Anchor For Our Souls

 

Today’s reading is John 16 and Ps 118

John 16 is mostly comprised of Jesus telling His disciples about plans for the future, what they should expect and what they will experience, and what will happen to Himself. None of this is easy news for the disciples to hear or grasp. I sort of feel like after a short three years of time with Jesus, they might just be getting the hang of how to do ministry with Him. They might just be beginning to understand God’s power in themselves and the call to bring the good news to the rest of the world. They are just now figuring out their role in traveling with Jesus and teaching with Him. …and then Jesus sits down with them for a discussion and everything changes.

Jesus tells His disciples that they will be kicked out of the synagogues, people will be trying to kill them, they will be scattered, each one going his own way and worst of all Jesus is leaving them. They are so taken back by this news that they don’t even think to ask Him where He is going. They are shellshocked and can only deal with how this is affecting their lives. Then Jesus continues by saying that it is actually best for them if He goes away. How can this be? He IS the ministry, how can they continue to teach and convert people to faith in Him if He is not with them?

We know the end of the story. We know that God’s plan is that Jesus gives His life to pay for our sin so we can be made clean and new. We know that His perfect blood draining from His body is what pays the price to purchase us and make it possible for us to be in God’s presents. We know that we live with the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit in us every day. These poor disciples have their entire world flopped upside-down in one conversation and they don’t seem real comfortable or confident in the new plans. They don’t understand. I can only guess that in their minds they are wondering why everything can’t just stay as is, and why they can’t continue Jesus ministry WITH Him. They can’t see God’s plan. We have a different vantage point to view this chapter, and boy are we grateful that God completed His plan and made a way for us to be with Him.

How often are we scared, sad or frustrated with our circumstances because they don’t make sense to us? We don’t understand why we are going through this pain or hardship. It doesn’t make sense that God would allow us to land where we have landed. Surely He hasn’t seen how this affects us? This seems harsh, but sometimes the stuff we face isn’t about us. Jesus was accomplishing He and His Father’s plan to save all of mankind. Even though He loves His friends dearly, and knows how hard these circumstances will be for them to live through, He still needs to finish the plan. So knowing the disciples’ fear, frustration and questions, Jesus says three things to them in this chapter to help them through this really hard time.

1, vs 12 “I want to tell you so much more, but you can’t bear it now.”  He knows how they feel. He sees their fear, and feels their frustration. He wants to help them through this with more information but He knows that more information is too much for them to take right now so He protects them from more than they can handle.

2, vs 22 “You have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.” Again, He knows how they feel after this news, but He gives them hope. He tells them that it will get hard, but He will see them again and their joy will be great.

Finally 3, vs 33 “I have told you all of this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Who can comfort us this way, with these powerful words? No one but God! Knowing that we will face hard things, He wants us to have His peace. He assures us that no matter how hard our lives are, eternity is with Him because He has overcome the world. Does this truth make our lives easier? Does it remove the sting of pain when life is hard? Does it take away our frustration when we feel we have been wronged? We still have to live through the pain, frustration and fear on earth but we have hope. Heb 6:18-19 tells us, “ We who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.”

Pruning

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit…Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15: 1 – 2; 4 – 8).

I never used to be much of a gardener until we moved into the house we currently live in. The previous owners had created and lovingly maintained several beautiful gardens. They reminded me of English gardens, the kind you see on the cover of a novel – lots of colorful flowers, plenty of tall green grasses that turned golden in the late summer, and a white picket fence encircling it all. There is even a little stone walkway that curves between the two main sections of the garden.

The gardens are still here today, but we have changed them a bit, made them our own. We did this because we realized what a big job it is to care for and maintain a garden. So we took some plants out. We planted more perennials. And we continue to prune the gardens regularly.

Pruning is certainly one of the most time-consuming parts of gardening. (As is weeding…definitely weeding!) We do quite a bit of pruning throughout the year. Every few days during the growing season, I go outside and cut off any dead flowers from our plants. And, at the end of every autumn, my husband cuts back every plant until it stands just above the ground. This pruning – both mid-season and at the end of the season – allows the plant’s energy to be directed to feeding the good, healthy parts of the plant. Pruning also encourages the roots to grow deeper. The plant grows back full and strong the next spring.

John 15 opens with Jesus talking about how our lives as believers are to be entwined with his, and he uses a gardening image to help us to understand His words. He says, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1-2).

Did you catch that? God removes the dead stuff completely – He takes it away – and He prunes the still-alive parts! He prunes “every branch that does bear fruit”. That means that He may choose to prune good things, beautiful things – because He knows that pruning results in even better things. Sometimes those better things are new versions of pruned branches, and sometimes they look nothing like what was pruned.

