Daily Thought From God's Word

Using the following format, I plan to use the rest of this year to help us get into a daily habit of reading and meditating on God's word. We will read a passage, answer some questions and then pray. I hope that you will take the time to answer the questions for yourself. I will post my answers and write out my prayer for that day.

Read Matthew 19.

Meditate on the passage answering the following questions:
1. What does this tell me about God and the Lord Jesus Christ?
2. What lesson can I learn from this passage?
3. What particular sin does it warn me against?
4. What verse, phrase or single word can I take with me for the day?

Pray

Today, as I have read this passage, I have learned that God has a plan for life. But man, being so focused on himself, does not see how good this plan is for him. God has allowed us to be consumed with our selfishness. He allows divorce (not His plan), He allows people to turn and reject Him.

In our self-centered lives we want what makes us comfortable. Looking at the culture, we know that divorce was easy to obtain. And clearly, the rich young ruler figured salvation would be easy, also. With man marriage is difficult and salvation is impossible.

Unless we are willing to forsake our lives, our possessions, our families, our self, we cannot truly follow God. This is a difficult statement today as it was then. The disciples were concerned about their own eternal life. How much more should we?

I believe the sin that dominates this passage is self (pride). We want divorces to make us happy. We want to brag that we can keep the commandment, but not follow Christ. We want the easy road, that I (self) can accomplish. I want to provide for myself, so that I might brag about how I accomplished salvation.

The clear point is that we cannot do this for it is impossible for man. It is only possible through faith in Christ.

The phrase I intend to reflect on today is Matthew 19:26.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for obtaining salvation through the shed blood of Christ. It is through this blood that salvation was made possible. It is nothing I have done, and for that I am most thankful. Help me today, to be content with Your plan for my life. In Jesus name, Amen.

Blessed Lord Jesus,
Before thy cross I kneel and see the heinousness of my sin, my iniquity that caused thee to be 'made a curse', the evil that excites the severity of divine wrath. Show me the enormity of my guilt by the crown of thorns, the pierced hands and feet, the bruised body, the dying cries. Thy blood is the blood of incarnate God, its worth infinite, its value beyond all thought.

Infinite must be the evil and guilt that demands such a price. Sin is my malady, my monster, my foe, my viper, born in my birth, alive in my life, strong in my character, dominating my faculties, following me as a shadow, intermingling with my every thought, my chain that holds me captive in the empire of my soul. Sinner that I am, why should the sun give me light, the air supply breath, the earth bear my tread, its fruits nourish me, its creatures subserve my ends?

Yet thy compassions yearn over me, thy heart hastens to my rescue, thy love endured my curse, thy mercy bore my deserved stripes. Let me walk humbly in the lowest depths of humiliation, bathed in thy blood, tender of conscience, triumphing gloriously as an heir of salvation.
(The Valley of Vision, "The Precious Blood", pg. 41)