I am so thankful that in spending this "thoughtful hour" upon the life of Christ (my morning devotions in Luke 4), that I have the privilege of being able to see Jesus in His loveliness in a way that heals all my deficiencies of character because love infills my heart and I desire to be wholly transformed in His holiness. Jesus is so kind to us; He does not want us to be embarrassed or humiliated, so He desires to open to us the rich treasures of His grace and impart to us His divine nature that enables us to be perfect overcomers as was He. What an inestimable blessing we receive when rather than hardening our hearts to His loving reproof, we accept His word cheerfully! That work in our lives is the greatest miracle, and it is what the onlooking universe loves to see because they take note that we are beholding Jesus and being changed into His image from glory to glory.
Why not live your life today in a way that will bless the onlooking universe (and all in this world) with an enjoyable, glorious story of God's love being wrought out in your life? "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1-2). I choose to let God author my life in ALL ITS DETAILS so that He may be glorified! You will never regret making that full surrender to Christ, the Author, moment-by-moment!
"Oh, how Christ longed to open to Israel the precious treasures of the truth! But such was their spiritual blindness that it was impossible to reveal to them the truths relating to His kingdom. They clung to their creed and their useless ceremonies when the truth of Heaven awaited their acceptance. They spent their money for chaff and husks, when the bread of life was within their reach. Why did they not go to the word of God, and search diligently to know whether they were in error? The Old Testament Scriptures stated plainly every detail of Christ's ministry, and again and again He quoted from the prophets, and declared, 'This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.' If they had honestly searched the Scriptures, bringing their theories to the test of God's word, Jesus need not have wept over their impenitence. He need not have declared, 'Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.' Luke 13:35. They might have been acquainted with the evidence of His Messiahship, and the calamity that laid their proud city in ruins might have been averted. But the minds of the Jews had become narrowed by their unreasoning bigotry. The lessons of Christ revealed their deficiencies of character, and demanded repentance. If they accepted His teachings, their practices must be changed, and their cherished hopes relinquished. In order to be honored by Heaven, they must sacrifice the honor of men. If they obeyed the words of this new rabbi, they must go contrary to the opinions of the great thinkers and teachers of the time." {The Desire of Ages, page 241, paragraph 4}
Let us remember that repentance is a gift. When Christ's character reveals to us our infinite need, we must go to Him at the foot of the cross to have our need supplied. And He will turn no one away who comes to Him in humble faith desiring grace to overcome! Praise the Lord!