Wednesday, March 22, 2023

 

Wednesday, March 22, 2023


Psalm 51

Exodus 3

Luke 18:31-43


Observance: Thomas Ken, bishop of Bath and Wells, teacher (d. 1711)


“What do you want me to do for you?”


As we begin the final stretch of Lent, we can see Palm Sunday grow on the horizon: Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The day we celebrate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords riding into battle to defeat sin and death not in an armoured personnel carrier, to keep Himself safe; nor in a battle tank, to blow away His enemies; but on a donkey, greeted by cheering crowds unaware that His battle is to suffer, die and rise again for the sake of His friends.


The heart of Christ, or, the nature of who Jesus is, is such a fascinating topic to ponder that an eternity in His presence won’t be long enough to figure it all out. Here is the great I AM, Yahweh, the Lord God Almighty, whose Spirit hovered over the chaos at the birth of creation, with the power to create and destroy. What does He do? Enter into His material creation, taking on humanity. Deity is not something to be grasped at, like a rude toddler snatching the last lolly. Christ is perfectly comfortable with veiling His God-ness for a time, and walking among us as a man; dying like an animal; and then rising to new life like a Messiah.


Salvation is something we could never ask for on our own, because our hearts are too clouded by the intoxication of sin. So Jesus rams down the door to our hearts and implants a heart of flesh where a heart of stone once was. This is bewildering grace as it is. Then He asks the question: “What do you want me to do for you?”



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