April 25th, 20

APRIL 25,  PUT ASIDE YOUR KINGDOM

Our readings today are I Samuel 30-31, I Chronicles 10, and Matthew 12.  We are reading from the New Living Translation.

Are you hungry?  Do you need some heads of grain?  Is your hand, or your heart, or your purpose shriveled?  Have you fallen into a well or a ditch, and need to be lifted up?  God has you covered.  He is coming for people like that.  Jesus quotes Isaiah and says

Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen. He is my Beloved, who pleases me.

I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not fight or shout or raise his voice in public.

He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.

Finally he will cause justice to be victorious. And his name will be the hope of all the world. (Matt 12:18-21)

Religious and political kingdoms like to shout and raise their voices.  They like to crush the weakest reed and snuff out the weak, by marginalizing and exploiting them.  But not with this King – our Jesus.  He has come to bring real justice and true righteousness.

If we are willing to put aside our kingdoms, we might catch a glimpse of what God is doing.  And we might be changed.  It happened for the people of Ninevah.  They put down their own kingdom at the preaching of Jonah, long enough to turn to God and be forgiven.  It happened for the queen of Sheba.  She put aside her kingdom long enough to come see the true wisdom of God, lived out in Solomon.  And now, it can happen for us, if we are willing to put aside our kingdom long enough to behold the One who is greater than Jonah or Solomon.  

Jesus, the beloved Son,  can truly satisfy our hunger.  He heals shriveled hands and hearts.  He pulls us out of the ditch, and invites us to be His brother, sister and mother, and do the will of his Father. As we look to the Servant – the Chosen One – the One that pleases the Father- we will see real justice and righteousness come into our lives, his righteousness in us.  We, too,  can demonstrate the will and purpose of the Father in our lives, becoming people who are offering the Bread of Life to those who are hungry.  We can offer healing to those whose hearts are shriveled, and rescue those who have fallen into ditches.  That life can become ours, as we look at the Servant and behold Him whom God has blessed.  

Find your life in him.  Someone far greater than Jonah or Solomon, is here.  He is your Lord – your Jesus – and he is Beautiful.  See Him today.

You are loved!