Fulfilled

“For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted among the lawless’; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.”               Luke 22.37

It was written concerning the Christ that He would be counted among the lawless. This happened to Jesus. He was innocent. There was nothing about Him that was outside the law. Yet He was accused, and He bore the accusations. He had full commitment to the Father’s will and He knew the Scriptures must be fulfilled as part of the outworking of that will. So, even if the accusations were unfounded, He humbly went along with them.
He endured untold slights and insults. He agonised through persecution and torture. Ultimately He gave His life – and all through unfounded accusations and a rigged trial. But this was the Father’s will, and Jesus’ part was not to question, but to obey.

This presents me with interesting reflection. When I am faced with a situation, it may be fair or unfair. I know my instinctive reaction would be to examine the circumstances and decide if they were just or not. This would be my human response.

But I want to go God’s way and not my own. And so, I need to give myself to seeking Him in the circumstances of life. Whatever I might think or decide is irrelevant. What matters is His will, and what He wants me to do. There may be times when I can ponder this before making a decision. At other times I may need to act with a minimum hesitation. I must be in step with the divine will. I can practice this daily. I give myself to live fully in Him.

Loving Lord and Mighty King,

I give myself to Your will. I ask You to show me the way in all things. Teach me to know what You would have me do. Give me the courage to follow through, in Jesus’ name I ask.                 Amen.

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All authority

“Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat.”

                                                                                                                        Luke 22.31

What impacts me in this sentence is that Satan has “demanded” the sifting of the disciples. My first reaction is to question Satan’s right to demand. On further investigation, I learn that the Greek origin exaitéõ can mean to ask, require or demand or, in the form used here, exaitéomai, it means to claim back for oneself (Zodhiates, the Complete Word Study Dictionary, p598). This begins to make sense.

Peter, like all humans, was born into a world given over to the power of evil. It is a limited power, yet it is capable of much destruction. But Peter chose to follow Jesus thereby aligning himself with a greater power. As in all such cases, this is distasteful to Satan who then seeks to reclaim what was once his.

But Jesus will not allow this. He says to Peter, “… but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail…” (v32) Thus the greater power comes into play. For Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. His power is the greater.

As Jesus prayed for Peter, so He prays for all who turn to Him, and His power is salvation itself. Consequently, he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Heb. 7.25)

I praise God for His love, grace and mercy to me. I do not deserve His saving action but, by His love, He blesses and rescues me.

Gracious Lord Jesus,

You prayed for Peter and You pray for me. I thank You. I have chosen You and I want to follow You. May I be ever covered by Your prayer. May I know Your way for me, and may I be strengthened by Your Holy Spirit to follow always the way in which You lead me.                Amen.