He troubled Himself on Our Behalf stood out on the page as I was reading. “This is what I have against you, that you have not troubled yourself on my behalf.” I read this passage of scripture from a third party who stated it was from Jeremiah though I have not actually found the reference. I think it may have been a loose translation, however, the message of this verse goes right along with the mission statement for my life, because I truly do want to trouble myself on behalf of others.
No relationship can survive much less thrive without troubling oneself on behalf of the other person.
Jesus was so touched by Mary Magdalene’s expression of love when she poured her expensive ointment on His feet, wiping them with her hair. When the disciples questioned Jesus about the woman and what she was doing, He declared that this act of troubling herself would be told as part of His story was told.
We have become a people of mediocrity in the Body of Christ because we have stopped troubling ourselves on behalf of God and what His word tells us to do.
The way we show our love for God does not require anything elaborate, but it does require something of us, and I believe that includes troubling ourselves on His behalf.
I get that we all have junk we have to deal with. It seems like things are happening all around me and to those I love at a rapid pace, but during those times of duress it the time to trouble ourselves on behalf of others. Jesus instructed us quite clearly when He said, “If you have done it for any of these, even the least of these my people, you have done it unto me.”
Troubling ourselves on behalf of our family, friends, co-workers and even strangers is showing our love for not just those people but for the Lord. Jesus not only told us that the way you show your love to and for God is to trouble yourself on behalf of others, but He showed us by the way He lived His life.
Jesus troubled Himself on God’s behalf and on the behalf of others. As followers of Christ, shouldn’t we do the same?
If you find yourself in so much trouble in your life that you have no bandwidth to even think about giving to someone else, then it’s time to get some help, my friend. We weren’t meant to do life on our own.
Let me know how I can help.
I read this chapter in your book and was quite intrigued with the verse and pleading by the Lord. I made a very diligent search and found that this was (closest) a verse from the prophet Isaiah.
The Expanded Bible and the NIV have this translation of 43:22
“People of Jacob, you have not ·called to me [called upon me; asked for my help];
people of Israel, you have ·become tired of [or not wearied yourself for] me.
Just thinking
Dean
Thanks, Dean~