Isaiah 61 ~ The Spirit of the Lord

Isaiah 61

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

    because the Lord has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor

    He has sent Me 

to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

    and 

the opening of the prison to those who are bound

To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,

    and the day of vengeance of our God;

    to comfort all who mourn

To grant to those who mourn in Zion—

    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit

That they may be called oaks of righteousness,

    the planting of the Lord, 

that He may be glorified.

4 They shall build up the ancient ruins;

    they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

    the devastations of many generations.

We went to the National Gallery of Art as a family vacation. And came upon a quiet room displaying The Descent from the Cross by Rembrandt Van Rijn.  The room was slightly dark, the light was coming from the Portrait of Jesus. We all 4 walked to the painting. Our faces up to Jesus, being tenderly lowered in weakened and quiet death.  And our son burst into tears. Streaming down his face, "How could they do this to JESUS? The blind see. The deaf hear. How. Could they do this to Jesus?"

And we hugged him. More people came up to the portrait. They wept.  One woman said, it is so real and so tragic. She wept.  As we left the room in a few moments, another viewer came up to the woman and put a hand on her weeping back. 

The faces of the mourners, were our faces.

They shall build up the ancient ruins;

    they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

    the devastations of many generations.

5 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks

    Foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;

 but you shall be called the priests of the Lord;

    they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;

you shall eat the wealth of the nations,

    and in their glory you shall boast.

Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion;

    instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;

therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion;

    they shall have everlasting joy.

For I the Lord love justice;

    I hate robbery and wrong;

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

    and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

Their offspring shall be known among the nations,

    and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge them,

    that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.

 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;

    my soul shall exult in my God

For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

   He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,

    and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

    and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,

so the Lord God 

will cause righteousness 

and praise

    to sprout up before all the nations.

Later in the June weekend, we came back to the Portrait of Jesus, and other people were weeping before Jesus.

Hebrews 13:8

 

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

We witness in Jesus His Life on Good Friday.  We face the loss of Jesus and know again how much we want The Lord in all of our life. 

On Good Friday, the Loss of His Ministry on earth causes us to want more of Jesus.

John 1 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. 

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

The true Light, which gives Light to everyone, was coming into the world. 

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become Children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

I had a long conversation today with family today. We were discussing the after Pandemic world. He was telling me about a friend who lost $30,000 in a costly, special purpose, camera suitcase.  The man was recently divorced and was leaving the country, his dog and had this one suitcase of his photographic equipment.  And in this man's sorrow and distraction, he left the suitcase in a parking lot after retrieving one piece of the equipment. And they were all charged with the horror of this situation for a man feeling the world had left him plunged into darkness after the loss of his beloved spouse. And without hope, they posted on NextDoor and Facebook. While repeatedly returning to the parking lot. About 2 hours later, they were asked to return to the huge city parking lot to have the suitcase returned intact. No reward was accepted. 

And in our area, people write about having two jobs for the first time. A divorce. An eight-year-old daughter who just wants a Barbie Birthday. And seeing a 100 people offering their Barbies and bakers who will make a free Barbie Cake. A Barbie bicycle belonging to their child. An elderly couple inviting the divorced mother to come to Walmart and pick out Barbie things. And in fact, this generosity led to an overwhelming overflow of Love for the child and her mother.  Posts came back of the gifts and donations.

We see animals loved and cared for that never would have happened during my childhood years. People are hungry to love and cherish one another and their pets.

And yet, so many will tell you of the day-to-day disappointment with grumpy people in their small and more care worn paths and lives. Not the joy of sunny days from all ages, remembering a less care worn world.  Even Baby Boomers, Millennials and all the Generation named age groups will tell you of people and families with fewer worries.  The exponential rise of the cost of necessities in the last 30 years.  Especially since the Pandemic. A fear of the future imposed on each life. 

Good Friday reminds us of our need for His Mercy, 

His Forgiveness and our repentance in adding to the difficulties in His Path and the people surrounding us.  We need Jesus and we acknowledge and bewail manifold our sins and wickedness.  

Descent from the Cross after Rembrandt, painted by Cora Wendell 

I was asked if I see hope for the future.

I do. More people are awake to the forces of Good in Jesus Christ and the evil of His absence.  The Bible bears witness to the pendulum of each generation finding out we need Jesus and His Love, Mercy and Shelter based upon what they can see and put hands on in their lifetime.  

Abba, Father, 

Mark 12:24

Life assures us the road has sharp turns,

Unforeseen corners and the comments do not cease.

Jesus Himself tells us

He is the way, the truth and the Life.

Know the Scriptures,

Know the Power of God.

And we will believe in the One He has Sent.

Surely, He took on our infirmities 

and carried our sorrows; 

yet, we considered Him stricken by God, 

struck down and afflicted.  

But He was pierced for our transgressions,

 He was crushed for our iniquities; 

the punishment that brought us peace 

was upon Him, 

and by His stripes 

we are healed. 

Each Day we are Blessed 

to ask for more

More Heaven on earth.

More Give us This Day.