Without pruning, a garden begins to look faded. Its colors soften and become muted. Pruning eliminates the non-productive and encourages the healthy. Pruning restores the vibrancy of the garden’s colors. This weekend in Central Illinois, the temperature hit 60 degrees, which is rare for late November. My husband took advantage of the day to cut down the rest of our garden. Today, as I write this looking out the front window, the plants looked short and bare, almost shocked. But I know that deep underground, within the roots, lies the promise of new growth, and if I am patient, I will see sprouts of green come springtime. May it be so with us, too. May we not resist His pruning, and may what God prunes grow back even stronger and healthier.

Promises

Todays Reading : John 14   ;   Psalms 116

Preparing for the posting today I have a song in my head. Below are the lyrics:

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let his praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing, standing, Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,
Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
Standing on the promises of God.
[Refrain]

While reading the passage, my bible titles it the “Jesus Promise the Holy Spirit”. As I read and mediate on this chapter it is shown that we are standing on the essential Promise that Jesus has for us, He will not leave us wanting or in need of comfort or peace.

John 14: 15-17; 25-27

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,[f] to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be[g] in you.

25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

This year God has been revealing himself to me through the His Spirit. After completing “Forgotten God – by Francis Chan” and “ Comfort Detox – by Erin Stranz” I have a more intimate relationship with God and a better understanding of the Spirit and the power that is manifested in the knowledge of Him. This year, wife and I have been presented with many challenging and difficult circumstance and situations that have grown our faith. In our small group, we discussed the desert or wilderness that we sometimes face and the growth that happens as we go through.

In Chapter 14, Jesus is preparing the disciples for a journey through their “ wilderness” which He is providing a guide and Comforter. From these past months, I have been in a wilderness experience, but I have had the peace that the Spirit is only able to give and now I am coming through. It has only been through the faith and peace that I have been given through the Spirit of God, I am able to make today.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Your Spirit that rest within us. Thank you for you the Son that allowed this communion to become whole again. Thank you for the peace and comfort that the world is not able to comprehend. Your Spirit is true and your promises are real. Amen

Dirty Feet

From 2007-2011 our family lived in Green Valley, AZ. I have 2 lists in my phone from the day we began our long trek from AZ and traveled back to Illinois. The first list is, “Things I will miss about AZ” (of course the weather is at the top of that list) and the second list is, “Things I will NOT miss about AZ”. My #3 on this list is the dirt! My children were involved in many sports when we lived out West. The two dirtiest sports were baseball and soccer. In AZ, of course we know that it is hot and dry as well as windy at times. This fact becomes reality when you where flip-flops 24/7, 365 days a year. Not to be gross, but my feet were disgusting! They would crack because of the dryness and be covered in dirt from being out on the fields every night. I would get home in the evenings and have to soak my feet to get them clean. I remember always worrying about getting into bed with dirty feet!

I imagine this is something like what the disciples encountered with their wearing of sandals in the hot Middle Eastern climate. Their feet would always be caked with dirt and need to be cleaned. The typical household would have had a servant available to wash the feet of guests arriving for dinner.

In John chapter 13, the disciples had gathered for the Passover meal. As they celebrated the Hebrew festival, Jesus would serve them the Lord’s Supper for the first time. At the end of the meal, Jesus did something that shocked the disciples. He went over and got the basin of water and a wash cloth. He then went and began to wash the dirty, smelly, gross feet of the disciples. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords was taking the position of the lowliest servant. The Master demonstrated the greatest leadership as he made Himself low.

We like to be recognized. We love the idea of being the person who is known as a leader or remembered as a person of prestige. But in God’s Kingdom, true leaders will follow Jesus’ example. If a person desires to be great, he must make himself a servant. If a person wants to be recognized by God, he/she will need to be a foot-washer. If we want to be like Jesus, we will need to lay aside our agendas and aspirations, and put the needs of others first.

Another amazing lesson in this account is that when Jesus washes the disciples feet, Judas is in the group. Jesus already knew exactly what Judas was about to do. He knew Judas had made a deal to betray Him and hand over Jesus to be crucified. This man who spent three years with Jesus was about to turn his back on Him. But Jesus, fully knowing what Judas had done, chose to wash Judas’ feet. His act of service wan’t reserved for those who deserved it. He didn’t wash only those who would stick with Jesus. Jesus’ act of service was shown to the person who would send Him to the cross.

