At last, today, after months of reading and struggling, today God you have given me a breakthrough. Like looking and looking at one of those visual puzzles until at last you see the hidden picture, today reading the continuation of the Sermon on the Mount I am struck by the majesty, the beauty, the sheer incredibleness of what Jesus did for us as we seek to come to God.
\nBefore we had all the rules that have bamboozled me in the OT. We had nothing but our sinful selves and God’s anger.
\nThen Jesus came along and he turned that on its head. He said you cannot still sin, but when you do, as you will being human, I am here. I am your living sacrifice.
\nI know this and have known this forever. It is the oldest knowledge in me. Yet today again I weep as I see it anew. Yes, I must turn the cheek when I am hit. Yes, I must try to love my enemy. Yes, I will probably fail at these things, and yes, Jesus will be there to clean me in my Father God’s eyes when I ask for forgiveness.
\nIn these chapters, just like the previous NT chapters I read two days ago, there is too much to digest and write about.
\nMost importantly, for me, are these: Jesus tells us to seek, knock and ask – and our Father will answer. He loves us more than we love our own children. So we must seek knock and ask, in Jesus name. Next, Jesus heals the leper: the one that is tossed out of camp in the OT is healed by Jesus,simply by asking. Jesus also forgives the sins of all those who come to him, and indeed eats dinner with sinners.
\nWhen the Pharisees ask “why does he eat with such people?” Jesus replies: “People who are well do not need a doctor, but only those who are sick. Go and find out what is meant by the scripture that says: ‘It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.”
\nAlso, this is the chapter where Jesus calms the storm, a story worthy of its own commentary. Every verse in these chapters has volumes to say.
\nDear God, Thank you for showing me a glimpse of what I am looking for. Thank you after all those arid months of confusion. Thank you for Jesus. Please help me always follow your will so that he does not say, in the end, “I never knew you.” Please help me teach my children to obey you too. Please forgive me for the judgment I have been casting over others today. Please also forgive all my sins. Thankyou for each day with you my Father, In Jesus Name Amen.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
At last, today, after months of reading and struggling, today God you have given me a breakthrough. Like looking and looking at one of those visual puzzles until at last you see the hidden picture, today reading the continuation of the Sermon on the Mount I am struck by the majesty, the beauty, the sheer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-around-the-bible-in-365-days"],"yoast_head":"\n