May 31
2 Sam 17:1-29 | PS 119:129-152 | Prov 16:12-13 | John 19:23-42
We read in Psalm 119:131, "I opened my mouth and panted, For I longed for Your commandments." I swam for my high school and college swimming teams. Whether it be a sprint or a distance event, and no matter what the stroke was, when I hit the wall at the conclusion of the race, my tank was empty, as I would cling to the wall and gasp for oxygen. In fact, if this were not the case, then I should have tried harder. This is the vision of how we should desire God's Word, literally desperate to take it in. The word, "despise" means to take lightly. Most despise God's Word, and truth be told, never consider God in their day-to day lives. But others who do read God's Word often do so as part of a daily checklist. Not so much out of a deep desire, but more out of a sense of duty, not really expecting to get that much from it. This should not be our approach, as we read in Psalm 42:1, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God".
Our Savior did not despise us, but literally panted after us. He held nothing back. He fulfilled every prophecy as He approached His finish line on earth. Having been scourged, beaten, spit upon, humiliated, stripped, and mocked for more than twelve hours, not thinking of Himself at all, as He kept His mind sharply focused on us, His thirst must have been unimaginable, as He uttered one of His seven statements from the cross, in John 19:28, "I thirst"! After his mouth is made wet with the sour wine, placed their on a sponge with a branch of hyssop, we read His final words in 19:30, "It is finished". Literally, nothing left. Mission accomplished. He gave it all, not for applause, or a medal as in an athletic competition. He gave it all for us. He paid the price that we could not. That was the love that He poured out for us.
With that in mind, considering who He is, and who we are, how can we give Him so little of our time or thought. The truth is we can never pay Him back for all that He has done for us, and He does not ask this of us. But shouldn't we at least really love Him, consider Him, and desire to get to know Him better? Shouldn't we at least desire to engage in a meaningful relationship with Him. He was never careless concerning us, we should never be careless about Him. He didn't have to leave us His love letter, the Bible, but He did. May we pick it up and engage in a spirit of expectation and excitement, not knowing what new facet of Himself and His story that He might illuminate for us this day.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: