “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” Read this verse and all that follows to hear Jesus speak directly to us regarding time and the critical nature of how we steward it. It may not effect our salvation but it is definitely going to affect our reward. (Matt 24:46-47) That is sobering to me.
Scripture indicates that a sign that the time is once again full will be the heavy eyes that have succumb to sleep. I believe Jesus is still inviting us to stand with Him and keep watch in a time that is growing increasingly full. I also believe that a frightening number of us are asleep regarding the kingdom of God, having given ourselves over to the worries of this world; being driven to a frenzied pace by technology; consumed in our vocations; deluded in our perceived need of more. If you have remained awake this far congratulations. I invite you to listen to Paul’s words to the Ephesians;
“Awake, sleeper and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ”. (5:14-21)
IN the DNA of the Blue Book is an invitation to assess the level of our own alertness and hear and respond to the invitations and warnings Jesus is still issuing to remain with Him a while – awake and watchful over our own hearts as the times are growing more full by the day. And…., I sincerely pray that my writing is a form of “speaking to one another” and “encouraging one another..as we see the day (that will be utterly full) drawing near“.
Father, help us to hear Your loving invitation to slow down and listen to our own hearts and to Yours and make those changes in our lives that wise stewards make which lead to greater intimacy with You as well as kingdom responsibility, opportunity and reward. In Your kindness, awaken us and help us to compose our hearts to respond to the things that are most grievous to you today. Amen
by RobertCummins | Nov 5, 2013 | 45. Tears
Matthew 23:37-39
Where do our tears come from anyway? Were Adam and Eve the first to weep? As far as I know there are no animals with the capacity to cry. From what the scriptures have to say, it appears that it is just us and God who weep. We can cry because we were created in His image. This is part of what distinguishes us from the beasts. I am curious if the advocates of evolution have discovered if before there was Cro-Magnon there was Cry-Magnon man? (I couldn’t resist)
We are all familiar with what causes our tears. Some of them come when something surprisingly pure and beautiful greets our five senses or we are moved by an act of love or kindness. Some tears are joyful but I suspect God, who collects tears, would confirm there is still a lopsided proportion of the tears of joy to the ocean-full of tears that come from suffering in its myriad forms. But, what brings tears to God’s eyes? This passage leads me to the idea that God’s nature and His role as creator and parent are the sources of His sorrow.
“Oh Jerusalem. Jerusalem…..”, Jesus laments over a people he created to commune with Him who have spurned every overture of love He has ever made. In God’s nature, there is the perfection of holiness and righteousness and then there is his heart that is bound up in love with a people hell-bent by their fallen nature on rejecting Him.
This passage reveals that there are ultimate consequences to rejecting the love of God. “Behold, your house is being left desolate!” This is probably in reference to the temple which will be razed in the not too distant future. (Perhaps it was the Spirit of God vacating that house that allowed the destruction of that city and the Jew’s Temple?) Jesus bid these people who were so dear to him a farewell until another time when they have returned in their hearts to Him and can say, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!”
The absence of God ultimately led to the decimation of Jerusalem. Their ruination was relatively fast. I have wondered, having invited God out of one arena of life after another, if our nation isn’t experiencing a slower more drawn out kind of reaping where we are plagued with shallow and immoral leaders whose collective judgement are resulting in what amounts to God’s judgement on us – a people He loves, like Jerusalem but, by nature, must experience the discipline that is demanded by His loving and just heart.
Father, may your discipline be recognized for what it is wherever it is. May our hearts learn wisdom from it; the kind of wisdom that would recognize that Your heart is to gather and to protect those You love. May we grieve over the things You grieve over. May our tears lead us to prayers and petitions. May we be the generation who welcomes and listens to your prophets. May we be that generation that proves itself eager to see Your overtures of love (which even include Your judgements) accomplish that for which they were sent. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Nov 4, 2013 | 45. Tears
John 11:17-44
When I read the scriptures, I am just assuming that the Holy Spirit has breathed into them the Spirit of Life itself. The ideas and truths that are embedded into the bible are coded with the DNA of eternal life and are compatible with the Spirit which He has also breathed into us – His own offspring. So, there is more than just a credible history of God in scripture. There are eternal realities in them that the Spirit is intentionally revealing to awaken and sustain His offspring. These were the first thoughts I had after reading the passage a few times. The next thoughts had to do with how similar our stories are with those described in this narrative.
In the following descriptors of God, which one seems incompatible with the others? God is; a) omniscient b) omnipotent. c) holy d) emotional. I suspect if you chose “d”, you may have been in good company. Are we conscious that the God who spoke galaxies into existence also has feelings? OK..so, If God has emotions, what are they and what triggers them?
As He was entering Bethany, Jesus was met by some who believed He was the Messiah and others who did not. Sadly though, both groups were of the opinion that the One who could have done something about their tragedy had failed to take action. This only added to the pain of His followers. Does this scenario sound familiar yet? The tears for believers can double in volume since their God, who could have prevented the pain in the first place, had not done so.
“Jesus wept” may be the shortest sentence in scripture but the revelation in it, that our God weeps with us, makes it a precious one. I believe what disturbed Jesus so deeply and eventually caused Him to cry was His acute awareness that our incomplete understanding of Him adds to our sorrow. He had come with a heart to reveal good news, not add sorrow on top of sorrow. I think it grieves God when we perceive He has shorted us in any way. I believe it deeply troubles Him when we perceive Him as “late” or as a “no-show”. That Jesus is a Man of sorrows who is well acquainted with grief endears Him to me as much as His transcendent nature.
This story gives me hope in another way. It reveals that God can also surprise us by being ahead of our expectations. Martha didn’t anticipate seeing her brother again until Resurrection Day. Instead she witnessed a miracle and saw her brother within the hour.
I think I do better in my walk of faith when I keep some timing issues in perspective. *The days I will live on earth are numbered. The ones I will live in heaven are without number. *I ultimately have no control over time so I need to handle it very open-handedly. * There will be a Resurrection Day, yet today, regardless of my perception, is the Day of salvation (sozo) (forgiveness, healing and deliverance).
Lord. that you have wept for us adds a new dimension of understanding to the intimacy of our relationship. May our hearts discover security and rest in Your compassions which will never fail. Amen.
