I Have Come To Do Your Will, O God

Meditations for Ragamuffins

August 8, 2023

I Have Come To Do Your Will, O God

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews tells us that when “Christ came into the world he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer” (Hebrews 10:5). Thus, Jesus said to his disciples, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me” (Luke 22:19b). I read an article recently that said a person understands themselves in terms of their body image. That is, what a person feels about their body and its worth is what they feel about themselves. Jesus must have had a pretty good self-image since he gave his body as a sacrifice for the entire world.

I suspect most people struggle with their body image. We see ourselves as too heavy, or not heavy enough, not muscular enough, too tall, or too short. Some of us have scars that are hard to look upon. The Word of the Lord for us today calls us to look at our bodies in a different light. We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to speak unto God the same words Jesus spoke to God, “You have given me a body to offer.” We are not called to sacrifice our bodies for the sins of the world, but we are called take our redeemed bodies and feed the hungry, give a drink to the thirsty, invite the stranger into our home, cloth the naked, care for the sick, and visit the prisoners. (Matthew 25:35-36)

My Takeaway: Jesus’ body was pierced, crushed, and wounded to heal our sin-sickness and bring us into peace with God. Now we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus as our lives are hidden with God in Christ Jesus. All that remains is for us to respond to God with the same words Jesus spoke to his Father, “I have come to do your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:7).

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.