Matthew 12:1-8
New International Version (NIV)
1 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the
Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and
eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look!
Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”
3 He answered,
“Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions
were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions
ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the
priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on
Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6
I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you
had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. 8
For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2012:1%20-%208&version=NIV)
As I read this scripture I got a
little stuck on the passage regarding David eating the consecrated bread. I could not find where that I was recorded in
scripture but finally found a passage in
I Samuel 21: 2 – 6 where it speaks of an incident where David went to a
priest and asked for five loaves of bread.
Not having “normal” bread the priest gave David the consecrated bread
for him and his men. It is an
interesting read but it is not really what I think Jesus wanted to focus on.
As I read it again I noted that
Jesus said to the Pharisees. “Haven’t you
read . . .” I had to think of Him saying those words to
me, when I ask those questions. How? When?
What? Why? There are so many things in
the Word of God that I haven’t read. So
many answers that I have just let set on the shelf. A perfect example is the scripture I spoke of
in the previous paragraph. The men Jesus
was talking to were learned men, men who should have known of this incident,
who are supposed to be knowledgeable of the Word of God, yet Jesus has to
remind them and even questions them on how much they really did know.
As I have been writing this blog I
have prayed about the scriptures that I am reading. I have asked the Lord to reveal His teaching
to me. When I have had questions, I have
asked for clarification. Invariably He
has pointed me to a scripture that made it so clear to me. Why did I do this? I did it because I didn’t want to rely on man
to give me the answers but to truly search the Word and know that God was
teaching me through the experience. Has
He revealed new things to me? Not in the
sense that I have new revelations because God is clear that there are no new
revelations. But He has certainly made
me see scripture in a different light Scriptures have come to life to me.
This passage is no exception. I have read this scripture many times and
thought how Jesus put those Pharisees in their place. Well today, it put me in my place. It doesn’t matter how much we know, it
matters if we know what it means. It
matters if we practice what Jesus is teaching here. How many times are we quick to judge others,
condemn those who don’t follow all the social norms that are expected? Jesus says He desires mercy. What is mercy? Mercy – price paid. Have you had to pay a price for your
salvation? If your answer is no, think again. In Matthew
10:38 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not
worthy of me. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2010:38&version=NIV)
Oh wow, we are
so quick to say that Christ took up His cross and we are to follow suit. Not just once but daily! I have
always been taught that Jesus sacrificed His life for my sins and that is true
as He was the sacrificial lamb but yet I have to think, in light of this scripture
that it was not so much a Sacrifice
but an act of Mercy.
Galatians
2:20 is my life verse, 20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me. It
is a verse that I need to remember, daily.
That verse means to me that I have to die to myself each day, “I” is
gone. How does that relate to
mercy? Showing mercy to others means
that I put their needs before my own, just as Christ did for each of us. First and foremost I must put Christ before
me. When we show mercy, the death of “I”
really isn’t a sacrifice, it is mercy.
It is pure joy just like I said in the blog yesterday. It is not heavy, it is light. When we “give up” something it is a sacrifice
and we may even be burdened by the absence of it but when we show mercy we aren’t
giving up, we are gaining our life.
Remember Matthew 10:39 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses
their life for my sake will find it. (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2010:39&version=NIV)
That
puts a whole new perspective on what it means to live, doesn’t it? If your life is what you are looking for then
you have just lost it.
My
challenge for us today is this, as we are in the season of Lent, many reading
this may have given something up for the occasion. As you practice this be reminded that Christ
is more interested in mercy than He is in sacrifice. As I read a Facebook comment the other day
someone suggested that instead of giving something up, they were going to do
something more for others. That is a
great practice but one that needs to be done on a daily basis not just during
lent. Remember to take up your cross
daily and follow in Christ footsteps. Begin
now to learn to Mercy. As you seek Him
and you find Him may you truly find your life.
Seeking
Him with all my heart,
Sheila
No comments:
Post a Comment