I want to share something a little different again this week! This is from Charles Spurgeon:
"Behold
the Man!" — John 19:5
If there
be one place where our Lord Jesus most fully becomes the joy and comfort of His
people, it is where He plunged deepest into the depths of woe. Come hither,
gracious souls, and behold the Man in the garden of Gethsemane; behold His
heart so brimming with love that He cannot hold it in—so full of sorrow that it
must find a vent. Behold the bloody sweat as it distils from every pore of His
body, and falls upon the ground. Behold the Man as they drive the nails into
His hands and feet.
Look up, repenting sinners, and see the sorrowful image of
your suffering Lord. Mark Him, as the ruby drops stand on the thorn-crown, and
adorn with priceless gems the diadem of the King of Misery. Behold the Man when
all His bones are out of joint, and He is poured out like water and brought
into the dust of death; God hath forsaken Him, and hell compasseth Him about.
Behold and see, was there ever sorrow like unto His sorrow that is done unto
Him? All ye that pass by draw near and look upon this spectacle of grief,
unique, unparalleled, a wonder to men and angels, a prodigy unmatched. Behold
the Emperor of Woe who had no equal or rival in His agonies! Gaze upon Him, ye
mourners, for if there be not consolation in a crucified Christ there is no joy
in earth or heaven. If in the ransom price of His blood there be not hope, ye
harps of heaven, there is no joy in you, and the right hand of God shall know
no pleasures for evermore.
We have only to sit more continually at the cross
foot to be less troubled with our doubts and woes. We have but to see His sorrows, and our sorrows we
shall be ashamed to mention; we have but to gaze into His wounds and heal our
own. If we would live aright it must be by the contemplation of His death; if
we would rise to dignity, it must be by considering His humiliation and His
sorrow.
I wanted to share this because it is such a great example of pushing in to know and 'see' more! Hosea 6:3 has always been a favorite verse for me. Here it is from both the KJV and the AMP versions.
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. KJV
3 Yes, let us know (recognize, be acquainted with, and understand) Him; let us be zealous to know the Lord [to appreciate, give heed to, and cherish Him]. His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn, and He will come to us as the [heavy] rain, as the latter rain that waters the earth. AMP
I have had a few friends who have said that they would not watch 'The Passion' movie because it bothered them to see the graphic images of the scourging that was done to JESUS and to watch the crucifixion. My mindset on that is that because JESUS chose to go through all of that, and more, to save me, then the very least that I can do is to observe, learn and KNOW just what it meant to JESUS to go through all of that 'for the joy that was set before Him' {Hebrews 12:2}!
2 Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. AMP
WE were His prize! We ARE His prize! His Body. His Church. His Bride! 1 John 3:2 is another favorite verse of mine!
2 Beloved, we are [even here and] now God's children; it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be [hereafter], but we know that when He comes and is manifested, we shall [as God's children] resemble and be like Him, for we shall see Him just as He [really] is. AMP
THIS life is God's perfect plan for our preparation for the entrance into that new and better life, when we DO see Him face to face! When we can look to JESUS in every situation, then I believe that we will be at the point where we will ask ANYTHING and it WILL be done for us! I am REALLY looking forward to that! Here is Hillsong with "Man of Sorrows":
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
