Verse of the Day - weekend 4/3

Through the Bible - Judges 13-17, Luke 10

 

Good morning,

Yesterday I referenced Luke about taking up our cross daily to follow Him.

Many of you over that past couple of days in reading or at a service followed Christ on His path to the cross.  Tomorrow we will be celebrating what He accomplished.

One of the first songs sung Thursday night at St. Marks was in Christ alone.  Here is the last stanza.

 

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.

It's in the power of Christ that we'll stand.

 

The verses that  we were given to consider in preparation for communion were from Psalm 51, written by a repentant David.  You may not consider it in relation to good Friday or preparation for Easter, but verse 7 brings things together.

Ps 51:7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.   NIV

Hyssop was the plant used to apply the blood to the doorframes of the Israelites homes in the actual event of the Passover.  David is asking for ceremonial cleansing of his heart.

 

The hyssop plant was also used to offer Jesus the sour wine on the cross.  After He took it He said "it is finished".  He had accomplished what He had been sent to do, the sacrifice was complete.

John 19:29 A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. 30 When Jesus had tasted it, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and released his spirit.  NLT
For today's verse we'll go to the same passage in Psalm 51 where David asks for a clean heart.

 

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering, and steadfast spirit within me.  Amplified Bible

 

The words from the Amplified Bible brought it together for me.  The desire for a persevering and steadfast spirit.  If we are to take up our cross daily to follow Him through life's struggles and triumphs it will require the steadfast spirit of Christ.

Towards the end of the service we sang "Amazing Love", here are some of the lyrics.

 

I'm forgiven because You were forsaken,
I'm accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.

Amazing love,
How can it be
That You, my King, should die for me?
Amazing love,
I know it's true.
It's my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.

May the desire our hearts be that of David in Psalm 51 of a "persevering spirit" along with the final words to Amazing Love, may it be our joy to honor Him in all we do.

 

In Christ,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.net
http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com
Eph 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace  NIV
Ps 51:7-13

 

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

 

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.   NIV