Thursday, June 7, 2012

Transforming Deserve to Serve... John 11-13


May the mumbling commence!

Have you ever felt like you were living life at hyper speed?  Today has been one of those days for me.  The day starts, and I feel like I am hanging on for dear life.  I am glad that I finally get a chance to slow down and reflect on the Word of God.

You know, Jesus probably often felt overstressed.  He had a lot of demands on his life.  In fact, Jesus had so many demands on him that my life looks boring in comparison.  How did Jesus cope with the rigors of his daily life?  Look to a passage from John chapter twelve.  Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem to accomplish what God had sent him to do.  And people still wanted to see Jesus.  Read from chapter twelve:

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast.  They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus."  Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 
Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. 
Now my heart 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.  But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."  He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. 
The crowd spoke up, "We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?" 
Then Jesus told them, "You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going.  Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.” (Verses 20-36) 

Indeed, meeting the demands of life is not so much hanging on for dear life.  Meeting the demands of life is to know what your God-given purpose is and to let go of the life that you may think you deserve.  Yeah, give up what you deserve to serve!  Try that one on!

I think that giving up what you think you deserve to serve sheds new light on all our lives.  It is the light of Christ.  Trust in that light.  He will guide us to become children of the light.  And we will see the world in a whole new way – the way of Christ in obedience to God.

Take control of your life by giving it over to God.  Leave behind what you may feel you deserve and pick up the yoke with Christ.  Be free to serve!

Enough mumbling for now…

Peace Out

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