It can be easy to serve a person you love and who loves you. But to choose to serve, to give yourself away to a person who would betray you, wow! But this is the kind of service that Jesus, our Savior and Lord Demonstrated.

Jesus was not worried what anyone thought of him during this feet washing event. I imagine that others were whispering about him taking on a servants job and washing feet. But, Jesus did it anyway. What is it that I could do if I wasn’t so worried about how people would think less of me — or for that matter, not take notice of me — what would I do that would be a genuine blessing to someone else?

Thinking back over the past few days, how did you serve others during the Thanksgiving Holiday? Did you get up and help wash and dry the dishes, even though you did not feel like it?? Did you sit and talk with the relative that absolutely bores you?? Did you offer to serve the last piece of pie to the child who had already had a piece? Can you imagine stripping down to your t-shirt at the the end of the meal and washing everyones feet???

This act of washing feet is so much more than cleansing someones dirty feet with a wet cloth. Jesus calls us to do things considered “below us” for others. We must put away selfishness, get on our knees before one another and serve them. Along the way, we discover that following Jesus means doing things that do not bring glory to ourselves.

Whose feet do you need to wash???

Loving Jesus

Today’s reading:  John 12, Psalm 114

In 1992, Gary Chapman introduced us to The 5 Love Languages.   His guidance to better understand the different ways people give and receive love, and then adapt our style accordingly, has helped countless couples foster lasting love relationships for more than 25 years.  Chapman’s 5 Love Languages are as follows:

  • Words of affirmation – showing someone you love them by building them up with encouraging words.
  • Quality time – showing someone you love them by giving them your undivided attention.
  • Gifts – showing someone you love them by giving them gifts.
  • Acts of service – showing someone you love them by doing things for them.
  • Physical touch – showing someone you love them by holding hands, hugging, kissing, etc.

The opening story of our text today teaches us a lot about loving Jesus. The setting was a dinner party in Bethany to honor Jesus, who had just raised Lazarus from the dead.  The hosts were three of Jesus’ close friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  Each loved Jesus very much.  The actions of these three friends show us all five love languages in action.

  • Words of affirmation – When Mary first encountered Jesus, she affirmed her love and complete trust in his power with her words.  When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32).
  • Quality time – Lazarus showed his love for Jesus by spending quality time with him.  Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him (John 12:2).
  • Gifts – Mary poured expensive perfume on Jesus feet.  Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (John 12:3).
  • Acts of service – Martha showed her love for Jesus by serving the meal.  Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him (John 12:2).
  • Physical touch – Mary wiped the perfume on Jesus’ feet with her hair.  Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (John 12:3).

The story goes on to reveal Judas’ rebuke of Mary for the extravagance of her gift to Jesus.

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages”. He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it (John 12:4-6).

Judas pretended to care about taking care of those in need as a cover for his own selfish motives.  It is likely Jesus knew Judas was stealing money from the disciples’ fund, although the Bible never records Jesus addressing it directly.  He simply told Judas to leave Mary alone.  Do you think Judas forgot Jesus could see the true selfish motive of his heart?

What does Jesus see when he looks at the true motives of your heart? Does he see a deep, extravagant love for him that you demonstrate through various love languages?  Or does he see a deep love for something else that you cover up by saying you love Jesus and “doing the right things”?  If the latter, don’t be discouraged, there is still hope.  May I encourage you with Paul’s words to the Church in Ephesus?

Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that (Ephesians 5:2 MSG).

 

How can this be?

In John 11 Jesus raises his good friend Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus was dead for four days, and it was duly noted that they should not remove the stone from the tomb due to the odor. There was no doubt that this man was dead.

It was well documented and well known by the people there that Jesus had performed numerous miracles to this point. However, before this we are not aware of him raising anyone from the dead. Dead for FOUR DAYS then with three simple words shouted from the Son of God “Lazarus, come out.” (John 11:43b), Lazarus is up and walking, alive and well!

The thing is that even some of the closest followers of Jesus at the time believed he had the power to save Lazarus (see John 11:21 and John 11:32), but they didn’t seem to fathom that Jesus could bring Lazarus back from the dead. John 11:37 also shares the view of some other previous miracle witnesses But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

What do we restrict Jesus to? Healer? Teacher? Friend? Good for this but not for that? Unless we take him for who he said he was, and what the scriptures point us to, then we’re selling him far too short: Son of God, Savior of the World, King of Kings and Lord of Lords with power over life and death.

Think about a time when you restricted God to “this” but “not that”. Here’s the first thing that came to mind for me…

Early 2006 my wife Amy was several months pregnant. We had recently begun sharing the news with friends and family as she and the baby were well past the first trimester. Everything was fine until the moment Amy began screaming for me at the top of her lungs. Something very bad was happening so I immediately dialed 911.

