ResponsiveReiding

Today is THURSDAY of Passion Week.

Tonight, Jesus will celebrate the Passover meal with His disciples. It will be an emotional and eventful evening. By the end of it, He will be singled out by Judas to the crowd assembled to take Him captive, and before Friday is too far gone – to His death at Calvary.

Once again, we are reminded by Luke (21:37-38) that “every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. 38And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.”

There is no reason to believe this day would be any different. He would spend the better part of the day teaching the ones who would gather to hear Him in the Temple courtyard. As evening approached, He would withdraw to the upper-room prepared, to partake of the Passover.

Four things would consume Him this evening, and thus command our attention.

1 – He will institute the Lord’s Supper.

This is (if you will) the Last Passover – the fulfillment Passover. All the previous ones since the day the Israelites were delivered out of the bondage of Egypt – were tokens – dress rehearsals for this night. Now He will insinuate Himself into the Supper so as to utter transform it. It will go from its being a mere shadow, to the signal representation of the New Covenant. “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” (Luke 22:17-22 (ESV))

No matter what else – His substitutionary death is to form the centerpiece of Christian worship until He returns.

2 – He will wash the Disciples feet.

He will establish once and for all – in direct contradiction to human thinking – that the call to humility and service is to inform all of our interaction with one another. Ministry is service above office in His Kingdom. His, is a Kingdom of servants. All Indians, and no chiefs but one. Not without order, but none who dictate the order but our Christ Himself, through His Word, and the indwelling Spirit.

3 – He will teach them yet more.

John 13-16 First He instructs them as He washes the Disciples’ Feet. He tells them of His betrayal at the hands of one of them. A New Commandment He issues – Love one another, as He had loved them. Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial. He tells them He is “the Way, and the Truth, and the Life” and of His going away to prepare a place for them. Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit will come and how it is He (Jesus) is the “true vine”. He admonishes them to abide in the Father’s love, and that they will experience the hatred of the World. He will expand even more on the Holy Spirit’s ministry. He will tell them how their sorrow will be turned to joy. He will tell them that He has overcome the World

4 – Gethsemane – His great intercession for them, and all who will believe their testimony about Him.

Words cannot possibly do any justice to this monument of Divine intercession. All we can do is read, stand in awe, and weep.

Last observations – In this entire week, Our Lord has manifested every step of the way:

PEACE – Not PANIC

SELF-POSSESSION – Not SELF-PITY

COMPASSION – Not CONDEMNATION

URGENCY – Not HURRIEDNESS

FOCUS – Not FURY

LOVE – LOVE – LOVE – LOVE.

Oh, what a Savior He is!

Today is WEDNESDAY of Passion Week. Unlike earlier in the week, Jesus did not return to Bethany for the night. Luke tells us – Luke 21:37-38 And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. ³⁸And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.

The Biblical narrative gives us no day-specific information regarding this Wednesday. Unlike the rest of the days which each have their particular events, Wednesday might be reckoned “Silent Wednesday.”

Not that Jesus Himself was silent – as our text in Luke 21 shows.

It is in this silence that we pause to reflect upon it.

Note first: In the last week of His life, He was still bound up with what He had been doing from His being shown forth to Israel – teaching. How He loved the truth. How He labored constantly to bring others to hear it and see it. He is ever about this business. One cannot help but think back to the events recorded in Mark 1. After healing Peter’s mother in law, and then ministering to the multitude of the “whole city” who brought those “sick or oppressed by demons”, the crowds came to Him again the next day. When they could not find Him they went looking for Him. “³⁶And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, ³⁷and they found him and said to him, “Everyone is looking for you.” ³⁸And he said to them, “Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.” (Mark 1:36-38 (ESV)) Such is the premium Our Savior placed upon His preaching. We would expect no less of that focus in these final days than in the first.

Note second: It ought to tell us of what importance this preaching of the Gospel is. To be about it from the first to the last in Jesus’ own ministry is a great instructive for us. In days when people thirst after all kinds of arcane, fanciful or “how to” information from Scripture – we need to retain its central focus. People can become better husbands, better wives, better time managers, I suppose even better lovers (as some would stress so much in our day) and still lose their eternal souls in sin and unbelief. Only the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for those who believe. No matter how many other of the blessings we may partake of in Biblical teaching, if they are not bestowed upon a regenerate soul – they will in the end only see men and women going to Hell having lived happier lives here and now. How cruel of us to give people gems to live by here, while robbing them of what alone can benefit them for eternity.

