Scripture
Our verse for today comes from Mark 14:19, ” They began to be sorrowful and to say to Him one after another, ‘Is it I?’ “
Background
You remember when God rejected Saul as king, He sent Samuel the prophet to Bethlehem to select for Himself His chosen leader. Samuel went to the place of Jesse, and once there, Samuel invited Jesse and his sons to come to the sacrifice with him. While they were there offering to God, Jesse brought each of his sons before Samuel to see if God’s chosen one was among them. But after seven sons had passed by, Samuel was still without the next king, so he asked if this was in fact all of Jesse’s sons. And as it turned out, there was another yet in the fields, and when young David entered the room, the search was over. Fast forward about a thousand years, and another search is taking place. But this time, the prophet is not on the hunt, but those who are the players. Just as Jesse’s boys came to Samuel one by one, so do the disciples of Jesus approach Him one after the other. But rather than hoping their name be called as the next ruler of Israel, they desperately want to avoid being the chosen one who will betray their Lord.
Application
Oddly enough, no one questions as to how Jesus could know what was to come. Neither do any stand confidently, much less defiantly, on their conviction of devotion, at least not until later when Peter protests Jesus’s going where He must go alone. Rather, all seem to know in their hearts that, even considering their love and devotion for Jesus, each of them is capable of succumbing to fear. And in His grace, Jesus soon comforts their souls by assuring them that He goes to prepare a place for them, and He will come again to take them with Him. Knowing their frailties and failures, Jesus already knew their security and victory, for He was the One accomplishing it. Nothing those men had done or could do would get them one step closer to heaven, and no form of treason would loosen the grip that Christ had on their eternity. We would do well to realize we could be the answer to that ancient question, ” Is it I? ” But also know that I AM has taken care of that, once and for all.
Charge
As we seek Him today, honestly and realistically assess your commitment to Jesus alone, and then call out to God for what you don’t have.
Author – Rich Holt | BCWorldview.org
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