Marge:
Homer, what does it profit a man
if he gains the world
but loses his soul?
Homer:
Uh, he gains the world.
(gasps)
I got to put that on a shirt.
Lol! It's funny how sometimes we pursue this world yet forgetting our souls. As Jesus once said,
For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36
And sometimes we have become like Homer, yet deep down I think intrinsically we all know that the pursuit of the world is vanity...
May 1, 2023
Have I given Christ my best?
It's been a couple of days since I arrived back from overseas holiday. And it's weird how hard it is to go back to routine once more. I know I've been skipping out on my morning devotions and drawing farther away from God. Yet today by His grace was I compelled and able to do my devotions once more. I guess it's true how no one is righteous nor seeks God as Romans 3 would say. And today I read this verse:
She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. Mark 14:8
As reading this I ruminated from enduring word commentary that said,
She has done a good work: “In the Greek there are two words for good.
There is agathos which describes a thing which is morally good; and there is kalos which describes a thing which is not only good but lovely.
A thing might be agathos, and yet be hard, stern, austere, unattractive. But a thing which is kalos is winsome and lovely, with a certain bloom of charm upon it.” (Barclay)
Jesus gave her the highest compliment: she has done what she could. God expects no more from us than what we can do; but beware of setting your sights so low that you believe that doing nothing is doing what you can.
“There can be no higher commendation than this. All cannot do great things for Christ, but it is well if each one does what he can as unto the Lord Himself.” (Ironside)
O Lord, please forgive me for not giving You my best these last few days. Reading Mary's love and adoration towards You is inspiring. Have I given You my best? No I have not. As today I am once again reminded of my goal. This world and all its desires are fading. Life is like a vapor that is soon gone. Yet my dream is return to Your embrace once more and for You to say,
His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matthew 25:23
O the joys of coming into Your presence. And my hope is for Your commendation as You said to Mary. To do all I can and to give You my best just like Mary. Thank You Lord for Your grace once more in my life. Please help me constantly as I will fail You, and help me to do my part and aim towards You once more. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen...
#has #done #what #she #could #good #faithful #servant #enter #into #the #joy #of #your #Master #thank #You #Jesus
May 15, 2023
He did not take it: Jesus refused any drug to numb His pain. He chose to face the agony of the cross with a clear mind and without medication.
“According to an old tradition, respected women of Jerusalem provided a narcotic drink to those condemned to death in order to decrease their sensitivity to the excruciating pain… This humane practice was begun in response to the biblical injunction of Proverbs 31:6-7: ‘Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more.’” (Lane)
“The local sour wine was ‘laced’ with myrrh; this would give it a bitter taste, but a soporific (drowsy) effect. Thus is explained the reference to ‘gall’… He would not take any anaesthetic; all His faculties must be unclouded for what lay before Him.” (Cole)
“Was it out of any love to suffering that he thus refused the wine-cup? Ah, no; Christ had no love of suffering. He had a love of souls, but like us he turned away from suffering, he never loved it… Why, then, did he suffer? For two reasons: because this suffering to the utmost was necessary to the completion of the atonement, which saves to the utmost; and because this suffering to the utmost was necessary to perfect his character as ‘a merciful High Priest’ who has to compassionate souls that have gone to the utmost of miseries themselves; that he might know how to succor them that are tempted.” (Spurgeon)
And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.
(23)
Just amazed at this verse. How can our Lord Jesus Christ endure so much? How can He be so kind as to suffer so much? Even though He can take the easy way out, He does not. He bears the cross willingly. Have I done the same?...
June 28, 2023
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