From Sticky Souls to Transformed Hearts
God’s command—from the glorious clouds overshadowing the Transfiguration of Jesus in the gospels—reminds us: when we listen and do whatever the Son of God says he will lead us from barrenness due to selfish living into righteous fruit-producing living for the glory of God. Self cannot satisfy self. We must hunger for God.
This is basically our journey for Lent, because sinful attitudes and actions try to stick to our souls and destroy our Life with God. Jesus wants us to produce righteous fruit that bring glory to our King’s rule and reign.
“Come, let us go up together to the Mount of Olives to meet Christ who is returning today from Bethany and going on His own accord to that holy and blessed Passion to complete the mystery of our salvation. Let us imitate those who have gone out to meet Him, not scattering olive branches or garments or palms to His path, but spreading ourselves before Him as best we can, with humility of soul and upright purpose. So may we welcome the Word as He comes, so may God, who cannot be constrained within any bounds, be contained within us.” —Andrew of Crete
Day 14: Fasting Spiritual Spectatorship
Five hundred and fifty years before Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the prophet Zechariah told the people their righteous Messiah would be riding on the colt of a donkey (9:9). Jesus is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy; so when he made his way into Jerusalem [humbly on a donkey’s colt], he did not rebuke or stop the people’s praise and shouts of hosanna [meaning God saves] at his arrival—joy filled the air. The Lord had come just as he promised! “Hosanna!”
Because we do not always understand a revelation or put all the pieces of faith into knowledge right away, the very people who covered the road with palm branches, shouted praise, and jumped for joy at the arrival of Jesus to Jerusalem, were the very same people who shouted for his crucifixion days later [fickle souls]. They just did not understand the full measure and revelation of Truth. Jesus knew all of this rejection would happen, yet he came anyway. It was God’s plan for Jesus to die in our place.
A gathering of God’s people should always be filled with praise; in fact, the exuberant praise of the people for their Savior should fill the atmosphere. Joy is found in God’s presence. It is a proper response to everything our King has done for us. Yet, when Jesus bids us to come and die to our wills and ways [deny ourselves], so that we might live for him…what is our response? Are we still shouting praise? Or, do we want Jesus to die for us and we just keep living as sinners? Warning: It does not work this way.
For the most part, the Pharisees and religious leaders did not participate in any of the actions of the crowds. They did not enter in; rather, they stood on the sidelines and criticized—[sticky souls] they became bystanders and spectators. Everything they witnessed seemed out-of-control or an inappropriate response to Jesus. Yet, praising and worshiping the Lord is what we were created to do, so how can we take an inactive posture when the King who laid down his life seeks to fill the atmosphere of our gatherings, today? After all, he is the Living Lord.
We can certainly get excited about some of the things the world offers, yet when the Spirit of the Creator himself begins to reveal his presence to us in our gatherings, we can become either superficial emotional time-bombs or rigid bystanders. Isn’t there a place in our hearts where we know we must participate in the move of the Spirit, but never lose a reverent awareness of his holiness or majesty? Neither jumping up and down on a Sunday morning or standing stoically on the sidelines is worship. Worship is saying, “yes” to the work of the Spirit to make us whole—be a participant.
Today, we will fast spiritual spectatorship. We are not going to make spiritual things about us; rather, we are going to make our action about exalting our royal King with our lives. We will bow under his rule, we will reach for his goodness, and we will allow the work of the Spirit to produce the righteous fruit of his character which transforms us. Without him, we can do absolutely nothing to make ourselves holy or acceptable to God! With him, “Hosanna!”
John 15:1-17 NLT
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping us be participants in your mighty work to save. We are fasting spiritual spectatorship, because all that does is make faith about us rather than placing our trust in you. Cause us to grow and develop the courage to exuberantly praise you from the heart. We cast down a spirit of judgment and criticism in order to lift up our voices of gratitude and jubilant praise. Hosanna in the Highest! Transform us, oh Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.