Sunday, March 10, 2013

Psalm 22:15


Copyright Ó 2013 J. Neely
Psalm 22:15

15 My strength [koach] is dried up [yabesh] like a potsherd; [cheres] and my tongue [lashown] cleaveth [dabaq] to my jaws; [malqowach] and thou hast brought [shaphath] me into the dust [`aphar] of death. [maveth] KJV-Interlinear

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And Thou dost lay me in the dust of death. NASB


A potsherd is a broken piece of pottery. It is dry, cannot hold anything, no longer a complete vessel and not capable of holding anything, much less life, and is subject to further shattering with little effort.

The dryness of the mouth comes with great stress, dehydration, and indicates terrible thirst and need of moisture.

The dust of death indicates the nearness of being fully expended, total exhaustion, being on the brink of death.

These are further descriptions of Jesus as he hung on the Cross, very near death, barely alive, dying slowly, painfully, uncomfortably, totally helpless.

And so Jesus went to the cross for you, but then do you deserve what He did?

Look at yourself in the mirror and answer the question, just why should Jesus have gone through all of this, for you?  You won’t even obey His very simplest of commands, ‘Study to show yourself approved [mature], rightly dividing the word of truth [your daily study].

What is fair in life?

Most folks complain over the smallest of things, or they just complain because they have nothing better to do in life.

They come up with excuses for not being responsible or accountable, or people just want to feel sorry for themselves.  They come up with all sorts of reasons that God is punishing them for something that occurred years ago, when the truth is simply that they have never been obedient or consistent in their daily studies, and so all of their problems are of their own doing.

But taking responsibility for that is sort of difficult, when it is easier to just say God is punishing me for cheating ten years ago.  Kind of deflects your responsibility onto God.  A subtle way of blaming God, rather than self.

In all of these verses, did Jesus ever say anything negative, blaming anyone, complaining about His situation?

Or, did He know His responsibility, and fulfill His obligation, for saving your sorry life, even when you refuse to be responsible toward Him, in the smallest of things?  A daily study is such a huge burden in life!

Too many people look to the poor me view, or just being greedy at getting more and more of this world at the expense of everyone else, and ignoring the blessings that God has been shoveling out, free of charge.

And yet, Jesus was responsible, had a mission, and did not hesitate for even a second, to do that which had to be done.  What are you willing to do, that has to be done, in order to grow up and complete yourself as God intended for you?