The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Help Me, o Lord!"
"Behold, the hand of him that betrayeth Me is with Me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom He is betrayed! And they began to inquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing" (Luke 22:21-23).
"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto Him, Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison, and to death" (Luke 22:31-33).
From uncertainty to boasting, the disciples all missed the best and only response to their Lord's foretelling of their failure.
"Help me, O LORD my God!" (Psalm 109:26).
The disciples considered with each other who might be the betrayer. Peter spoke to the Lord, but not with humble acceptance of what the Lord said. Thus, all focused their attention on themselves rather than the One who could have saved them from the unfaithfulness that led to the only true indictment that occurred when the Lord Jesus was arrested and tried: "Then all the disciples forsook Him, and fled" (Matthew 26:56). The disciples should have "sought grace to help in time of need" by turning to their Master rather than each other. Peter should have humbled himself, falling before the Lord's feet to seek same aid (Hebrews 4:16). "We know You are right, Lord! Please help us to abide faithful to you!"
Of course, all things happened as Scripture foretold. Perhaps had the disciples responded better, they still might have fled. Nevertheless, a great lesson lies before us in their declension. Namely, no believer will remain true to God who does not seek His vitally necessary keeping and enabling. Only faith in His faithfulness results in our own faithfulness. When we suspend coming to Him for grace, waywardness awaits. "Let us have grace, that we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear (Hebrews 12:28). Or, when we boast of our fidelity, as did Peter, bitter sorrow awaits us as trust in ourselves leads to disaster. "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool" (Proverbs 28:26). Indeed, we have no more hope for living the Christian life by our own dedication than we did beginning the Christian life by our own deeds.
"We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh" (Philippians 3:3).
We play a vital role in our walk with the Lord as believers, trusting and submitting to Him, while availing ourselves of the gifts He gives to ensure our faithfulness. We do so, however, in the realization of our complete dependence on the Lord for consecrated devotion to Him. The disciples learned this lesson after their fall, and after the Holy Spirit came to indwell them with the help of His presence and working. They all lived lives of great self sacrifice thereby, presenting to us yet another lesson from their experience with the Lord. We do well to learn from both, and to grow in our realization of His provision, our need, and the beautiful fellowship of truth whereby we walk humbly and faithfully with our God…
"Without Me, ye can do nothing."
(John 15:5)
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
(Philippians 4:13)
Weekly Memory Verse
The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.
(Psalm 46:7)
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