More Daily Bread.

The Universe is upheld

by the 

Power of Your Word.

May The Lord God Almighty

His Son Jesus

surround and uphold us

in This Peace.

The Peace is Upheld by God Himself 

and 

we ask

His Blessing and Favor.

Gently, we hand You our Cares

knowing Your Hands hold

this so well.

Tenderly.

And we are Loved and Filled.

We give thanks for

Your Sacrifice

to bring those unworthy

to be adopted into Your Family.

Knowing we are not perfect,

have weakness,

flaws 

and sins.

And draw near to you with confidence

in Jesus Christ

according to Your Will

Your Word

Your Steadfast Love

and Your Promises in Jesus.

Dwell in us

and help us to be Pleasing to You

Dwell in those we Love and Honor

and help us to seek You first

and we will end well in Jesus Christ.

In the Highest Name 

of Jesus Christ,

Amen

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Our Lord Jesus

John 13:3-9 ~ His Hands

 

John 13:3-9

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His Hands, 

and that He had come from God 

and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. 

He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, 

tied it around His Waist. 

5 Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. 

 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 

7 Jesus answered him, 

“What I am doing you do not understand now, 

but afterward you will understand.” 

8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet.”

 Jesus answered him, 

“If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 

9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only 

but also my hands and my head!”

The New Covenant is our opportunity to renew our being born again in Jesus Christ. 

To remember God first. 

Matthew 6:33

 

Seek first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness, 

and all these things will be added to you.

Abba, Father,

Our heart hears the call from You.

We ask healing

of Your Good Creation

The fullness of the earth is Yours.

The healing of those we pray for
in our heart and soul.

Dwell in us, Father,

Dwell fully in those we love,

Help us to seek You first

and we will finish well in Jesus Christ.

Our God. His Son, 

Jesus Christ.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

YES Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus

Matthew 26:6-13 ~ prepare

 When we think of Holy Week, what do we think Jesus was doing? Jesus was visiting people and the Scriptures record He was invited to lunch. Al fresco.

There was so much to the Words of Jesus, all the books in all the Libraries and databases, couldn't contain the Words and Works of Jesus.

Judas was having important meetings this week. Jesus was as well. Judas was seeking to fill his own future with all types of events, funds and powerful people, to advance the life of Judas, and if Jesus was really, really a good object, or subject, then Jesus would advance as well.     Judas was building for his own life. Probably about 15 to 20 more years. Jesus was building today unto Eternity.

Jesus was surrounded by His People. People who did not know they were His People.  Vessels. Souls filled with Jesus and His Father, The Holy Spirit. 

The Bible Verses today speak of Alabaster. Even Alabaster points to Jesus.  This is the week Jesus said if the People did not cry out for the Glory of God, even the rocks would cry out. And when the people got quiet, to see the reactions of Jesus Christ in His Temple, the Children began to sing His Praise. Infants Praised God.  Psalm 8 tells us our Father knew of this miraculous Praise in the 1000 BC Psalms of David. 

Frequently, Scriptures record Jesus was invited to dine with people. Holy Week was no exception.

Matthew 26:6-13

Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper 

A woman came up to Him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on His Head as He reclined at table. 

8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 

But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, 

“Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 

12 In pouring this ointment on My body, 

she has done it to prepare Me for burial. 

Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, 

what she has done 

will also be told in memory of her.”

Jesus, the Gospels tell us, was a man filled with emotions, humor, tears, weariness. John 4:6 says Jesus is weary. When we hear of Jesus praying, He is recharging Himself to speak with our Father.  Jesus gets angry with people, disciples and the Temple.  

Openly, openly, openly, Jesus says He is being prepared for burial. 

This is the end of Jesus in this world.  And Jesus is as calm and prepared as the Alabaster flask.  Jesus is not edgy, irritable, rude, tearful or angry. Jesus is still, and always will be, Our Shepherd. He has not come to fill the Flask.  Jesus has come to fill the woman pouring out her emotions in a week of intense events.  Jesus sees her being a vessel filled with the Holy Spirit.

Jesus has come to fill, not alabaster water jars of 40 gallons, Jesus has come to fill this woman. To heal her emotions, to honor her Love. Jesus has come to fill Simon. Jesus has come to be heard by the people passing Simon's porch. Jesus is back, back, back in Bethany. Lazarus is Alive! Simon has invited Jesus as hero of the week and known to all of Israel, to dine on his front porch. 

Jesus is not here as miracle flavor of the week. Jesus is here as Love. Healer. Shepherd, Father. 

Jesus is not here as a libation to be poured out and to evaporate.

Jesus is the Living Breathing Word of God. 

2 Timothy 2:20-21 

 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver

 but also of wood and clay, 

some for honorable use, 

some for dishonorable. 

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, 

he will be a vessel for honorable use, 

set apart as holy, 

useful to the master of the house, 

ready for every good work.

Lent is a time of remembering

to put God first in our heart,

thoughts.

And remember again what Vessel of God

we want to be

Judas and Herod play a part of Lent, Holy Week and this Scripture of Matthew's Gospel, the 26th Chapter.  

