Daily Scripture Threshing for Thursday, September 17, 2020
Today’s Text: Matthew 8:18-22
Key Verses: Matthew 8:22 (KJV) — “But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.”
The accepted or acceptable time is mostly not convenient time. But Jesus takes this physical encounter of this procrastinating disciple to teach us that nothing can excuse delay in responding to His call. We most twist the hands of the clock and seek to have the upper hand when our self will called Mr. Flesh positions and prioritizes itself over and above the will of the Lord. The scriptural example before us yesterday and today teaches us that our most humanly reasonable excuses are unacceptable in the face of the urgency of divine calling. What could be worse: someone may have been dead; but are those dead more to us than our Lord who lives forever and is able to quicken the dead?! Do you not also die, as it were in the instance of Adam, when the attraction of life distracts us from the will of God.
To a true disciple, the call of the Master is higher, and His will is urgent. We must imbibe the lesson from the allegory of this text. We must leave only those who are dead in trespasses and sins to care for things not consistent with life. Elisha had unsettled affairs when the Lord called him. But he broke all the yokes and use them to cook the animals, served them to his friends, and at once followed his caller. The disciples were not without unfinished business; but when God calls a man, he must at once, without hesitation and delay leave his boat and nets and follow Him. Has the Lord spoken to your heart? Has He bid you come follow me? Are His word all-absorbing to you, or do you still have excuses? The word of the Lord to us today is the same lesson which the earliest company of eager disciples had to learn. We all must say good-bye to our “all.” He said: “So likewise, whoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33)
Quote for the Day: "No builder succeeds except he denies self and spend. No soldier wins his battle except he denies himself and fight. And no believer lives for Christ except he denies the flesh and dies to self.” (Simon Olatunji)
Prayer: Dear Lord, please bathe my heart with a new desire to follow You. Teach and help me to deny myself, and take up my cross daily, and follow You, in Jesus name. Amen.
With all my love and prayers,
Rev Simon Wale Olatunji, _PhD_
The Darling Bishop (DaBishop),
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