But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
Job 16:5 (NIV)
See to it by Cathy Vinson |
In the pressure-packed last days of Jesus' earthly life, stress was high, particularly high for those who had an agenda to carry out. They had been well prophesied of: "they tie up heavy burdens and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them" (Mt 23:4). This was certainly the case. They were not about to move any of the burdens they were placing. "See to it." A later translation gives it the words "It's your responsibility." In our common vernacular, we would say "YOU deal with it!" In an intense discussion, has a door been slammed on you, a phone caller hung up on you? At that point you are left to deal with it. You thrash. Oh, how you'd like so much to put a bit of that burden on them. But no, you are closed into yourself and left with it. It's stuck on you. "I have betrayed innocent blood." What is that to us? You deal with it. It's all on you (Mt 27:4). Yet the Betrayer could not. It was too much. Pilate washed his hands in the basin. "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. (It's on you.) It's your responsibility" (Mt 27:24). How we desire to lay it on someone else! Conversely, God uses the beauty of His grace through this principle. I recently saw it at work with a Christian friend who consistently outgives, deflecting what comes back to her. I had on my heart a gift to make her. Yet as I brought it to her, I purposed to drive away before she could profusely place it back on me. I wanted her to HAVE to receive, to have to sit there with it with no deflection, to soak up the affections that came with it. I wanted her to "see to it," to have to deal with it. God leaves us like this. How can I deal with such kindness? How can I deal with the free gift of His Son? Can't I please repay? Can't I work for it, work it off, exercise it off, deflect it somehow? It's so much. No, I need to "see to it." And to do so will be the continuing steps of salvation faith. |
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| "See to
it" (Mt 27:4b, Mt 27:24b) |
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