New Wineskins 12 of 21 – Admiration for Christ

Pray that the Holy Spirit fill your soul with admiration for Christ today:

In the life of the disciple John, true sanctification is exemplified. During the years of his close association with Christ, he was often warned and cautioned by the Saviour; and these reproofs he accepted. As the character of the Divine One was manifested to him, John saw his own deficiencies, and was humbled by the revelation. Day by day, in contrast with his own violent spirit, he beheld the tenderness and forbearance of Jesus, and heard His lessons of humility and patience. Day by day his heart was drawn out to Christ, until he lost sight of self in love for his Master. The power and tenderness, the majesty and meekness, the strength and patience that he saw in the daily life of the Son of God, filled his soul with admiration. He yielded his resentful, ambitious temper to the molding power of Christ, and divine love wrought in him a transformation of character.  (AA 557)

Dear Heavenly Father,

I praise You this morning for the beauty of Your character—for Your undying love and grace toward me, your erring child.  What a thought to contemplate, Lord, that there is absolutely nothing I have to—or even can—do in order to fall in Your favor or be saved (You are so different from all the other “gods” I have served (including myself)).

You simply ask me to “come and see.”  So, like John, I want to see daily that which filled Him with such admiration and love for You and ultimately changed him.

Your power:  You are so emptied of self and full of Your father that You stand immovable when two naked, bleeding demoniacs charge toward You on the shore; Your words have power to heal the sick and forgive men of their debilitating sins.

Your tenderness: I see a gentle look in Your eyes as Your voice speaks words of comfort. “Come to me all of you who are burdened.” “I do not condemn you. Go and sin no more.” “Let the little children come to me.”

Your majesty: You stand calm and serene before Your accusers; even a governor recognizes Your dignified bearing and declares, “I find no fault in Him.”  A Roman soldier, hardened by a thousand crucifixions, proclaims, “Truly, this is the Son of God.”

Your meekness:  You happily sit at the table with sinners, call fishermen and tax collectors to be Your day-to-day companions, touch lepers, and acknowledge the faith of despised foreigners.

Your strength: Before temptation, You never seek Your way out but allow Your Father to make a way of escape for You.  You will not make bread from stones, You will not put Yourself in harm’s way presumptuously, You will not take the easy way to gain the world, but take the “cup” given to You by Your Father.

Your patience:  In a discussion by night with a searching Pharisee, the request to a woman who is drawing water, and Your response to Your sleeping disciples, we see such incredible forbearance.   You will not “shake” people into believing, but You pray and wait for us to be ready.

Today, when I leave this place, may one of these vignettes of Your loving character go with me.  Really, what I want is to admire You to the point of obsession, Lord.  I yield to You all the vileness of my passion and pride and personal ambition—may the contemplation of You change me today.

I love You, God.  Thanks for loving me first.  In the precious name of the man who is forever my greatest mentor, Amen.

Today, take a selection that shows one of the Jesus’ beautiful traits of character traits (suggestions below), read it several times, and ask God to help it you contemplate all day.

(Remember: today is the day we pick up a double portion of manna! 😉

His power:  (starting with verse:) Luke 8:26; Luke 5:17

His tenderness: Matt:11:25; John 8:1; Mark 10:13

His majesty: John 18:28

His meekness:  Mark 1:40; Mark 2:13; Matt. 15:21

His strength: Matt. 4:1; Matt 26:36

His patience:  John 3:1; John 4:6

Today, I wanted to concentrate on Jesus’ meekness, and I read John 18…and then 19.  Verse 14 really hit me; Pilate’s second statement about Jesus: Behold your King!  Not a mere man–but a KING.

I couldn’t get this out of my mind today.  I asked Jesus for a picture, and this is what He gave me.  I teared up as I was drawing it ’cause I thought of what my sin does to MY KING.  I hope it helps you see how beautiful He is.