Seeing the Love Poured Out for Us

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:23 pm Post subject: Seeing the Love Poured Out for Us

Seeing the Love Poured Out for Us

Scripture:

And when they were drawing near to Jerusalem and to Bethania at the mount of Olives, he sends two of his disciples, and said to them: Go into the village that is over against you, and immediately at your coming in thither, you shall find a colt tied, upon which no man yet has sat: loose him, and bring him. And if any man shall say to you, What are you doing? say that the Lord has need of him: and immediately he will let him come hither. And going their way, they found the colt tied before the gate without, in the meeting of two ways: and they loose him. And some of them that stood there, said to them: What do you, loosing the colt?

Who said to them as Jesus had commanded them; and they let him go with them. And they brought the colt to Jesus; and they lay their garments on him, and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way. And they that went before and they that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that comes: Hosanna in the highest. (Mark 11:1-10)

The Lord has given me a learned tongue, that I should know how to uphold by word him that is weary: he wakens in the morning, in the morning he wakens my ear, that I may hear him as a master. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I do not resist: I have not gone back. I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them: I have not turned away my face from them that rebuked me, and spit upon me. The Lord God is my helper, therefore am I not confounded: therefore have I set my face as a most hard rock, and I know that I shall not be confounded. (Isaiah 50:4-7)

Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also has exalted him, and has given him a name which is above all names: That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:6-11)

And straightway in the morning, the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him: Are you the king of the Jews? But he answering, said to him: You say it. And the chief priests accused him in many things. And Pilate again asked him, saying: Answer you nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse you. But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered.

Now on the festival day he was want to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded. And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder. And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do, as he had ever done unto them. And Pilate answered them, and said: Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy.

But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate again answering, said to them: What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews? But they again cried out: Crucify him. And Pilate said to them: Why, what evil has he done? But they cried out the more: Crucify him. And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

And the soldiers led him away into the court of the palace, and they called together the whole band: And they clothe him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him. And they began to salute him: Hail, king of the Jews. And they struck his head with a reed: and they did spit on him. And bowing their knees, they adored him. And after they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own garments on him, and they led him out to crucify him.

And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross. And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh; but he took it not. And crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

The third hour: The ancient account divided the day into four parts, which were named from the hour from which they began; the first, third, sixth, and ninth hour. Our Lord was crucified a little before noon; before the third hour had quite expired; but when the sixth hour was near at hand.

And the inscription of his cause was written over: THE KING OF THE JEWS. And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which said: And with the wicked he was reputed. And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying: Vah, you that destroys the temple of God, and in three days builds it up again; Save yourself, coming down from the cross.

In like manner also the chief priests mocking, said with the scribes one to another: He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the king of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And some of the standers by hearing, said: Behold he calls Elias.

And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and putting it upon a reed, gave him to drink, saying: Stay, let us see if Elias come to take him down. And Jesus having cried out with a loud voice, gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. And the centurion who stood over against him, seeing that crying out in this manner he had given up the ghost, said: Indeed this man was the son of God. (Mark 15:1-39)

Reflection:

We see and hear the words of others, but the question laid before us is how is it we should know what is true? In the time of Jesus, the people knew the prophesy and they saw how it was unfolding through Jesus. As He rode to the people, many believed in what they saw, but others were set on not accepting.

This is the same which comes before those of modern times. They must answer whether they believe in what has been seen by others. It is not possible to see all of His creation through which to form our beliefs; therefore, we must discern through what we may observe and what we feel to be true. Some will seek to learn only from the world, but those who seek Him will first search their hearts.

If they invite the Holy Spirit within them, they will not be denied the truth of His love. Through the Holy Spirit, they will begin to see the ways He works within their lives. They will begin to understand the prophecy and that which He asks of them. They will come to feel His love and they will be blessed from what grows within.

Many might wonder, how is it a man, mortal in flesh, can claim to be God? There are many mysteries before us, but it is the heart which often reveals to us as to what we do not comprehend from the world. Many explained, if Jesus was not of God, then, how could He perform the works which He did? Some will look to His works in the form of His miracles, but others will look to how He works within their lives. Some will believe for what they are told He did, while others will believe for what He does.

Some will ask for proof from what they can observe of the world. Some will see and be amazed at His creation while others will fail to see the forest for the trees. It matters not to the evil one how mankind chooses their blindness to His love, only that they fail to see.

The arrogance of man is to taunt God with their logic. ?If He is God, let Him save Himself,? they may cry; but do they comprehend that He has nothing to prove to them? They do not understand that what He did was for them. They do not comprehend that He cares nothing for their mocking, yet, He loves them so that He continues to extend His hand of love to them.

Some wish to find God as the result of experiments and calculations, but fail to look for Him where He seeks to live, which is within their hearts. Some ask for a sign or seek for God to pass some test of their liking. They fail to comprehend, a relationship of love is not found within the hypothesis and conclusions of an experiment, but is found within the commitment of the heart. He does not seek a relationship with us which satisfies an academic discussion, rather, He desires an everlasting relationship of love. When we turn to Him with love within our hearts, He will respond with the love from His. If we seek Him in faith, He will respond in such amazing ways.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier