“Did you say something?” I called to my husband from the kitchen. Thinking he needed my attention, I dried my hands from rinsing dishes and walked to our bedroom where he sat in his rocker next to our Great Dane, Jake, staring disgustedly at his iPad. “Did you need something?” I asked again. “No, sorry,” he replied, looking up. “I was talking to the newscaster.” As I returned to the dishes, I was reminded of our grandson, Thomas, who is learning to independently do many new things but who also growls and becomes suddenly frantic when things don’t work as he expected.
Melting isn’t just for snowmen and polar ice caps anymore. Melting down most often describes an overtired or overstimulated toddler frustrated by the smallest thing. It could be their own inability to figure something out or anger at needing help or being told no. Without the constant aid of the Holy Spirit, we are all toddlers when we become passionately frustrated about things outside of our control. Sometimes our anger is entirely justified and requires action. Other times, we too become overtired or overstimulated and lose it over the least little thing that triggers our own sense of injustice or ingratitude. For whatever reason, we are fed up. We’ve had it up to here. Enough is enough.
Idioms are a form of subtle communication using peculiar phraseology to paint a mental picture for the hearer. For instance, the squeaky wheel gets the grease is another way of saying the loudest voice demands immediate attention. Unfortunately in our culture it has also been mistaken for the voice of the majority. We get worked up over all sorts of things. Slow drivers in the left lane, the price of food and fuel, politics and even the weather. But what actual good does all our fuming do? Our reactions are a pretty good indicator of where our faith lies.
There are two kinds of faith, one true and one counterfeit. Counterfeit faith exalts the believer and his or her agenda while true faith worships God alone and makes much of Him and His perfect purpose and plan. Two scriptures paint this picture using the most insignificant of objects, the hem or fringe of a garment.
We read in the Gospels of those who believed that if they could only touch the hem of Jesus’s garment, they would be healed. One incident stands out but it was not a lone miracle. Following the feeding of five thousand with just a few fish and loaves and Jesus walking on water, Matthew records this summary account.
“And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent word throughout all the surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick; and they begged Him to let them merely touch the fringe of His robe; and all who touched it were perfectly restored. [Matt 9:20]”
Matthew 14:35-36 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/mat.14.35-36.AMP
More commonly known, “Then a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the [tassel] fringe of His outer robe; [Matt 14:36] for she had been saying to herself, “If I only touch His outer robe, I will be healed.”
But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Take courage, daughter; your [personal trust and confident] faith [in Me] has made you well.”
And at once the woman was [completely] healed.”
Matthew 9:20-22 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/mat.9.20-22.AMP
On many occasions, Jesus accompanied His miraculous healing with the same phrase. Your faith has made you well. Luke adds that Jesus felt healing power go out from Him when the woman touched Him. The power was most certainly from Christ, Son of the Living God. There was nothing sacred about His garment, only the One wearing it.
“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’s blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus name. On Christ the solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” ~Edward Mote, 1834
The Jewish religious leaders were intended to be Jesus’s staunchest supporters. Their God given role was to prepare a way for the advent of Messiah, but when He came, He did not meet their own personal expectations. Though the claimed belief in God, they could not embrace a living, breathing Savior. They challenged Him at every opportunity and Jesus did not mince words when He pronounced eight woes on them. They wore the sacred garments proudly, but their faith was misplaced.
“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.
So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example.
For they don’t practice what they teach.
They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
Everything they do is for show.
On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.
And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues.
They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi.’
Don’t let anyone call you ‘Rabbi,’ for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters.
And don’t address anyone here on earth as ‘Father,’ for only God in heaven is your Father.
And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah.
What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees.
Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces.
You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.”
Matthew 23:1-10, 13 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.23.1-13.NLT
“Be angry [at sin—at immorality, at injustice, at ungodly behavior], yet do not sin; do not let your anger [cause you shame, nor allow it to] last until the sun goes down. [Ps 4:4]
And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness].”
Ephesians 4:26-27 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/eph.4.26-27.AMP.
Jesus angrily turned over the tables of the moneychangers at the Temple at Jerusalem, accusing them of turning His Father’s house into a den for thieves and robbers, yet we know Jesus to be without sin. Anger in and of itself if not sinful. I doubt if the moneychangers stayed out of the Temple the following day. This was their way of life, their business. They had convinced themselves they were providing a valuable service for the worshippers who traveled far for the ritual sacrifices.
The pilgrims soon forgot the significance of the Passover lamb, their best lamb without spot or blemish, meant to be raised close to the family so that shedding its blood to atone for personal sin carried a sting. Victims of commercialization, they reasoned their pardon could be bought for a price, and when the price grew steep, they could simply blame the merchants for their plight. We are in danger of buying into the same lies when we embrace culture over Christ.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]?
You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own].
So then, honor and glorify God with your body.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/1co.6.19-20.AMP
Jesus shed His blood once for all time. No other sacrifice is necessary.
“There is no one else who has the power to save us, for there is only one name to whom God has given authority by which we must experience salvation: the name of Jesus.””
Acts 4:12 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/act.4.12.TPT
Whether or not you began Lenten season by observing Ash Wednesday or have given up anything during the weeks leading up to Easter, ask yourself, where does my faith lie? Am I placing my confidence in an observance or am I trusting in Christ alone? True faith has only One object. Jesus.
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