Life

I will share a devotional on occasions that I have read as a part of my contribution to this blog. The days that are leading up to Holy Week (the last week of Christ's life on Earth) have been ones of introspection for me. Prayer time has afforded me the opportunity to reconnect with God and the relationship that Him and I began developing many years ago. A friend of mine called me a few days ago and felt led to share these words with me; "Go back to where you began and begin." The next morning following my prayer time I felt led to write this reminder; "I must stay connected with the heart of God regardless of the cost!!" The encouraging words from my brother in Christ has brought to light several different areas of understanding to say the least (both personally as well as ministerially). But one of those areas of understanding concerns my personal need to remember that Christ made a difference in my life when we began this journey together and He desires to continue to make a difference as we continue that journey. I can only see that accomplished in my life is I stay connected with His heart on a daily basis. His heart and actions revealed a desire to bring "glory" to His Father. Does my life reveal that same type of desire to bring "glory to the Father?"

 

The devotional that I will share today challenges us to ask this question of ourselves; "How would you like God to be glorified in your life?" I will ask it another way; "Do you (I) desire for people to see Christ at work in your (my) life for His glory rather than your (my) glory?"

 

John 12:27-33:“Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die."

In that last week of Jesus’ life on earth he taught one day about an event of the cosmos about to happen. The day of his death would not just be a martyrdom, but “the time for judgment.” By a great divine act the Evil One himself would be driven out, and by being “lifted up from the earth,” Jesus would draw people to himself.

Jesus said that sometimes death results in new life. Like a seed buried in the soil, soon to erupt into life, so would his demise be the brief prelude before life would burst out upon the human scene. It would be like that dark moment in a theater when all the lights go dim, all voices hushed, before the curtain comes up, the lights bathe the stage and we see what the playwright really has in mind.

This would not be easy-Jesus knew that. Showing his real humanity, Jesus told his disciples that his heart was troubled, but he also told the Father: “glorify your name!”

That’s all that was needed. Soon, the disciples would be having their last supper with Jesus, and in the meantime, a little while to think about seeds in the ground.