Matthew 11:25 (Amplified Bible) - At that time Jesus began to say, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth [and I acknowledge openly and joyfully to Your honor], that You have hidden these things from the wise and clever and learned, and revealed them to babies [to the childish, untaught, and unskilled].
As I sat and read this verse this morning, I had a moment of realization. I don't know if I will be able to adequately put it into words to convey my thoughts, but I'll try.
My first response to this verse... "What a strange prayer."
Very spiritual, aren't I?
What strikes me here is that Jesus is praying. Which means He is talking directly to the Father. And He says He is joyfully acknowledging and honoring God. He is JOYFUL.
Next thing that strikes me... About what? What is here to make Jesus so joyful? Because to me it just seems like another verse in the Bible that tells us how God uses ordinary people who don't think they know everything to do His will and impact the lives of others. To me, this was just another verse in the Bible. But I realized that to Jesus, this was cause for worship.
Clearly there's a disconnect between my head (what I am reading and understanding) and my heart (my response to the information). Because I did not feel even a bit worshipful when I read, 'You have hidden these things from the wise and clever and learned, and revealed them to babies.' But if Jesus feels worshipful, then maybe I'm missing something.
True, this moment was a teaching opportunity for Jesus. It was a chance to openly make a statement that revealed some aspect of the Father to those who were with Him and to those of us who would later read this. Yes, that's true. But there were plenty of times when Jesus simply took the opportunity to teach and used it as a teaching moment. He just talked... to the people. In this moment, He was so moved and overjoyed and inspired that He was moved to speak directly to the Father about it. He would not have put on a prayer for show simply as a teaching technique. His prayer would never have been void of truth or intimate connection with the Father. This was more than just teaching. This was a prayer.
I realize for myself that I often read with my head - to gain knowledge and understanding - when the truest and deepest understanding and knowing comes when I read and listen with my heart, with an intimacy and connection with God by His Holy Spirit.
I'm about to share some strange truth about myself. Maybe I'm the only person who has ever felt like this or had these thoughts. But I doubt it. Here goes...
Many times in my life I have wondered at human 'feelings.' Because often I don't really FEEL anything. As a child, and throughout my adolescence, I heard and said 'I love you,' and I really believe that I LOVE those to whom I was speaking. But I didn't FEEL anything. I guess partly because love isn't simply a feeling. Often it's an action and a choice and a decision we make. It is more of an active response than a feeling response in many situations. Yet, while love is an action and not a passive feeling, I doubt that God loves completely void of feeling. I imagine that God's love is overwhelming and all-consuming. It defines Him. He IS love. I am not love. I am not often overwhelmed by it. Or consumed by it. In fact, quite the opposite.
Joy is another example of this. Yes, I know I am joyful. I'm not mopey. I'm not angry. But I don't think I have ever really tapped into the fullness of joy. Outside of a few circumstantial moments, it has rarely ever swept over me in such a wave as to fill me up and flood me. I acknowledge joy as an element of my life. Yes. But God's Word says that His joy is to be my strength. Rarely am I so consumed with joy that I feel strengthened by it.
Please don't misunderstand me. I am not saying that I ought to be driven by how I 'feel.' Not at all. Rather, I believe my heart to be in need of an awakening, and I am certain that I am not alone in this. I know that I do not live each day with my heart fully opened up. Many times I don't even follow Jesus with my heart as much as with my head. I KNOW what the right thing is to do, and so I do it. Not altogether bad. But I want to be MOVED by it. I want to enjoy it. I want to love it. I want to be flooded by it. I want to know the fullness of all that Jesus has died to make available to me.
Oddly enough (or not so much), after reading this verse in Matthew and thinking about my own life, my own heart condition, God led me instantly to Revelation 3, verse 1.
...I know your record and what you are doing; you are supposed to be alive, but [in reality] you are dead. Rouse yourselves and keep awake, and strengthen and invigorate what remains and is on the point of dying; for I have not found a thing that you have done [any work of yours] meeting the requirements of My God or perfect in His sight. So call to mind the lessons you received and heard; continually lay them to heart and obey them, and repent. In case you will not rouse yourselves and keep awake and watch, I will come upon you like a thief, and you will not know or suspect at what hour I will come. (Rev. 3:1-3, Amplified)
"Call to mind the lessons you received and heard; continually lay them to heart and obey..." This is a matter of getting information from your head to your heart. This is a matter of obeying and following God with your heart rather than with your head. Head knowledge is only useful to us if we can transfer it from our heads to our hearts. And according to this passage in Revelation, it seems to be our own responsibility to stir up or hearts and make this transfer from head to heart. We are responsible for living with ALL that we are, and not just the cerebral part. Following Christ is all about the heart. It is NOT about what we know or what works we can do. It is about the condition of our heart and the motivation behind the actions we take.
And so I realize that those words, seemingly directed to some obscure church in Revelation 3, are meant for us - for me. Today.
It is my most sincere prayer that God would help me through this process and teach me daily to live each moment fully opened up to Him, all that He is and all He has made available to me. Life is wasted to some capacity if it is not lived completely. And I don't want to waste my life, especially considering all that He can do with it if I will give it ALL to Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment