Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Upon the Cross
Read Jeremiah 25 Read John 19 It is always good to take some time to meditate on the holy, bitter, innocent, sufferings and death of our Lord, Jesus Christ during the season of lent. Pause and take the time to do that as (or after) you read John 19 today. See him suffer! But meditate on that not to be morbid, and not even to feel sorry for an innocent man's death. Meditate on his suffering that you might turn from sin, rejoice in his death that bought your life, and seek to live for his glory, walking in his ways, grateful for the grace abundantly poured out upon you. What sins do you cast on your Lord today?...Seriously, take some time to think about that. Then see your sins forgiven. I provide a hymn again for your meditation today. Have I ever mentioned that I love Paul Gerhardt's hymns? Maybe once or twice... I know it is long, but I can help but post all 7 verses for you. Blessings! Upon the Cross Extended 1 Upon the cross extended See, world, your Lord suspended. Your Savior yields His breath. The Prince of Life from heaven Himself has freely given To shame and blows and bitter death. 2 Come, see these things and ponder, Your soul will fill with wonder As blood streams from each pore. Through grief beyond all knowing From His great heart came flowing Sighs welling from its deepest core. 3 Who is it, Lord, that bruised You? Who has so sore abused You And caused You all Your woe? We all must make confession Of sin and dire transgression While You no ways of evil know. 4 I caused Your grief and sighing By evils multiplying As countless as the sands. I caused the woes unnumbered With which Your soul is cumbered, Your sorrows raised by wicked hands. 5 Your soul in griefs unbounded, Your head with thorns surrounded, You died to ransom me. The cross for me enduring, The crown for me securing, You healed my wounds and set me free. 6 Your cords of love, my Savior, Bind me to You forever, I am no longer mine. To You I gladly tender All that my life can render And all I have to You resign. 7 Your cross I place before me; Its saving pow’r restore me, Sustain me in the test. It will, when life is ending, Be guiding and attending My way to Your eternal rest. (LSB: 453, Public Domain) Study with me tomorrow, Pastor Jon Soli Deo Gloria!
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I've had to stop listening to Glenn Beck as much in the morning! Between Jeremiah and him I just want to go back to bed...
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, sorry everyone. I'm having formatting issues so my blog looks all run together today. I reformatted it, but it displayed the same way! Don't know why!
ReplyDeleteQueenbee: I know what you mean! Jeremiah is full of doom and gloom. The cool thing about today's reading, however, is that God promises the captivity will end. Yes, it is a long 70 years away, but an end is in sight for Israel. The time of punishment would pass, and God would remain faithful to his promises to Abraham, David, etc.
And guess what? 70 years after the people go into exile, they are released! God kept his promise! (See 2 Chronicles 36:20-23 and Ezra 1:1).
As far as your other comment: I personally limit how much news and news commentary I watch. I don't want to live in denial or be ignorant as to what is going on, but I think we all need to find a healthy balance somewhere between being ignorant and being bombarded with devastation. Ultimately we have to remember that God is still God, and we must trust that he is in control. After all, "He's got the whole world in his hand." Maybe Proverbs 3:25-26 will help!