Amy was in significant pain and was bleeding heavily. Her jeans were soaked with blood as was the floor. There was some sort of membrane that had fallen out of her, and at that point we were sure the baby was gone. She had a miscarriage in the past and this situation seemed even worse.

At the hospital there were lots of questions and tests, including an ultrasound. I remember saying “why do an ultrasound, she miscarried?”. The medical professional said, “let’s just see what is going on”. Then we heard it. A heartbeat. Even so, there was still doubt… “how can this be?”… Doubt and sorrow turned into joy, then lots of questions.

We were already in mourning for something that hadn’t even happened. There’s no doubt in my mind that God allowed that situation to occur in order to show his power, to teach us, and for us to consider each day with our loved ones as a special gift. Preston was born healthy and strong in August 2006 and is a true blessing to our family, like the splash of surprising colors making a sunset glorious. Thank you Jesus.

Bonus… easy memory verse (one of two “two word” verses in the Bible): Jesus wept. (John 11:35) Consider the fact that Jesus wept. He was God yet still human, experiencing human emotion just like you and I.

Who Is like the Lord Our God? Psalm 113

Let’s Be Thankful For “Trust” This Thanksgiving Holiday

John 10. A chapter that talks all about sheep, so what does that mean to us? Let’s dive into to this story.

We are his sheep and he is our Shepard. This means that God knows each of us and we know him. Without that continual relationship, how could we trust God? Think of the job of a Shepard. Shepard’s are responsible for making sure the flock of sheep is taken care of. They are responsible for finding any sheep that are lost and also defending the flock to the point of death. So if we as sheep truly trust in God to be our Shepard than we should have no fear, right?

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

I don’t think God wants us to walk around thinking we are invincible but I do think God wants us to be reassured that when anything comes against us, he will be there.

If we could take anything from this passage, I would say that the key word is trust. Trust is so important in relationships. Without trust, a relationship cannot function. A marriage without trust becomes two roommates with a shared bank account. A parent/child relationship without trust becomes a rebellious child with no one to lean on. A friend relationship without trust becomes a never-ending battle against jealousy and fear. The list goes on and on.

It’s easy to say that our world would be a terrible place without trust. The funny thing is that our meaning of trust, and how we value that word, is only a glimpse of what God intended that to be. We won’t fully understand that word until we are united with our king in heaven.

So as we enjoy our turkey and football today, add, “trust” to your list of things to be thankful for. Thank you, lord, for being our Shepard and helping us through every situation because we know you’ve won every battle already. We trust you, God.

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your time with family and have a great rest of your week! Thanks for reading.

Blind leading the blind

Last weekend I worked alongside a young man of 13 years.  In conversation, we landed on the topic of a series of sci-fi books that he enjoys reading.  The books are about a group of criminal clones.  The characters in the story were cloned from the worst criminals in the world and raised in a controlled utopia environment.  The question posed by the scientists conducting this experiment, “Were these criminals born this way?”.  They wanted to see if the clones would show criminal tendencies in an environment free of negative influence.

“What an excellent question.” I said, “The Bible has the answer.” I asked him, “What is the book’s answer?” He told me that the criminal clones escaped and committed crimes.  Here is what I told him.

The truth is that they were born that way.  A utopia environment will not prevent people from becoming criminals.  A bad environment does not turn people into criminals, though it can make the situation worse.  The real issue is that we are all born with sin in our hearts.  We all need Jesus to reign in our hearts.  He is the only way to freedom from sin and death.  These scientists were confused in thinking an environment causes people to be good or bad.  What is good and what is bad?  Only God is good.  Those that do not want to listen to God, choose to compare themselves to other standards to determine if they are good or bad. The problem with that is no one gets to choose with whom to compare themselves to determine if they are good or bad.  Even the worst of criminals will find something in this world to compare themselves with and think himself good.  God is the true standard and He is perfect.  He makes the rules.  Jesus is our only hope.  Those that accept God’s truth know they need help.  They can ask Jesus to save them from what is in store for bad people and He will.   

From today’s reading: John 9 and Psalm 111

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.  – John 9:39-41

While they said, “We see.”  and felt assured in their salvation, the Pharisees compared themselves to the wrong standard.  

