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Pierced by a Sword
Andrea Lende • April 13, 2020
Luke 2:35
Pierced by a Sword
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Pierced-by-a-Sword-ecog8u
Daily Word:
Luke 2:35
“And a sword will pierce through your own soul also – that the secret thoughts and purposes of many hearts may be brought out and disclosed.”
A man named Simeon said this to Mary when Jesus was born.
Simeon was told in a divine dream that he would see the Messiah before he died.
And when he saw Jesus in the temple as a baby, he prophesied to Mary.
As we have just celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus, I was thinking how difficult it must have been for Mary.
As a mother of three young men, I find it difficult to think about any of them being hurt.
Yet Mary had to watch her Son die in such a horrible way.
Her Son had done no wrong.
He was placed between two men who had broken the law.
But her Son had not.
And what a horrible death to have to watch.
How could a mother look upon her child as He was being tormented through this death sentence?
She must have been ministered to by God.
The Lord must have shed His grace and mercy upon her.
She would have had to have been prepared for this event since Jesus was born.
And, the scripture today shows us that she was told in advance that she would suffer.
Her suffering would provide a way for us to have relationship with the Almighty God.
She was deeply blessed to be chosen to give birth to the Messiah, and yet, deeply hurt as she watched His fate being carried out.
As mothers, we all suffer for our children.
We bleed for them.
We can be assured that God will strengthen us to face anything we must face just as He strengthened Mary.
He will grant us the grace to withstand all the challenges that will come our way.
Today I look to the Lord for strength, grace, mercy, and wisdom that encourages me to meet the challenges I face with God at my side.
May you find that the God of the universe knows your struggles and will give you the strength, grace and mercy you need to overcome them.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for all You do for me. Thank You for showing me that Your servants faced the most difficult challenges that this earth can give, and You came to their aid. Thank You for showing me Your mercy and grace. Thank You for showing me that You deeply care for me and all that struggles that I face. Thank You for showing me that You are with me through all of them and will minister to me as I have need. You are Great and Mighty! There is nothing that is too difficult for You, Lord. Your perfect plan is working in my life and the lives of the children You have given me. Guide me as I walk through this day. Help me do what You would have me do in all instances, Father. Help me care for the family You have given me with strength and wisdom. May You lead and guide each one of us. Thank You for watching over and protecting us, Lord. Keep us looking to You in all that we do. Help us to seek You for meaning and inspiration instead of the world. Keep us in Your perfect care, Lord. May Your will be done. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM watching over and protecting you and your household and will keep you safe.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and loving Father.
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.