Oh, my, today was a rough one. My bed felt so comfortable and warm and I almost rolled over and went back to sleep…but Father my time with You is vital and I cannot ignore it. Bless me, my Father, as I come before You today. Amen.

Matthew 9:14-17 (<<click the green)

One thing that above ground pools need when being readied for winter is something to float in the middle to help the ice push up and not out when the water freezes thus preserving the integrity of the structure. Several years ago we switched from the recommended plastic “pillow”, that always ended up burst on the bottom of the pool come spring, to an old-fashioned inner tube.

Now the inner tube we used lasted for several years and it was old to start with – Karen and her brother used to go tubing down their hill with it in the snow when they were kids. It would lose a little air through its ordeal in the pool but I was always able to pump it back up…until a couple of years ago. It developed a hole – actually a few holes. So I patched them and we made it through a winter but the next year it wouldn’t stay inflated. Much to my chagrin, I discovered it had developed many small holes too numerous to repair. Much like Your statement about patching “old clothing with new cloth” being worthless, Lord, the old tube had to be thrown away.

You came amongst us Lord not to just “patch” the old system of worship and reconciliation with You. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the system. You didn’t come to do away with it but to fulfill it, to complete it. We didn’t help any. If we had abided by Your commands things may have been different but we are very bad at leaving things as they were meant to be. We have to add and tweak and of course, we leave out the things that we don’t like.

Your new system wasn’t a patch but an overhaul. The old required a perfect lamb each year to shed its blood so forgiveness could be found. You, Lord Jesus, became the Perfect Lamb of God shedding Your own blood once and for all so that we all might obtain forgiveness once and for all.

Lord, thank You for being willing to do what needed to be done so we could have a permanent solution to our separation. We are all eternally indebted to You for storing “new wine…in new wineskins so that both are preserved” for our salvation. All praise goes to You!

Mar 8th, 2018, Thurs, 6:41 am