Note third: Not all that God does is recorded for us. Not that we are bereft of anything needful for our salvation – indeed, 2 Peter 1:3 (ESV) “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” But it also true that ^“Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.” (John 21:25 (ESV)) He is always about His glorious work whether we hear every bit of it or no. God is still God in the silence. He can be trusted. He is holy. If we needed anything more than what was recorded, we can be sure in His love for us we would have it. But He is vested in repeating over and over and over – into the ears of His hearers the same essentials. Laboring right up to His last hours to make the truth known to all He could address.

Oh, what a wonderful Savior!

Today, would have been TUESDAY of Passion Week. No doubt, rising early, Jesus would have made His 2 mile walk into Jerusalem from Bethany where He was staying, with His Disciples. Today will be a day where He is embroiled in many discussions over controversies with the Jewish leadership.

Mark 11:27-28 tells us why the confrontation: “²⁷And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him, ²⁸and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?”

They were obviously still very upset over His cleansing of the Temple the previous day. So it is their initial exchange centers upon His authority to act in such a way. It is of course a foolish question on two fronts. Who ever needs some outside authority authorize them to do what is right, holy and just? Obedience to God is sufficient. Right, is its own right. But more, He was in fact the Son of God. He had every right. Yet the truth was – He should have needed to exercise that right at all, if they had been acting according to the authority and responsibility which belonged to them as those who were the “spiritual” leaders in Israel.

Jesus will confront them on 4 fronts: Matt. 21 records the main issues:

a. 24-27 / Their refusal to ACKNOWLEDGE John as Christ’s forerunner.

b. 28-32 / Their refusal to ACKNOWLEDGE their sin in ignoring John’s call for a baptism of repentance.

c. 33-44 / Their refusal to ACKNOWLEDGE Jesus as the Messiah.

d. 22:21-14 / Their refusal to ACKNOWLEDGE and respond to the Gospel of the Kingdom.

No sooner does He finish this discussion, than Jesus is approached by 3 successive groups with an array of questions for Him. One cannot help but be amazed at His patience in being willing to address them at all. In fact, these appear almost inane and not worthy of His attention at all. But He is not dismissive of them. Instead, He seizes the opportunities each one provides to still shed His divine light. He uses each one of these to still teach. He is ever The Word. He is always making the truth known.

In 22:15-22 the Pharisees and Herodians ask Him about the propriety of paying TAXES to Caesar. They are trying to expose Him as an enemy of Rome. If they can, they can do this publicly, the Romans will take Him off their hands. He sees through their hypocrisy and then He teaches them to set supreme value on what is due God.

In 22:23-33 the Sadducees who believe there is no afterlife – the existentialists (and hence opportunists) of their day, challenge Him with a fabricated conundrum about the RESURRECTION. Exposing their lack of understanding both the Scriptures and God’s power to raise men from the dead, He teaches them to look to the age to come.

In 22:34-40 others seek to engage Him in the then present controversies over which command of God is the GREAT COMMAND – the one which, if carried out, makes everything else OK. He moves them instead to deal with Principle of divine love in the inner man over mere precepts.

Lastly, He tests them. In 22:41-46 He wants them to wrestle with the The OT & the INCARNATION in David calling Messiah Lord in Ps. 110:1. They do not get it.

From there then, Jesus considers the woefulness of their condition. This He does in a series of 7 woes.

1. 13-14 – The woefulness of making salvation hard, and tied to them rather than by faith in Christ.

2. 15 – Of making salvation the product of bondage to works.

3. 16-22 – Of systematizing ways to break God’s laws through inventing technicalities.

4. 23-24 – Of majoring on the minors – having no ability to discern what is truly important.

5. 25-26 – Of emphasizing externals and actions over internals and our heart’s true condition.

6. 27-28 – Of the rank hypocrisy of claiming to be alive spiritually, when they are actually dead.

7. 29-36 – And of claiming to be superior to their ancestors (they wouldn’t have killed the prophets like their forefathers did), when they are in fact worse – as they seek to destroy the very Son of God.

Then He finishes the day with The Olivet Discourse – Jerusalem’s Fall, His 2nd coming.

Look at our Savior – TEACHING – TEACHING – TEACHING – Everyone one alike. Calling men to see the real way of salvation contrasted to the false religion that had been constructed out of God’s model of types and shadows in the Old Covenant.

This night – He does not return to Bethany. The time grows shorter.

