Daily Devotional
The King Who Bears Us
The nations make gods that must be carried, but the living God carries His people. Isaiah mocks the idols that are loaded onto beasts because they cannot move themselves, much less save those who trust them. Christ is not such a lord. He enters the wilderness, withstands the tempter, rebukes demons, heals the sick, and speaks with a power no carved image has ever possessed. As Tatian says, “Luke 4:32 And they wondered because of his doctrine: 41 for his word was as if it were authoritative.”
This same Lord is the King of the psalm, not fair by ornament, but by truth and righteousness. Justin says of Him, “Fairer in beauty than the sons of men: grace is poured forth into Thy lips: therefore hath God blessed Thee for ever.” His beauty is not softness. He bears the scepter of righteousness and goes forth against falsehood. Therefore, when He reads in the synagogue and announces the fulfillment of the prophecy, some marvel and others rage. His word does not leave men neutral; it either heals obedience or hardens rebellion.
Exodus speaks of holy incense and holy anointing, things not to be copied for common use. The worship of God is not to be mixed with vanity. If Christ is the true Anointed One, then those who belong to Him must not offer divided service: a little reverence to God, a little homage to appetite, money, or human praise. Let prayer rise like incense, but from clean hands. Let fasting answer temptation. Let the tongue that praises in the assembly refuse deceit at home. The King who bears us also commands us; to hear His gracious lips rightly is to keep His words.
“Luke 4:32 And they wondered because of his doctrine: 41 for his word was as if it were authoritative.”
— Tatian, The Diatessaron
“Fairer in beauty than the sons of men: grace is poured forth into Thy lips: therefore hath God blessed Thee for ever.”
— Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho
For Reflection & Discussion
What idol of use, pleasure, or human approval must you renounce plainly this week so that you stop carrying what cannot save you?
How will you practice prayer and fasting in a concrete way over the next two days to resist a temptation that has mastered your body or tongue?
Whom do you need to serve or forgive today in obedience to the King's authoritative word, rather than merely admiring it?
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