Thursday, March 18, 2010

Nothing But Dirt

Psalm 103:13-14 — As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.  For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. (ESV)

As I was reading out of Matthew 26:26-35 this morning, the passage out of the Psalms came to mind.  Here's why: Jesus was instituting "communion".  As he broke the bread, he told the disciples, "Take, eat; this my body."  When he passed the cup he said, "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." This would have been such a holy moment.

As I read out of Matthew, the phrase "he gave it" stood out to me.  He gave the bread.  He gave the cup.  It reminded me of how he would give his body and pour out his own blood for the world in order that mankind could be forgiven and in a relationship with God.

After this holy moment, Jesus then told the disciples that they would all fall away from him that night on account of him.  Peter protested this prediction, saying, "Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away" (Matthew 26:33). Jesus had to inform Peter that not only would he deny him, but that he would deny him three times - more than all of the others.  Peter disagreed.  The other disciples disagreed as well.

Here's what hit me: Jesus shared the holy moment of communion with the same guys that he knew would deny even knowing him only hours later.  He shared.  He gave.  He offered himself for those very people who would deny even knowing who he was.

I am so thankful that Jesus is as patient as he is.  I'm so thankful that he is compassionate with us, understanding that we are but dust.  I'm so thankful that he knows my heart even if my actions don't follow.  He knows.  For some this is a scary idea: the fact that Jesus knows every single way that I will mess up.  On the contrary, I find so much comfort in this.  He knows that I will mess up more than I think I will (Brennan Manning).  He knows and yet he still share.  He still gives.  He still offers to me intimacy.  I'm nothing but dirt but Jesus sees differently.

No comments:

Post a Comment