Acts 10:34-43 (ESV) ³⁴So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all), ³⁷you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: ³⁸how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, ⁴⁰but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, ⁴¹not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴²And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

RAF: Peter’s visit to and discourse at Cornelius’s house is a model for laying out the basics of Christian doctrine to a new audience. Watch how fully he presents the basic facts while unfolding the Gospel within the larger context.

1. vss. 34 & 35 / The Gospel is of equal applicability to all. There are no special groups from whom the Gospel is to be withheld. He assures them they have an interest in this.

2. vs. 35 / God receives all who set themselves to seek Him. In this, we are brought to be reminded that the Spirit of God is at work in the world. It is true that no one seeks God AS God on their own. Yet all sorts are aware that something is terribly wrong and are seeking for an answer on the level they understand it, and, the Spirit of God is creating in some a true hunger for God and salvation. It is not a product of their own making, but it is real nonetheless.

3. vs. 36 / Jesus is Lord of all (God) – and the Gospel of peace is about Him, and tied to His Lordship. If Christ is not God, there is no peace, there is no salvation.

4. vs. 37 / Jesus came within the context of repentance from sin, and faith toward God. There is no salvation apart from these two things.

5. vs. 38 / Jesus came in the full manifestation of the Spirit of God, and in His ministry demonstrated God’s good will to all. Thus the Gospel offer is built upon a demonstration of His willingness to receive and heal.

6. vs. 39 / Jesus was crucified. (See: 1 Cor. 15:3-4)

7. vs. 41 / But He was also verifiably raised from the dead by God on the third day. (See: 1 Cor. 15:3-4)

8. vs. 42 / He commanded that it be preached that He is the Judge of all mankind.

9. vs. 43 / He is in fact the great subject matter of the Scriptures – of all of God’s revelation to mankind.

10. vs. 43 / Forgiveness of sins is found in His name.

Recently I read an article titled “The Points of Calvinism: Retrospect and Prospect.”1  It was written by Kenneth J. Stewart, PhD. Professor of Theological Studies @ Covenant College in Lookout Mountain Georgia. This piece was originally published in the Scottish Bulletin of Evangelical Theology. It appeared in the Autumn 2008 issue. In it, he makes a good argument for why an over-identification with the pop-Calvinism version of TULIP is in many ways unhelpful.

Dr. Stewart has graciously given me permission to provide you with the entirety of that article – YOU CAN READ THE FULL ARTICLE  HERE Or, you can click on “The Points of Calvinism: Retrospect and Prospect” in the “Do you know the Gospel?” column to the right.

Even the venerable Lorraine Boettner – who as near as I can tell first used the acronym TULIP in American theological writing anyway – in the 1932 printing of his wonderful work – The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination – warns:  “Let it be borne in mind that in this book we do not purpose to discuss in detail those other doctrines of the Scriptures which are accepted by evangelical Christendom, but to set forth and defend those which are peculiar to the Calvinistic system. Unless this be kept in mind much of the real strength and beauty of generic Calvinism will be lost and the so-called “Five Points of Calvinism,” – which historically and in reality are the obverse of what might be called the “Five Points of Arminianism,” – will assume undue prominence in the system. Let the reader, then, guard against a too close identification of the Five Points and the Calvinistic system. While these are essential elements, the system really includes much more.” (Pages 59-60 of the 1972 7th printing edition by The Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company – Emphases mine” )

Indeed, I would argue that very many who self-consciously identify themselves as Calvinistic and/or Reformed, do so almost exclusively due to their identification with the 5-Points.

As others have suggested (see Dr. Stewart’s article), perhaps now would be a good time to try for a slightly better “shorthand” approach. One a bit more descriptive and hopefully not as liable to easy caricaturization. I make my modest proposal then for a new “T.U.L.I.P.” – the P.E.O.N.Y.

I advance it – and await your comments. Maybe you’ve got a much better entry. Don’t hesitate to give it a shot. This is mine:

Pervasive, uncaused and humanly irreversible SINFULNESS.

Eternal sovereign ELECTION, unconditioned in the creature.

Objective, penal, substitutionary ATONEMENT, universally applicable to all men on condition of faith.

Never failing, ultimately conquering, sovereign GRACE.

Yoked to Christ in an unbreakable bond of ENDURING love.

1 – My thanks to David Ponter by way of Ed Trefzger for pointing me to Dr. Stewart’s article.

