Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ©
Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
(John 5:19-23 (NIV))
He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him!
Think about that statement. It has so many implications that I don’t know where to start.
With that said, I suppose the obvious place to start is what this means to those who do not profess Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Countless numbers of people believe that they can get to heaven and the Father through ways other than Jesus.
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
(John 14:6-7 (NIV))
Now, for the painful examination of ourselves, as believers.
Do we always honor Jesus?
Be honest.
Are there times in our lives when we do things that do not honor Jesus? Do our every actions reflect the teachings that we profess to believe? Do we honor God the Father when we fall short of honoring Jesus the Son?
If you are like me, then there are numerous times each and every day that you fail at what you intend to do. I fall short far too many times to even want to think about it. I know that I am covered by grace through the atoning blood of Jesus, still, my shortcomings make me feel extremely sad, for it is at those times that I realize that I caused Jesus’ pain and suffering.
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.
(John 5:20 (NIV))
The sadness of these words means that the Father showed the Son the pain that He feels because of our sin. If our shortcomings cause pain to the Son, then our sins also cause pain to the Father.
Once again, I realize the primary difference that God looks for in each of us. He looks at the heart. If we earnestly seek Him and profess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we do honor the Father because we honor His Son. We may stumble and we may falter, but we do not seek to do harm and to live in sin.
Intentions.
God looks at the heart. He knows whether we are striving to do His Will, or whether we are seeking to honor ourselves. It is a matter of free will. It is a matter of priorities. It is a matter of your heart.
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”
(Joshua 24:15 (NIV))
Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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