Jesus is “Whatever is lovely” “Whatever is praiseworthy… and commendable”
“How lovely on the mountains, Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation,
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:12-13 NIV
These attributes describe a person with a thankful and glad heart, so aware that they have been blessed today and in this very hour with an extravagant love without limits. Their heart is wide open in love and not closed in fear.
Would you stay awhile at the foot of the cross and become enchanted and captivated by Jesus?
“think about these things” (Philippians 4:8): Jesus Christ is admirable and altogether lovely and worthy to be praised! For our sakes, He first loved us and “gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:2 NIV) and through His death and resurrection we have life (Romans 6:23). In His death look and see what our independence and rebellion deserved. In His resurrection we wonder in awe at what we have been given in Christ:
He endured our shame and gave us God’s glory (John 17:22).
He was made sin and we received His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).
He became poor and we received His riches (2 Corinthians 8:9)
He took our sorrows and gave us hope (Colossians 1:27)
He was rejected and loved us into adoption as a child of God (Ephesians 1:5)
Jesus has taken our burdens of anxiety and now His joy and peace guards our hearts.
“He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord!” Isaiah 26:3 NLV
“Don’t be afraid, just believe.” Mark 5:36
In Psalm 103, King David brought the emotional turmoil of his heart to God and engaged in telling himself the blessings of God in His presence:
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.” Psalm 103:2-5
During our day, we can also “forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2) and refuse to listen to the incessant fleshly chatter of our own minds, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus accomplishments personally to our hearts with His power:
"Lord, You are my Comforter and my one true refuge. You were not comforted at the cross by Your Father or man so I can be cherished now as Your child, abiding with you moment by moment. My life has been redeemed from the pit and I have been crowned with steadfast love and mercy. I need not fear because Your perfect love of casting out every sin at the cross casts out my fear of being alone and gives me strength and a sound mind. Thank you for giving me a new heart of flesh. I know now I am in Christ, a new creation where the old has gone, and the new has come. Praise You Jesus for defeating all my enemies at the cross by defeating death, Satan and sin by Your death. No weapon that is formed against me will prosper as Jesus is my vindicator and victor. Draw my heart up to worship You now and see Your amazing love at Calvary for me”.
Question 1: Could you select a perfection of Jesus: true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, praiseworthy, and commendable, and describe in your own words how it is on display at the cross in His work of rescue for you. What does this meditation do to your heart?
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Question 2: Please consider the following lyrics from the hymn called “Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken” by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847). How does the author talk to his soul in fearful times? “Take, my soul, thy full salvation, rise o'er sin and fear and care; joy to find in ev'ry station something still to do or bear; think what Spirit dwells within thee, what a Father's smile is thine, what a Savior died to win thee: child of heav'n, shouldst thou repine?” https://hymnary.org/text/jesus_i_my_cross_have_taken_all_to_le
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Worried thinking is lifted away by the Word and the Holy Spirit at the cross.