Harden not your hearts today,
but listen to the voice of the Lord. PS 4:8
GENESIS 17:3-9
My Soul's Beloved,
Abram is now given a new name by God, Abraham, meaning father of a multitude of nations. Here is the first glimpse into what will follow through the course of salvation of history until the fulfillment of God's promise in Your Person, my Lord. This is the first covenant that God makes with man and Abraham, and through it, we receive God's assurance that Abraham will be the father of all people in all nations. Jews and Gentiles, people of every race, nation, culture, and language will be called children of God, and they will spring forth from the descendants of Abraham.
Beloved, what God began with Abraham was brought to fruition in You and through You. You taught us to call Your Father, our Abba, as well, and You assure us that we are His children, for You call us Your brothers and sisters. You have given us Your Mother, and You assure us that we who walk the Way that You have marked for us will share in Your triumph and victory forever.
Grant us all the grace, my Beloved, to keep Your Covenant with us faithful until the end.
Abram bowed to the ground and God said this to him, ‘Here now is my covenant with you: you shall become the father of a multitude of nations. You shall no longer be called Abram; your name shall be Abraham, for I make you father of a multitude of nations. I will make you most fruitful. I will make you into nations, and your issue shall be kings. I will establish my Covenant between myself and you, and your descendants after you, generation after generation, a Covenant in perpetuity, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land you are living in, the whole land of Canaan, to own in perpetuity, and I will be your God.
PSALM 104(105):4-9
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Jesus said to the Jews:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
whoever keeps my word
will never see death.’
The Jews said, ‘Now we know for certain that you are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never know the taste of death.” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The prophets are dead too. Who are you claiming to be?’ Jesus answered:
‘If I were to seek my own glory
that would be no glory at all;
my glory is conferred by the Father,
by the one of whom you say, “He is our God”
although you do not know him.
But I know him,
and if I were to say: I do not know him,
I should be a liar, as you are liars yourselves.
But I do know him, and I faithfully keep his word.
Your father Abraham rejoiced
to think that he would see my Day;
he saw it and was glad.’
The Jews then said, ‘You are not fifty yet, and you have seen Abraham!’ Jesus replied:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
before Abraham ever was,
I Am.’
At this they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.
PSALM 104(105):4-9
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Consider the Lord and his strength;
constantly seek his face.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, the judgements he spoke.
constantly seek his face.
Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, the judgements he spoke.
O children of Abraham, his servant,
O sons of the Jacob he chose.
He, the Lord, is our God:
his judgements prevail in all the earth.
He, the Lord, is our God:
his judgements prevail in all the earth.
He remembers his covenant for ever,
his promise for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
JOHN 8:51-59
My Soul's Beloved,
My Soul's Beloved,
People who prefer their own fabricated truths and propagate them with zeal generally have a personal stake in doing so. They desire to safeguard their positions, their power, their authority, and their influence and are prepared to sacrifice anything and anyone to keep them. Vast numbers of people have been sacrificed at the altar of personal agendas and gain. It is no different here with the Jews whom You addressed, speaking to them the Truth that their minds and hearts refuse to accept. Yet, if they truly understood the prophets, the prophecies, and Sacred Scripture, they would see God's Covenant being fulfilled right before their eyes. How blessed they were and yet how pathetically they behaved when the long-awaited Messiah was in their midst. The world proved too great an attraction, and they committed Deicide to maintain the status quo.
Lord Jesus, help me not to be so free with my condemnation of anyone. Were I in the same position, I perhaps would be no better than they. Grant me this grace, O Lord, to keep my gaze fixed on You, to know Your Word, to keep Your Word, and to know always that You are the Word who is also the great I AM.
Jesus said to the Jews:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
whoever keeps my word
will never see death.’
The Jews said, ‘Now we know for certain that you are possessed. Abraham is dead, and the prophets are dead, and yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never know the taste of death.” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? The prophets are dead too. Who are you claiming to be?’ Jesus answered:
‘If I were to seek my own glory
that would be no glory at all;
my glory is conferred by the Father,
by the one of whom you say, “He is our God”
although you do not know him.
But I know him,
and if I were to say: I do not know him,
I should be a liar, as you are liars yourselves.
But I do know him, and I faithfully keep his word.
Your father Abraham rejoiced
to think that he would see my Day;
he saw it and was glad.’
The Jews then said, ‘You are not fifty yet, and you have seen Abraham!’ Jesus replied:
‘I tell you most solemnly,
before Abraham ever was,
I Am.’
At this they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself and left the Temple.
No comments:
Post a Comment