Painting: The Blind Leading the Blind by Pieter Bruegel the Elder

 

Picking up Stones

Today’s Reading: John 8 and Psalm 110

Imagine sitting somewhere in these temple courts in this image of Mount of Olives above. A group is gathered to listen to Jesus share story, probably a lesson on how we should be living. Not to far into this lesson, voices and sounds of mockery, crying, and unwanted insults are being hurled at a person as they are brought closer and closer eventually, right in front of the group.  There are scribes and Pharisees who have brought a woman caught in an adulterous act and taken, in that moment, to go face to face with Jesus. While we sit there, the questions being pondered in our heads include, “Who is this?, What have they done? How long have they been doing this? or Who have they impacted by their actions?” We watch this public judgment brought by the teachers of the law and Pharisees. I imagine her outfit, the sweat, tears, dirt, and blood that is present from being dragged, manhandled, and throw down on the ground at the feet of Jesus. On the inside I can feel her pain, for her it is probably embarrassment, guilt, a helpless feeling that death could be on the way. Her face is looking down with shame that won’t allow anyone to read it on her eyes.  The last sounds we hear is sobbing as she gasps for air waiting for her fate to be decided. Others keep asking what should we do with her?  Can you picture it?

Now, think in our current lives, have you been in a similar spot? Maybe not the same situation but the same level of pain, same level of embarrassment, same level of struggle. Are you here today? Have you been here ever? Do you know anyone who is going through a hard situation?

Jesus said in  John 8:7“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

I think about being there, seeing, hearing, and witnessing Jesus’s grace. Watching as one by one, those present start to leave. Verse 9 says that when they heard this, one by one they started to leave.  Older ones first until Jesus and the women were left alone.  The mention of the older ones makes me reflect on why they put and order on this event. For me,  I’m left with the thought, “I get it, who hasn’t messed up?” Our earthly lives can bring about desires that can leave you at times helpless until you lift up your head, open your heart, repent, allowing God’s grace to fill your heart.

Who am I to judge if I were to look at my own life?  

Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn, you; go, and from now on sin no more”

My study bible emphasizes the word order of this statement pointing out the significance of, “go now and sin no more”. That, in Christ, the pardon is given first, Jesus is quick to forgive, but we as individuals are accountable to stop sinning. (Jeremiah Study Bible)

I also looked back at some of my notes on a sermon that was preached on these verse once at Eastview Cristian Church where pastor Baker said,  All of us are guilty. Why do we condemn?

So I ask myself, Am I quick to pick up stones?     We have all been given God’s grace. It’s not too late.  Share this with someone today.  As you head into Thanksgiving show God’s love with grace.  Let’s not condemn or pass judgement.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, As God in Christ forgave you.

Dear God,

Thank you for your grace you have given to all of us even though we don’t deserve it.  You love us and shown us by sending your son to die for all of us. This story of your love, compassion, and grace fills our hearts and is an example of the love you have for us all.

John 8:12 “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Go share that light of life with others! Happy Thanksgiving.

For more on this chapter read Throwing Stones by Jon Harris     

This Is Amazing Grace   – Phil Wickham

 

 

Jesus at your Feast

Today’s Reading: John 7 and Psalm 109

 “For not even his brothers believed in him. Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not[c] going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.”John 7:5-8

Jesus’ brothers. His actual brothers, the naturally born sons of Mary doubted Him. James, Joseph, Judas and Simon were actually a little embarrassed of Jesus. They advised him to go back to Judea and perform some more miracles so that his disciples can see his good works for themselves. They tell him:

“For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” John 7:4-5

Of course Jesus will eventually go to Judea to perform his most significant great work-his death and resurrection. Jesus says that it is not yet his time. He hasn’t come to live out his own will, He is fulfilling the will of his Father. I often find myself asking Jesus to act on my timeline. I want him to show Himself so that everyone around me can see what salvation looks like. As we move through this holiday season, so many of us will find ourselves at the table with our brothers or sisters. We’ll have the opportunity to place the focus on Jesus, or we can surrender to the consumerism that seems to overtake this sacred time. When we head to our own feast, can pause to connect with Jesus and thank Him for who he is and how he moves in our lives? When we run through the door of the shopping mall can we publicly acknowledge our Lord by greeting the bell ringer or purchasing a coat for someone in need.

In the United States, we have the privilege of teaching, preaching and worshiping publically with little fear of persecution…but are we too embarrassed of our Jesus? Even as we call ourselves his brothers or sisters, do we shy away from proclaiming His glory? I’m working on this within myself. I love the things of this world. I sometimes look to beautiful things to fill me up rather than relying on Jesus. As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth, I’m praying that each of us can be a witness to the coming of our Lord. For unto us a child is born. Lord help us to teach our children to rejoice in you and only you. May we be strengthened and emboldened by your Spirit to be our true gift of salvation.