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Permit It
Andrea Lende • July 9, 2020
Matthew 3:14-15
Permit It
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Permit-It-egh38j
Daily Word:
Matthew 2:14-15
“But John protested strenuously, having in mind to prevent Him, saying, It is I who have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”
“But Jesus replied to him, Permit it just now; for this is the fitting way for [both of] us to fulfill all righteousness [that is, perform completely whatever is right]. Then he permitted Him.”
Jesus went to John the Baptist to be baptized by him.
Of course, we know that John knew that the Lord was greater and did not think it was appropriate.
John actually wished to be baptized by Jesus.
However, even though it seemed that it would have been the right thing to do, Jesus said no.
He said that it should be done in the opposite manner.
That John should baptize Jesus.
We don’t really know why other than Jesus said, “this is the fitting way for [both of] us to fulfill all righteousness [that is, perform completely whatever is right]. Then he permitted Him.”
We do know that this allowed John to see the heavens open up and the Holy Spirit come down from heaven and rest upon Jesus.
John also heard the Lord say, “This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I delight”.
Because of this experience, John the Baptist was assured that Jesus was, in fact, the Messiah.
John’s mission here on earth was almost complete.
He had been preparing the way for Jesus all of his life.
And now, he met and had the privilege of baptizing the Messiah.
As I reflect on these passages, I feel a nudging that I need to be more sensitive to God’s whispers and make sure that I follow His call.
I need to follow Him even when it seems out of order somehow.
His plan is perfect.
His plan is to bring people close to Himself.
He wants all people to be covered by His grace, the blood of Jesus Christ.
His path or the map He is using may not be what I would expect it to be.
However, it is my duty to follow it as I hear His whispers.
Today I choose to be vulnerable to the Lord and follow His guiding as much as I am able.
May you find that the Lord’s plan is perfect and that He will light the way for you to follow.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me that I need to follow Your leading and guiding because it is right, correct, and perfect. Help me follow You no matter what the circumstances. Help me be wholly obedient to You, Father. Help me not question You or waiver in carrying out Your instructions. Keep me close to You and fully strengthened by Your Holy Spirit. Ready me for Your service in every way. Help me bend to Your will, Father. Help me do all that You ask me to do. Keep my spirit completely aligned with Yours. Consume my soul, Lord, as I commune with You. Help me bless those You put in my path. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM with you and am preparing you to do My work, My child.
Response: Strengthen me in every way, Lord.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.