Vessels.... Herod's Palaces have been found in the last decade. Even Herod's Tomb.  Herod was found to have a Great Alabaster Bathtub.  How was this possible?  Alabaster is a luxury. Something known to Egypt. But Israel?  Luxury of Alabaster? An import of Egypt?

The photo at the top is what we think of as Alabaster. And is not in the ancient world. Not glossy and filled with light. Alabaster comes from a quarry. It is a mineral and soft rock used for vessels, carvings and is the source of plaster. Plaster we find in Peter's house beside the Sea of Galilee. Filled with pilgrims praising God for the opportunity to see Peter's House where Jesus healed and stayed.  Plaster in Rome from millenniums surrounding Peter's actual tomb. A Rock... bearing witness to Jesus.

And archaeologists wondered where Herod got the Alabaster. Alabaster 40 gallon jars holding water to wine. Alabaster flasks holding expensive perfume.  

 The Bible discusses the use of alabaster; as in Herod’s time, it is referenced as being used for its splendor and high quality. 1 Chronicles 29:2 says, “Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for the things of gold, and the silver for the things of silver, and the brass for the things of brass, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colors, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance.” The original Hebrew word for marble is שַׁיִשׁ, which can be translated as alabaster.

And this led to the discovery of the Israel quarry. And filling, the Museum of Israel, in Jerusalem, are all sorts of alabaster going back to the 12th and 13th BC. The time of Jacob going to see the Pharaoh's Vizier.  Vessels of History. Telling of His Story.

† 

Jesus is a Vessel of God

Especially in Holy Week

This day in Matthew's Gospel, 26th Chapter.

Jesus is not going to 

bruise

or break,

but to uphold.

Isaiah 42

Behold my servant, whom I uphold,

    my chosen, in whom my soul delights;

I have put my Spirit upon him;

    he will bring forth justice to the nations.

2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,

    or make it heard in the street;

3 a bruised reed he will not break,

    and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;

    he will faithfully bring forth justice.

4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged

    till he has established justice in the earth;

    and the coastlands wait for his law.

5 Thus says God, the Lord,

    who created the heavens and stretched them out,

    who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

who gives breath to the people on it

    and spirit to those who walk in it:

6 “I am the Lord; 

I have called you in righteousness;

    I will take you by the hand 

and keep you

I will give you as a covenant for the people,

    a light for the nations,

to open the eyes that are blind,

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

    from the prison those who sit in darkness.

8 I am the Lord; 

that is my name;

    my glory I give to no other,

    nor my praise to carved idols.

Behold, the former things have come to pass,

    and new things I now declare;

before they spring forth

    I tell you of them.”

Sing to the Lord a new song,

    His praise from the end of the earth,

you who go down to the sea, 

and all that fills it,

    the coastlands and their inhabitants.

Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice,

    the villages that Kedar inhabits;

let the habitants of Sela sing for joy,

    let them shout from the top of the mountains.

Let them give glory to the Lord,

    and declare his praise in the coastlands.

The Lord goes out like a mighty man,

    like a man of war he stirs up his zeal;

he cries out, he shouts aloud,

    he shows himself mighty against his foes.

14 For a long time I have held my peace;

    I have kept still and restrained myself;

now I will cry out like a woman in labor;

    I will gasp and pant.

15 I will lay waste mountains and hills,

    and dry up all their vegetation;

I will turn the rivers into islands,

    and dry up the pools.

And I will lead the blind

    in a way that they do not know,

in paths that they have not known

    I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light,

    the rough places into level ground.

These are the things I do,

    and

 I do not forsake them.

17 They are turned back and utterly put to shame,

    who trust in carved idols,

who say to metal images,

    “You are our gods.”

18 Hear, you deaf,

    and look, you blind, that you may see!

19 Who is blind but my servant,

    or deaf as my messenger whom I send?

Who is blind as my dedicated one,

    or blind as the servant of the Lord?

20 He sees many things, but does not observe them;

    his ears are open, but he does not hear.

The Lord was pleased, for his righteousness' sake,

    to magnify his law 

and 

make it glorious.

22 But this is a people plundered and looted;

    they are all of them trapped in holes

    and hidden in prisons;

they have become plunder with none to rescue,

    spoil with none to say, “Restore!”

23 Who among you will give ear to this,

    will attend and listen for the time to come?

24 Who gave up Jacob to the looter,

    and Israel to the plunderers?

Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned,

    in whose ways they would not walk,

    and whose law they would not obey?

25 So he poured on him the heat of his anger

    and the might of battle;

it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand;

    it burned him up, but he did not take it to heart.

Abba, Father,

Our heart hears the call from You.

We ask healing

of Your Good Creation

The fullness of the earth is Yours.

The healing of those we pray for
in our heart and soul.

Dwell in us, Father,

Dwell fully in those we love,

Help us to seek You first

and we will finish well in Jesus Christ.

Our God. His Son, 

Jesus Christ.

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

YES Bless the Lord Jesus

Thank You Jesus