Pass Me Not 1/25-31

25-31 January 2018 - Pass Me Not – Manna by Dorothy Callies

Job 30:20 “I cry unto Thee, and Thou does not hear me.”

I faced another crisis during the week of Jan. 23^rd and finally I asked God, “Why . . . ?” Gently, Father God led me to read about Job’s question which came from the “steps.” Job 31:4 says, “Does not He sees my ways and count all my steps?” Then next is Job 30:20 “I cry unto thee, and thou does not hear me.”  From Matthew 27:46 even Jesus cried out to His Father, “Why . . .?” “Why . . . did You forsake Me?”

The commentary on Job 30:20: All God’s people have this experience at some point in their walk with God, a time in which they cry out to God for help and He does not seem to answer them. Even the Lord Jesus Christ experienced this (Matt. 27:46).

 (1) Through this experience our faith is tested.  At such times we must nevertheless persevere in faith (see Matt. 15:21-28; Luke 18:1-7; 1 Peter 1:7). Persevere means to keep at something in spite of difficulties, opposition, or discouragement. 

(2) We know from God’s dealing with Job and with faithful believers throughout the history that no true follower of the Lord is ever really abandoned (given up completely) by Him (Heb. 13:5), and no earnest prayers ever go unheard (ref. Heb. 10:32-39).

Theme: Explaining what this means about “Let This Cup Pass from Me.”

Matthew 26:39 NCV: After (Jesus) walking a little farther away from them, Jesus fell to the ground and prayed, “My father, it is possible, do not give me this cup of suffering.  But do what you want, not what I want.”

*Commentary: What Christ meant by “this cup” has been the subject of much discussion.   (1) It is doubtful that Christ was praying to be saved from physical death, for He had resolutely (firm determination to) set Himself to die for the sin of mankind.  Luke 9:51 “. . . He **steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” [**firmly fixed; determination]   (2) It is more probable that He was praying to be delivered from the punishment of separation from God, the ultimate (the final) penalty for sin.

*Christ prayed that His physical death might be accepted as full payment for the sin of sinners.  [Meaning Christ did not want “to experience the separation” from His Father. When sins came upon Jesus on the cross, God looked away from His Son and darkness came upon Jesus from noon to 3 p.m. a complete separation from God because God cannot look at sins that Jesus bore for us.]

Let this cup pass means “Father, do not abandon me while I take the sins of the world upon Me.”   Jesus realized He has to go through this and then He surrender completely to God and experience the horrible separation from His own Father who could not look at sins of the world upon Jesus. Because God is holy.

Dorothy: Reading how Jesus struggled to drink “the cup” and His determination to set His face toward Jerusalem has inspired me to persevere/keep my faith in God. Something inside of me grew stronger and made me want to stay on and allow God to mold my life into deeper love of Jesus.  I felt blessed and somehow I pray that this will bless you and help you through the crisis time when you think of Jesus and the cup.

Song: Pass Me Not

1. Pass me not, O gentle Savior,

Hear my humble cry;

While on others Thou art calling,

Do not pass me by.

2. Let me at a throne of mercy

Find a sweet relief;

Kneeling there in deep contrition,

Help my unbelief.

3. Trusting only in thy merit (work),

Would I seek Thy face;

Heal my wounded, broken spirit,

Save me by Thy grace.

4 . Thou the Spring of all my comfort,

More than life to me;

Whom have I on earth beside Thee?

Whom in heaven but Thee?

Chorus:

Savior, Savior

Hear my humble cry;

While on others Thou art calling,

Do not pass me by.

(Written by Franny Jane Crosby)