1 – 1 Peter 3:9 (ESV) Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

RAF: The thought is almost too simple isn’t it? Would you be blessed? Bless! Blessed people, those who live in the sense of being blessed of – and therefore happy in – God, are those who love to bless others. The route to blessedness is not to get others to pour out blessings upon you, but to bless them. Watch and see how the Lord pours back into your heart more than you give out.

But let us beware that we make this crude and bless others only to BE blessed. This is not an investment scheme, it is a way of life. God Himself cannot in any real sense be given to. There is nothing we can “bless” Him with in that sense. He is lacking nothing. Yet He is eternally blessed and happy. And a part of His happiness is in His native love to give to others. “God so loved the world, that He gave.” He desires that our blessedness be more like His. A blessing of others which is the overflow of having all things in Christ – and not a means to somehow put some effort into blessing so that we can get some blessing out of it. That is how Wall Street works, not Heaven.

Heavenly Father, give us your heart – so that we bless and are blessed in the way you are. Make us so full of the riches which are ours in Christ, the bottomless riches, that we can be like Elijah’s widow, pouring out an endless supply of oil, supernaturally welling up within. Holy Spirit, open our eyes again today to see what we really have, what has freely been given to us. Make us embarrassed with the riches, and lavishly reckless in our attempt to give them away. Oh, that others might have what we do!

2 – 1 Peter 3:13-16 (ESV) Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? ¹⁴But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, ¹⁵but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

RAF: Note first, that some may harm us, even when we do good. We ought not be too surprised if in this fallen world we suffer some injustice. Was not our Savior’s crucifixion the single most unjust act ever committed by human hands? Should it shock us so then if we are treated wrongly at times? This is sin’s unmasked face. It is grotesque, ugly and fearsome.

Note second that God does not count harm as we so often do. Peter echoes Jesus’ words here from Luke 12:4-7 ⁴“I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. ⁵But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! ⁶Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. ⁷Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Harm in this life can be but physical and emotional, and at that, temporary. Compared to eternal spiritual harm, such is nothing. Oh to keep that balance in our hearts when tested in this way.

Note thirdly that the way to be delivered from these temporal fears, is to regard the holy Christ as Lord in our hearts. In other words, to remember He is Lord, not others nor the circumstances; that He is holy and cannot sin against us but can only act for our good; and let those considerations govern our thoughts and attitudes, rather than whose hands it is we suffer directly from.

Note fourthly then, that this response to such treatment, is so counter-intuitive to normal human responses that it will evoke wonder from those who observe it in us. This then serves as a means to redeem that suffering and make it a means whereby the Gospel is preached and Christ it put forward before men. This is the hope that is so remarkable, men cannot help but wonder where it comes from.

Note lastly – that we make our response to them not as though defiant and self-triumphant, but with gentleness and respect. Their being put to shame for treating us badly is not to be a means of revenge for us, but a means of showing God’s grace and mercy for the sake of their souls.

Now who but our wondrous God would have put forth such a pattern to follow? Oh what a glorious God we serve!

1 – 1 Peter 2:2-3 (ESV) ²Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— ³if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

RAF: Have you tasted the goodness of God? Then train your appetite to desire more and more of Him. And begin to go after it like newborns do their mother’s milk. Milk in the Scripture is often a picture of God’s blessings. Hence we read so many times that Canaan is referred to as the land of “milk & honey.” In 1 Cor. 3:2 Paul likens the Gospel to milk – it is the single, most basic life giving provision of God. In Heb. 5:12 milk is the “basic principles of the oracles of God.” And in 5:13 it is that upon which we as babes find perfect sustenance as we grow to take in the stronger “bread” of the Word which is not just the good news about Christ, but more of Christ Himself. That then also becomes our meat in due season. Christ at the beginning, Christ as we grow, and Christ the fullness of God for us. This is John’s point in 1 John 2 where he writes to “little children”, young men” and “fathers.” We all grow in and by Christ. That never changes in any stage of life. Let your hearts taste Him often and your souls be drawn out after Him. Let the taste of His sweetness spoil you for everything else. Oh Father – feed us upon Christ every step of the way. Holy Spirit, break Him to us today as our daily portion – and let us be filled with Him!

