EXPAND TO READ: MATTHEW 9 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verses 14-15): Father, I know You know this already, but I must confess to something. As much as I can remember, I have never truly fasted in my faith. I know from these verses that You want us to fast and I’ve been witness to other Christ followers fasting, but I myself have never taken on the challenge to truly fast with a faith-driven intention behind it. You say here that Your disciples did not fast while You were with them, but when the time came for You to leave, then they would fast. Please forgive me for never doing a faith-driven and faith-focused fast since coming to faith, Father. Help me to live more in obedience to You, Father. Help me to truly understand what it means to fast in my faith, but also to take the steps to do so. I know there is power in prayer as I’ve reaped the benefits in such. I also want to build my relationship fully with You by going to the next step of a faith-based fast, so teach me, Father. Teach me Your ways on this topic, please.
PROMISE (verse 15): I find this verse rather interesting, but also alluding to a promise which You are making. I’m not sure if anyone realized it at the time, but You are essentially promising two things. The first is that You will be leaving them one day. The second is that Jesus is our groom and we are His bride. Thank You for both of these promises. I know that Jesus leaving this earth was a necessity for the time-being, so I am grateful for this promise being fulfilled. I do struggle, however, with the promise of me being in a “marriage” with Jesus in a sense. I know the meaning behind it as we are to have a close, personal relationship with Him, but I must admit that I struggle to even be the right person in my earthly marriage, let alone my relationship with You. Help me to truly embrace and realize this promise in my life, Father, so that as I continue to mature in my faith, I fully embrace our relationship and become the bride to You that You deserve from me.
ATTITUDE (verses 28-29): These two verses reveal to me an attitude that I am not always so strong in—the attitude of believing. Yes, I do believe in You fully, but I do struggle at times with believing that You are always there for me and that I am pleasing to You. I do struggle at times with believing that Your grace is sufficient for all of the mistakes I’ve made. I do struggle at times with believing that I am strong through You and that all things are possible through You. In this verse, however, Jesus asks the blind men if they believe that He can do this. Their response is simple, yet extremely powerful because all they respond with is “yes, Lord.” Help me to walk in an attitude of full belief, Father, so that I too can always respond to that question with the same answer: “Yes, Lord!”
COMMAND (verses 5-6): Once again, You’re revealing to me this simple, two-word command of “get up” that often precedes almost every blessing bestowed on Your believers. I see this as a command, because it requires faith and action on our part in order for the blessing to truly be fulfilled. You don’t just give us things freely, per say, because our faith and our actions define what we are sowing in the moment which allows us to reap the benefits and blessings You are giving to us. Help me to be better at following this command by truly getting up and taking that first step in faith for the things I feel You pulling me towards or the things I feel would be pleasing to You, Father. Help me to be better at getting up in faith and in action, so that as I pray for things from You according to Your will, they will be done in my life.
EXAMPLE (verses 12-13): The example You provide here to the Pharisees is absolutely amazing and probably the best response that could have been given in the moment as it clearly gives a mental picture to them and the justification as to why Jesus was sitting with tax collectors and sinners. Those who are well, with no issues, don’t seek out a doctor, because there’s no need to. The same applies here; those who are righteous have no need for a savior. You then say that You desire mercy and NOT sacrifice, because you have come to call the sinners, not the righteous! How powerful is this?! You didn’t send Your perfect Son, Jesus, to be an idol for the righteous, because honestly there really aren’t any who are truly righteous. You sent Your perfect Son, Jesus, for the sinners because we needed a savior to help us navigate through this crazy world and to shower us with mercy for the mistakes we’ve made instead of shaming us. Thank You so much for Your perfect Son, Jesus! Thank You for all He has done, continues to do, and will do for us in the future, Father!
*DAILY NOTE: Reading through Jesus’ ministry through Matthew’s eyes is amazing to me. Matthew was a tax collector, which obviously required him to be a very meticulous and detail-oriented person. The way You had him write all of this scripture for our benefit definitely speaks to me just as much as Paul’s writings speak to me. In today’s message, a lot of the focus was on faith, belief, healing, and first-step actions. Thank You for showering me with grace and mercy throughout my faith, Father. Thank You for showing me that Jesus is the way for me to live my life. Thank You for the great lessons today, which convicted my heart but also gave me a way ahead in my life. Help me to stay obedient in my faith; help me to live in true belief of all that You are; and help me to truly walk this life with a first-steps action mentality, Father!
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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