Today's Reading: Matthew 15: 29-39
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Matthew 15: 29-39
Bible Study
Someone puzzled what's the difference between Jesus feeding the four thousand in this passage and his feeding the five thousand in chapter 14. N.T. Wright says we should not focus on the difference but on different perspective, different angle of looking at things. Matthew wants to tell the Jews that the prophesy in Isaiah 35: 5-6 came into reality at last showing that Jesus is the Messiah:
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened
and the ears of the deaf unstopped.
Then will the lame leap like a deer,
and the mute tongue shout for joy.
It all happened and Matthew concluded this passage with another miracle of the feeding of the four thousand.
N.T. Wright says:
What we have, then, is another way of saying what Isaiah 35 said: this is the time of fulfilment, the time when God's ancient promises to Israel were coming true.
Has this prophesy come true to your Life?
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: Jesus' job is also your job! Do it well!
What I received from Jesus today is a new way of seeing his Messianic role: The opening of the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf, the healing of the lame and the mute. It was Jesus' job as the Messiah and that was why he brought healing to so many people but he was not a travelling medical doctor. He did all that to show people that the ancient promise of the coming of the Messiah happened on him.
But, today the Lord helps me to know that those kind of healing should be our job too if we have Jesus as Lord. He works through us to open the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf, bring healing to the lame and the mute.
I have a vivid example in our Saturday 9a.m. prayer meeting. After I used my podcast yesterday of the title "Don't let inferiority controls your life!", a new convert asked me a question during the sharing time. She said, "I read this passage many times and can't understand at all but today I understand and I am able to listen to what Jesus told me." I said, "Sandy, it's very simple. You are more and more closer to Jesus each day and it is the distance makes the difference!" She is a true and wonderful example of how Jesus can change someone's life. She received Jesus not more than a year and is now in charge of cooking delicious dinner for almost 100 people every Friday since a few weeks ago. What I can witness is that I see how Jesus opened her eyes and ears, bring healing to her in many aspects, make her not only be able to walk with Jesus but sometime "fly" with Jesus and open her mouth that she can freely testify the power and love of Jesus almost everyday! And Jesus uses me, my podcasts and some of our pastors and leaders to make that happen!
I still remember about not more that a year ago she was in one of our new guests welcoming dinner. Someone told me she came to our Friday group for quite a few months, her husband received Jesus and was baptized but she was still "watching" everything. At that time, her eyes and ears were closed, she could not walk at all in the path of Jesus and she could not tell anything about Jesus. I was moved and pull a chair beside her and asked, "Sandy, what is the thing blocking you to receive Jesus as your Lord?" Long story cut short, she received Jesus after 20 minutes of that question and everything changed. What I know is that she allows Jesus to be her Lord and everything in Isaiah 35: 5-6 happened to her life! Is that wonderful!!! Oh, I like this job so much! How about you?
Remember, Jesus' job is also your job! Do it well, my friend!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to let you use our lives to do your job to bring freedom and healing to many. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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