27“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. 28Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” John 12:27-28 NIV
Whoever said that the Christian walk was easy…lied! To accept Jesus as Lord and Savior may be the easiest part of the journey. We want the blessings and the glory promised to us by a faithful God, but we are often unwilling to surrender ourselves to get it! Some of us are quick to say “why should I have to suffer, isn’t that why Christ died?”
To walk in the Body of Christ means to become a new creature, giving up our sinful nature to embrace the will of God, and to allow Him to rule in our hearts and minds. It means taking up our own cross and bearing whatever comes with it. So sometimes we may have to endure some terrible things: the death of a child, terminal illness, loss of a home, unemployment, etc…in order that we can grow in our faith.
But take a moment to look at the cross that Jesus had to bear. Not only was He persecuted, humiliated and tortured, He did so out of love for the very ones inflicting the pain! Jesus embraced His purpose and He did so with the full knowledge of his fate. He was willing to bear the cross in order to wear the crown.
We all have purpose in the Body of Christ and as we walk in that purpose we may get pushed aside, hurt, mocked, and even persecuted. Being a Christian does not exclude us from trials and tribulations; being a Christian assures us that no matter what we may endure, God still sits on the throne. Let us not forget that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (see Romans 8:18-30).
Whoever said that the Christian walk was easy…lied! To accept Jesus as Lord and Savior may be the easiest part of the journey. We want the blessings and the glory promised to us by a faithful God, but we are often unwilling to surrender ourselves to get it! Some of us are quick to say “why should I have to suffer, isn’t that why Christ died?”
To walk in the Body of Christ means to become a new creature, giving up our sinful nature to embrace the will of God, and to allow Him to rule in our hearts and minds. It means taking up our own cross and bearing whatever comes with it. So sometimes we may have to endure some terrible things: the death of a child, terminal illness, loss of a home, unemployment, etc…in order that we can grow in our faith.
But take a moment to look at the cross that Jesus had to bear. Not only was He persecuted, humiliated and tortured, He did so out of love for the very ones inflicting the pain! Jesus embraced His purpose and He did so with the full knowledge of his fate. He was willing to bear the cross in order to wear the crown.
We all have purpose in the Body of Christ and as we walk in that purpose we may get pushed aside, hurt, mocked, and even persecuted. Being a Christian does not exclude us from trials and tribulations; being a Christian assures us that no matter what we may endure, God still sits on the throne. Let us not forget that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (see Romans 8:18-30).
Prayer: Father God, we call upon You thanking You for what
You did on Calvary. Let us remember the
suffering, sacrifice and service that Jesus endured so that our sins
would be forgiven. As each of us face whatever trials that may
come, help us to remain focused on You and Your word. We will sing Your
praises and continue to glorify You in all of our thoughts and
actions. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!
Read John 17 and be blessed by Jesus’ prayers to the Father on our behalf!
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