Lenten Devotional, Day 35: Life From the Dead: Comment and Song
Dear Saints,
The Passages for Tuesday are Psalm 143, 2 Kings 4:18–37, Ephesians 2:1–10.
There is a method behind the Scripture portions of the Lectionary.
They just gave us three raisings of the dead — physically. The widow of Zarephath, the Shunamite, and the early Troas Church all received their sons back from the dead as a prefigure of The Resurrection.
And Elisha got back his men from the gourded-death stew. The ‘how’ is interesting. Flour was added and they went right back to supping. Flour? Could it be a type & shadow of The Bread of Life (John 6:35)?
And we have now been blessedly set up by the succession of Readings. Remember this principle: First the natural, then the spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:46)? Here is the spiritual: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1). And again more fully: “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:4–6).
Now think back to how Elijah, Elisha, and Paul raised the dead. It is a very uncomfortable image for us, for all three laid out full upon the dead and mouth to mouth. The image is my life for yours. And does it not evoke the sense of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation? Elijah even had to lay out 3x — think of the One three days in the tomb. My point, the Bible's point I believe: They didn't just spontaneously rise; S/someone had to raise them. “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25).
For avows Jesus: “I am The Resurrection and The Life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live!” (John 11:25).
And as a P.S. of sorts. I cannot help but think of one more thing God calls “life from the dead” (Romans 11:15). Of Jew & Gentile there is a longing in the Word: “For He Himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility…that He might create in Himself one new man [a Christian] in place of the two, so making peace (Ephesians 2:14–15). Lord hear our prayer!
The following song has a refrain owing to our Ephesian Passage today, particularly 2:8–10:
HE STILL SAVES ME (lyrics)
When I was young my feet would roam,
But did so from a wand’ring heart;
Until I heard the Gospel call,
And on my knees received the Lord.
Refrain:
And He saved me! Jesus saved me!
By grace unmerited and free!
And He saves me! And He saves me!
By grace through faith, He still saves me!
And then my heart would strong protest,
But feet veered still from narrow path;
I'd stumble down, flail about,
'Til on my knees called Jesus' name.
(refrain)
I'm not yet all I wish to be,
Too dimly still see Jesus' face,
But I behold remembering
That on my knees He's changing me.
(refrain)
When tempests rise and threats assail
And doubt exclaims: "Shipwreck is nigh!"
I cast out fears 'til anchor holds,
And on my knees hear: "Peace, be still."
(refrain)
Through many years, all by His grace,
I bore some fruit and gathered grain;
Still harvest white and some fruit green--
So on my knees pray: "Increase please!"
(refrain)
I'm older now and rapture seek,
Asleep in Christ or still awake,
It matters not save grace to grace:
"Good work begun complete in me!"
(refrain)
If you as I once trod this earth
Not knowing Christ both loves and cares,
I bid you now: "Repent, believe--
And on your knees find Jesus saves!"
(refrain)
Notes:
•It is a song meant to be sung as it has a melody. The crescendoing refrain kinda plunked down in my head one day, and I forged some verses to go with it.
•It alludes in order of occurence: Romans 8:30; John 10:27-30; Ephesians 3:14-19; John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Ephesians 2:8-9; Matthew 18:12, 7:14; Proverbs 24:16; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13; Philippians 3:12; 1 Corinthians 13:12; Psalms 103:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18, 10:5; 1 Peter 5:7; 1 John 4:8; Mark 4:39; Psalms 46:10; John 15:2, 5, 8, 4:35-38; 1 Corinthians 3:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; John 1:16; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; Philippians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Mark 1:15; Psalms 34:8.
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•s.D.g.
The Only Best in/is Christ,
tIM