Lent - Day 39 (16/4/2011)

"Spiritual Mathematics"

John 11:45-57

As you listen to the discussion among the members of the Sanhedrin, ask yourself, "What motivated them the most?"

Verse 48 gives us the answer:
"If we let Him go on like this, everyone will believe in Him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."

It was the fear of losing what they had that informed their decision-making. Their mind was on the material, not the spiritual. That was why what Caiaphas proposed seemed most sensible to them.

In a material world the loss of one for the sake of many makes simple mathematical sense.

A cursory analysis might make you think that God subscribes to the same mathematics.

But spiritual mathematics is not the same. God, the Father, determined that it is better that Jesus, the Son of God, sacrifice Himself for the sake of many. In Jesus then, God the Father sacrificed everything when He sacrificed His one and only Son.

Prayer
Lord, on my own I can never do what You did in practicing spiritual mathematics.
Help me not rely on material mathematics for my decision-making.
Help me learn to love the way You love.
Help me in small but significant ways spread the practice of spiritual mathematics.

From Contemplation to Action
Think of one thing you can do that demonstrates spiritual mathematics. Then go and do that on thing as a homage to God, the great spiritual mathematician.