January 18: Accepting His Love.
HIS SELF-DENIAL.
"Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!" But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.--Mark 15:4, 5
When the tropical storm Harvey hit southeastern Texas, authorities reported more than thirteen thousand rescues. Unfortunately, some lost their lives. Among them was a woman who, along with her young daughter, had been swept away by high water. While floating in the canal, the mother did everything that she could to keep her daughter alive. When rescuers found them, the daughter was clinging to her mom. The woman did not make it, but her daughter was worth her sacrifice.
The mockery and torture that Jesus suffered was more than we can imagine. "Some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, 'Prophecy!' And the officers received Him with slaps in the face" (Mark 14:65). Before His crucifixion, Jesus endured His disciples' betrayal, the false accusations of the religious leaders, the mockery of the soldiers, the questioning of the authorities, the unjust scourging, the crown of thorns, etc., yet He did not defend Himself. "He kept silent and did not answer" (Mark 14:61). This was in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy:
He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth
(Isaiah 53:7).
It's not that He didn't have anything to say, or that He couldn't prove His innocence. He was not helpless to deliver Himself. No! He voluntarily renounced His rights; He relinquished His life. From His conduct we may learn that we don't always need to defend our rights when a greater purpose is served. We may also learn to surrender to God's will. We may learn humility as well. All these are very valuable. Yet most of all, may we learn and understand that Jesus surrendered His life in exchange for ours. His silence was loud proof of His love for us!
My Response:________________________________________________________
HIS SELF-DENIAL.
"Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!" But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.--Mark 15:4, 5
When the tropical storm Harvey hit southeastern Texas, authorities reported more than thirteen thousand rescues. Unfortunately, some lost their lives. Among them was a woman who, along with her young daughter, had been swept away by high water. While floating in the canal, the mother did everything that she could to keep her daughter alive. When rescuers found them, the daughter was clinging to her mom. The woman did not make it, but her daughter was worth her sacrifice.
The mockery and torture that Jesus suffered was more than we can imagine. "Some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, 'Prophecy!' And the officers received Him with slaps in the face" (Mark 14:65). Before His crucifixion, Jesus endured His disciples' betrayal, the false accusations of the religious leaders, the mockery of the soldiers, the questioning of the authorities, the unjust scourging, the crown of thorns, etc., yet He did not defend Himself. "He kept silent and did not answer" (Mark 14:61). This was in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy:
He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth
(Isaiah 53:7).
It's not that He didn't have anything to say, or that He couldn't prove His innocence. He was not helpless to deliver Himself. No! He voluntarily renounced His rights; He relinquished His life. From His conduct we may learn that we don't always need to defend our rights when a greater purpose is served. We may also learn to surrender to God's will. We may learn humility as well. All these are very valuable. Yet most of all, may we learn and understand that Jesus surrendered His life in exchange for ours. His silence was loud proof of His love for us!
My Response:________________________________________________________
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