When Pinned Down, Call upon Jesus!

FRI Evening Prayer Reflection 082820 (Ps 17; John 7: 37-52)

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like you were pinned down? Where you could not move because circumstances have grounded you? This expression is mostly used for those at war, where they are left as sitting ducks with no way of defending themselves. Today’s scripture seems to speak to situations like that. You have nowhere to turn to, no plan B no Plan C and you realize that to get out of the situation would really take a miracle. That’s where Job was. Job’s words indicate that he felt pinned down in his experiences. Job 9:13 “God will not turn back his anger…” or v. 34 “If he would take his rod away from me, and not let dread of him terrify me.” The Psalmist ‘s prayer comes as a comforting way out: “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me under the shadow of your wings.” Job had an intense faith in His God, whose capabilities is indisputable. Sort of like, even if you won’t save me Lord, I won’t stop believing in you. That kind of intense faith. That’s the kind of faith that moves God to action.

No doubt, in life, a lot of people experience such feelings of being immobilized, unable to wiggle ourselves out of the circumstances; out of the chains of addictions perhaps, a suffering that seems persistent, where we often see no solution, no cure, no counsel, no friend, no fellowship, you name it. I am sure in that Festival of Booths, there were many people with that experience. Jesus was there as a lifeline, his words were a lifesaver: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said: out of the believer’s heart, shall flow rivers of living water.” Jesus was saying: Turn to me, those of you who feel like you are pinned down. Call upon my name!

Pray and ask God to keep you as the apple of His eye; to hide you under the shadow of His wings. You must know that when you start to believe, the world around you will feel like they are pinned down. That’s what happened to the soldiers. When they came back, they were asked by the Chief Priest and Elders: “So, why did you not arrest Jesus?” They replied: You have no idea how special that man is. None speaks like him. So, they said: “Have you also been deceived?

Nicodemus, one of the high priests, tried to reason with his colleagues over procedure: “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” Same response of unbelief. Nicodemus was right. Jesus would need a hearing, the accusation isn’t enough for a conviction, there needs to be a trial, so the accused can defend himself!  Did they feel threatened by the truth from Nicodemus? When we believe in Jesus Christ, the evil one is threatened. That’s why our faith is such a spiritual weapon.

This is what I understood of what Jesus was saying to the crowds: “if any man is in discomfort of the hardships of life, or fatigued with the crosses of it, let his afflictions/his hardships draw him to Christ for that peace which the world can neither give nor take away.” We may not feel like we are pinned down but maybe close to it, we have this invitation from Jesus to call upon his name; to drink from him, the source of life and peace. We may have grown weary in our spiritual journey, this invitation is for us to be refreshed, to go back to the source of life.

Our faith will be tested, that’s for sure. By patient endurance, you will be saved Luke 21: 19. Nicodemus was being tested as well as the soldiers. The work of the evil one was plain to see, so their answers displeased the Chief priests and Elders. We should be alert at all times least our faith is tested while we are unaware. Call upon the name of Jesus! Jesus also said that out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water. In other words, out of his heart/ soul, will be the Spirit's working, God’s divine life and peace will flow in abundance, it will be life giving.

Once you have Jesus in you, once you believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit inhabits you. Jesus was comparing the workings of the Holy Spirit in a believer with a strong river flow of living water that can withstand opposition of doubts and fears.

May God continue to be with you and bless you

Amen.