Last night I was reading Revelations 4:8 which led to Isaiah 6:1 and from there to John 12:41. Naturally I read what came before John 12:41 and verse 40 was hard! Why did God do what He says here? I thought I better read farther back and eventually I read the whole chapter. John 12:25-26 made me pause and ponder what could Jesus mean.
This is what it says in the Amplified version.
25Anyone who loves his life loses it, but anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. [Whoever has no love for, no concern for, no regard for his life here on earth, but despises it, preserves his life forever and ever.]
26If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me [to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying] and wherever I am, there will My servant be also. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
I am struck by the thought that we are to despise our life here on earth, that if we do we will preserve our life forever and ever. We are to hate our life in this world and if we do will keep it for eternity. Do you find this as hard a word as I do? I went to bed asking God what He could possibly mean. I thought how my days do not reflect that I depsise my life here. I am so busy with keeping a home, working, being a family member. I love my life here. Titus 2:3-5 even says that we are to be busy keeping our homes, loving our husbands and children. I look forward to watching TV at night with Glenn. I enjoy catching a show on HGTV or the Food Network to see things I can do to make my home more pleasant or a new recipe. All of these things are to enhance the life I live here on earth. This is not about watching TV, or playing computer games, or reading fiction books. It is about how I spend my time. I so easily say that I don't have time to call a friend and see how she is or stop and visit someone, or have coffee with a friend. What about helping the hurting?
This morning at church I felt the Lord impress on me that I give more attention to my earthly home than I do my eternal home. I am not thinking that God is saying to burn TV's or never go to a movie. I do think He is saying that we need to pursue Him and not the things of this world. He says to conform wholly to His example in living. The way he lived His life was to heal the sick, comfort the brokenhearted, preach the good news. In fact read Isaiah 61:1-3, Luke 4:18-19. Both of these passages tell us how Jesus lived His life. They tell us what the Father's mandate is for believers. Our pastor said this morning that we are not to be comfortable in this world, we should not even feel like we belong or fit in. If we then we should check and see if we are following Christ.
I am going to study on this more. But I would also love any comments you have on this topic.
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5 comments:
I have really been thinking on John 12:26 where it says "conform wholly to My example in living" AV.
So what does that mean. The way Jesus lived was to NEVER do anything without the Father's directive. So I plan on doing just that. Is the way I am spending my time right now directed by the Father?
I might have devotions in the morning and then head off to my busy day never asking of what I am doing s what God wants me to be doing. I want to have God ordained days and then I should be where He wants me to be when He wants me to be there whether it is for minisry or business or both.
I know that since you started talking to me about this a couple nights ago I have had it on my mind, as well. I do think you are right that we need to be doing what God would have us do - and that may include keeping a home, and loving our husband and children. I am not sure what I think about the time we spend doing "meaningless" things... for me reading, crocheting, playing games, going for walks, watching movies, shopping, and hanging out with friends. Do you think we are to deny anything that is fun if it's not something Jesus would have spent His time doing? It seems so legalistic! It doesn't feel right with my spirit. But then, maybe I'm sugarcoating my image of God and Christ....
About the "meaningless things" I was thinking about that too. Jesus had meals with friends, i.e. Mary, Martha and Lazarus. He didn't have movies to go to but He did have woodworking projects. I guess what I am thinking is that we need to be listening to the Spirit so that we are occupying our time the way that God wants us to.
Like Michelle said earlier, we have to take all scripture in context with other scripture.
For me I think the important thing I am learning from this is that GOD is GOD, and we tend to want to humanize Him, make Him a kinder and gentler God. He is not the "Greatest human being" to ever live, although Jesus did take on that role. He is God, He will not be manipulated, He will have things His way and that is that.
Romans 11:33-36 Amp.Ver.
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)!
For who has known the mind of the Lord and who has understood His thoughts, or who has [ever] been His counselor?
Or who has first given God anything that he might be paid back or that he could claim a recompense?
For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it).
Thank you Ken, I love how you put your thoughts. I agree with what you said, this is also what I feel God is saying to me. I enjoyed watching some TV with Glenn last night because I wasn't just doing the default. I gave it thought, I checked to see if my spirit was hearing something different from my heavenly Father. And it was GOOD!
Hope you stop by and share often!
Love you brother!
God seems to be calling His people to greater discipline and focus on Him. This is a big topic of conversation in our household as well. It's like the bar is being raised. Living with one foot in the world is no longer good enough. Look at what is happening in our world! The difference between those who are wholly committed to following Christ and those who remain in the world is becoming greater. Our culture can no longer be characterized as Christian, so we are being called out to be separate. In order to do that, we have to turn to God to see what it looks like to be His disciple. We no longer see it modeled, even in a watered-down way, in society.
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