September 16, 2020 -- John 8:58 -- Excellent fodder for mental chewing
/Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
John 8:58 English Standard Version
There are some passages and texts of the Scripture where it is just good to park your thoughts and spend time. Meditate on the fact that Jesus, the great and glorious One, spoke creation into existence. He was there, and lit the fiery furnace of the sun so that its light and heat warm the earth. The cosmos is a declaration of His majestic authority. The orderliness spinning galaxies of stars and pathways of planets showcase His divine design.
As the Scripture declares, God knit us together in our mother’s womb. Jesus knew, from conception onward, the life story of every person who ever lived. The Jewish people standing in front of Him, mocking Him, scorning Him, draw their every breath at His pleasure. Those who deride Him do not realize He knows their family line and can trace every moment of life for every single person in their family tree right back to Adam and Eve. They place so much emphasis on their descent from Abraham—the Patriarch whose conception and birth, joys and sorrows, suffering and hopes were under the gracious direction of the Spirit and the Sovereign care of Jesus and watchful eye of His Father.
Abraham knew his need for a Savior. Abraham was not flawless and faultless, but through-out his life was shown over and over again His need for the Saviour he longed for—the very Suffering Servant-King standing before his stiff-necked descendants. Thinking through such things causes our hearts to melt and our souls to cry out: “What is man, that You are mindful of him” (Psalm 8:4) ?! Our hearts, suitably humbled and brought low by such times of meditation and deliberations, then can reach out and embrace Jesus—the joy of every longing heart, our LORD, Whose Name is majestic through-out all the earth.
O God of Wisdom and Glory—when I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars which You have set in place, what are we, mere people, that You should pay attention to us? Blessed and Triune God, I will give thanks to You with my whole heart and ponder Your wonderful deeds. I will reflect and meditate on You, the LORD Who sits enthroned in splendor Who does not forget the cry of the afflicted! Great are you LORD and worthy of all our praise. Amen.
(This prayer is based on Psalm 8:3,4, 9:7,12)
This beautiful rendition of the Beatitudes is sung scripture. Enjoy — this too is one way to meditation on the Word of God
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqhmMoI6wks