2 – 1 Peter 2:4-5 (ESV) ⁴As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, ⁵you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

RAF: What a “priesthood” this is which belongs to the Believer. It is as high above the Levite’s priesthood as Jesus’ priesthood is above Aaron’s. The priests of the Old Covenant would take the sacrifices of the people, help them spill the blood of them and offer them before God. But ours are not sacrifices for sin. Christ has satisfied those once and for all. Ours is a priesthood of pure joy. The sacrifices we offer up – are all those of thanksgiving and praise. Celebratory sacrifices. Hebrews 13:15 explains it to us: “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” What a joyous occupation! Imagine, we are ordained to be happy and to give God thanks and praise for His goodness, mercy and grace to us. This is our holy employment. It is not somber and mournful – it is full of grace and glory. And though we know still the uncleanness of our own hands – note that the passage reminds us still our offerings are acceptable – “through Jesus Christ.” As poorly formed, ill conceived, sometimes pitifully executed and even tainted with mixed motives – still, our Christ renders them acceptable to the Father, because we offer them in His holy name. Oh may the spirit of praise grip us and may the shouts of joy rise up from the camp of the saints to drown out the miserable din of sin’s beckoning.

3 – 1 Peter 2:11-12 (ESV) ¹¹Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. ¹²Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

RAF: One of the greatest weapons Christ has given to us for prosecuting the battle against sin, is to live in the reality of this present transitory state. That all temptation is passing and temporary. Here, the image is of OUR transient stay here. This world is not our home. The things it offers us will soon be gone, because we’ll soon be gone. We are sojourners here, exiles. If we think of ourselves in these terms, sin’s grip is dealt a withering blow. Temptation can be so much more endured when we realize it will end soon. That it will not always remain wooing us with the same vigor. Our enduring is but for a time. And we do not want the opportunity of the time allotted us to be robbed by falling into sin. Such passions within us war against our souls, make us dull to God’s voice, and prey to our lust’s. Holy Spirit, remind us often, this is temporary – and the glory which awaits us is at hand!

1 – 1 Peter 2:1 (ESV) So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

RAF: Look simply at the first word in this verse: “so.” A world of theology can be packed into such a brief expression. It bids us to summarize all of what has come before in chapter 1 – the theme of which is the “living hope” hope the Believer has been “born again to”, and the price paid for such glory – the ransom was paid with the “precious blood of Christ.” “SO” – if this be the case, act accordingly! This is the weight of the Apostle’s words. If chapter 1 is real, how ought that to impact the way we live our lives? And he mentions that its first impact ought to be in putting away the things which are incompatible with the living hope we are headed toward, and the precious blood which was shed for us. Oh what glory is ours! Father, keep such things ever before my eyes that I not live as though these are not true and governing realities. Keep them always in view. Let nothing cloud the clear vision of them.

2 – 1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV) But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

RAF: This is one of those passages packed with so much for us to understand, that one could spend endless hours musing on its implications. Here is one of those statements which is so sweeping in uveiling the scope of God’s dealings with us in salvation that to miss it, is to miss much of understanding the “why” behind this unsearchable plan. In the simplest of terms, it appears that God’s final goal in all things – is the divinely ultimate manifestation of His mercy and grace through eternal, familial society with a redeemed humanity. And that His motive in it all, is love.

That which God knows about Himself within the Triune Godhead, which He delights in in Himself, and which cannot be known any other way apart from the Fall and the Cross – is that He is a God who is merciful to sinners without violating His justice, and so full of grace, that He makes mere forgiven creatures, a part of His own family through adoptive grace. Mercy brings forgiveness, but grace brings sonship. His desire is to cause the universe to rejoice over His mercifulness and His graciousness. And to that end, He conscripts us into this holy and unspeakably joyous, delightful and eternal occupation.

It is a pity that we often focus only upon the naked facts that Believers are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession.” As glorious and stupendous and unimaginably wonderful as these things are – they are not the end. He didn’t just do all of this, to do it. All of this is “that you” – i.e. for this purpose: That we might make His mercy and grace KNOWN! To “proclaim” His “excellencies” in it. To be His declaration of His glory through us. And in order for us to proclaim that with zeal and burning love and not like the reciting of indifferent facts – like parrots reciting the Lord’s Prayer – He makes us the recipients of this mercy and grace. He makes us to partake of it. He wants not just eye witnesses, but heart witnesses. Witnesses so consumed with how merciful He is, and how gracious He is, we are stumbling over ourselves to get the message out.

Heavenly Father – grant me the capacity to understand the weight of this glory, so that I might be set ablaze with the realities of it. My heart is so hard at times. My mind so dark. My ears so dull and my tongue so thick. Open my eyes. Unstop my ears. Flood my mind with light. Melt my heart so that in grasping it all, I cannot but help proclaim your sweet excellencies with every atom of my being. Fill me with your Spirit. Spirit of the living God – fill me with Christ.