JESUS RESTORES COMPLETELY
Jenna Worsham
Today’s Scripture: “No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.” Matthew 9:16, ESV
Theme: Unless Jesus is guiding us, resurrecting our lives, and completely replacing the old with the new, old habits and hangups infect our attempts at a fresh start for a New Year.
A TIME TO FAST
Jesus was relaxing among low-born, classless, sinful folks. This caused the Pharisees to grumble about Jesus to His disciples. Jesus replied by describing the need to heal sick people (not well people) and to call sinners (not righteous people). Then some true disciples (of Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist) start asking about dieting – fasting to be precise. “Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?’” (Matthew 9:14, ESV). These are arguably some good guys who were almost certainly seeking after God in this way. Fasting is a good habit and is an encouraged Biblical practice. It is also considered beneficial by many health experts, including secular ones. Yet Jesus defends the decision not to fast or ask His disciples to fast because of timing, His present company, and His purpose. It makes it difficult to be sure about my own decisions, even ones I can justify by pointing at a scripture or another’s example.
NEW HABITS
Holiness is our goal as Jesus followers. The New Year is a great time to consider ways to improve. Reading the Bible, meditating on a passage or prayer, holding silence to listen for God’s voice, and joining a church or small group community may all be good next steps. I think they are pretty universally good steps. So when I consider the questions the Pharisees and John’s disciples asked, I can see where they are coming from. Isn’t it better to keep good and healthy friendships? Isn’t it better to be disciplined in both my diet and spiritual practices? However, true wisdom comes from God. When we become legalistic about other people’s behaviors, we lose sight of where God is leading us and what He is teaching us, in this season, for our benefit, to His glory.
REPAIR OR REPLACE
My life is like an old ratty pair of jeans, the kind we find fashionable these days, with holes in them. They are made of thick material. They shrink a bit with each wash and stretch back out with each wear. When they tear to the point that they become unwearable, should we repair or replace them?
If I were to patch those holes with silk or wool – brand new, with special cleaning instructions – the result would be ruined pants (or a strange new fashion). Those pants need to be replaced, not patched. Although this analogy is culturally inappropriate because of our weird fashion, we can understand the idea. Our old lives can’t be salvaged and patched up. They will remain broken unless they are made totally new. We don’t know how to do this on our own. We try fasting or dieting. We try hanging around the right people and excluding the wrong ones. We try asking questions, sometimes “good” questions! Whatever we try, it’s not going to work without seeking God and asking for His wisdom, presence, and direction.
Make It Personal: Read the passage in Matthew 9 below to see exactly how the interactions described above were recorded. What old habits and hangups do you need to go to God about? Before you make any commitments or plans, seek Him in prayer. Let’s pray.
Pray: God, You know my many shortcomings and issues. What would You like me to focus on in this upcoming season? Help me to come to You for answers in daily prayer, by reading Your Word, by being attentively quiet. Right now, I’ll stop praying and listen. Help me to hear Your voice... [if you are able, spend a minute or longer attentively and prayerfully listening]...Amen.
Read: Matthew 9:10-26; Mark 2:18-22; Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 5:17
Weekly Memory Verse: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” Psalm 46:10, ESV