In the garden the serpent showed me the fruit With a beauty and fragrance within But I did not know that its razor-sharp seed Lay hidden down under its skin
It glowed with desire and was sweet to the taste With a promise of wisdom and powers But its poison-tipped blade cut right to my heart Leaving sin among withering flowers
Oh where is the healing, and where is the balm For my heart and my soul and my mind? A pathway to carry me all the way home And the Father who I left behind
Then suddenly I saw I was there at the cross And I wept at the wound in His side And the nails and the crown and the noise of the crowd And His blood that flowed down like the tide
I saw in His hand was the husk of that fruit Filled with vinegar and bitter gall That was pressed to the lips of my Savior that He Would taste for the sins of us all Would taste for the sins of us all
They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.” Matthew 27:34 KJV
To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Luke 6:29 ESV
From my days in Bible college I still remember a message from Costa Deir, who was one of the more popular professors among us guys. Maybe we liked him because Costa had been a young professional boxer and grew up in the Middle East. His stories which both both intrigued and challenged us but were also sprinkled with a bit of humor. One day he related that after becoming a Christian he soon led another young boxer to faith in Jesus Christ. The story went that when their friends and fellow fighters heard of this they ridiculed them, especially about today’s verse. The day came when one of the others slapped him hard on one side of his face just to see how he would react. Quietly the young man turned his face just in time for a second blow to land. Then stepping back the newly converted boxer put his fists up and said in a calm voice, “I have no further instructions!”
Have you ever wondered what Jesus meant by this command or how to put it into practice? I sure have! And while I won’t pretend to have all the answers, I believe we might begin by how we respond to being provoked on social media. There are some things being slung around on the news, talk shows and even football games for crying out loud that really irritate me! I have become more patient as I have grown older but scratch the surface just a bit and I want to assume that boxer’s stance myself and shout, “I have no further instructions!” It’s a good thing for all of us that Jesus did not. When this manly young carpenter, was blindfolded and bound and soldiers were striking Him on the face, He stood strong and took our punishment as silently as a lamb. He knew something that His enemies did not. He knew that by laying down His life He would not only find it again but that He would be able to give life to anyone even a dying thief, if they would put their trust in Him!
When things aren’t going swimmingly
And skies don’t look so blue
Remember that the Lord’s still working
And that He isn’t through
Down in our hearts rock hard with sin
His grace is pouring through
To soften us till soft like clay
His hands can make us new
And put in place of brag and boast
A meek and gentle word
And instead of angry shouts
HIs praises will be heard
No, He’s not done and there’s a pile
Of things He’s changing still
But don't give up - hold on to Him
He is leading up the hill
To where we'll hear our Savior say
If we will just believe
And let go of all our past
It is finished! - Come with me!
When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:30 NLTGod isn't Finished Yet by Peter Caligiuri copyright 2022 all rights reserved
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