Daily Readings and Thought for March 27th. “BUT NOW THEY ARE HIDDEN FROM YOUR EYES”
We read in Luke 19 of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the back of a colt when “the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! …” [v.37,38] But “when he drew near and saw the city he wept over it, saying, ‘Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes” [v.41,42]
Tragedy was coming on Jerusalem “because you did not know the time of your visitation.” [v.44] They had marvelled at “all the mighty works they had seen” [v.37] but soon “ … the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus” [Matt.27 v.20] Yet only a day or two before, “all the people were hanging on his words” [Luke 19 v.48]
How two faced is human nature, so often their commitment has no substance, no depth, and this is a warning for those of all ages who claim belief in Jesus. In today’s 5th chapter of Proverbs is a warning that is all too applicable in today’s grossly permissive atmosphere. Beware lest we be as fickle as those who praised Jesus with their loud voices. Solomon asks, “Why should you be intoxicated my son with a forbidden woman and embrace the bosom of an adulteress? For a man’s (and woman’s) ways are before the eyes of the LORD and he ponders all his paths” [v.20,21] Today, is this fact “hidden from your eyes?”
The reality of this is hidden from nearly every eye today. Solomon repeats the point in in Ch. 15 v,3 “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and on the good.” The greatest tragedy is when those who make an outward profession of serving the Lord are blind to this fact. If “he (or she) is held fast in the cords of his sin” [5 v.22], the result is they are “at the brink of utter ruin” [5 v.14]. Any that are in this situation, must appeal to the Lord from their hearts to unbind the cords that hold them fast and utter “the prayer of faith” of which James writes (5 v.15) and not be ashamed to ask others to pray with and for them.
