March 13 Holding Your Soul?

John 10:22-24 Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
 
OUR Lord is now at the Feast of Dedication. This is in winter, two months after Jesus debated with the Jews at the Feast of Tabernacles. Other names for this feast are Hanukkah and Festival of Lights. This is an eight-day remembrance restoring the temple to worship God in 165 BC after Antiochus IV’s desecration in 168 BC.
   We continue, then, to see John connect light to Jesus’ salvation. At the Festival of Lights is the Light of the World. He has come to restore his people’s souls to worship God. Yet, the Jews’ view of the Messiah continued to defile the Light.
   When John writes, “The Jews gathered round.” the original language says, “They closed in on him.” The hostile Jews became as an aggressive territorial gang, determined to force Jesus to be the Messiah they desired. His mysterious teachings confused them. And they seemed blind to his miracles. They wanted Jesus to declare himself on their terms. “Tell us plainly.” they forcefully urged.
   When they asked, “How long will you keep us in suspense?” the Hebrew language means, “How long will you hold up our soul?” Seeing God with lightless eyes, they remained unwilling to love God with their heart, mind and soul. It’s as if they held their souls in their hands, unwilling to let themselves worship the Lord. Jesus would not accommodate them. If he did, they would see Jesus as a human ruler, prone to human force. They would miss the eternal King. Their souls had become so defiled, they had no room to worship the Living God, even as he came to deliver them from evil.
   This is our challenge, too, isn’t it? In the shadows of sin, we preconceive, for example, God will deliver to us all the “right” answers to our prayers. We can see him too often as a benevolent gift-giver who certainly will answer, “Yes!” to all our petitions. But what if he doesn’t? Is it not true you will “hold up” your soul while you wait for his answer? Perhaps you hold back joy, love or peace, hoping God will be who you want him to be. Is your worship only for the God who pleases you?
   What “abomination” must the Lord deliver from your soul? Are you willing to give him room in your soul to allow his will to come in and free you? Submit to the Lord’s ways. Faithfully look to the Light, remembering in his grace he has delivered you from sin’s desecration. Pray you do not hold back your soul from God. Worship him. Allow God to hold your soul forever in his arms.
    
Prayer: Lord God, forgive me for holding back my soul while I wait for what I want. I pray your will be done, Lord. Amen.