Friday, March 16
Scripture: John 12:20-33
Of John 12:20-33, the significance may seem a little illusive, but it essentially (verses 24- 25) represents an important part of the spirit and reasoning describing the Christian religion.
It raises some problems, probably due to translation. For example, most farmer or gardeners can tell you that seeds don’t exactly die with growth development, but transform into a seedling. Actually rotting poses death to seed. Here it doesn’t matter much. When we become a follower of Jesus, when we see the light, a kind of transition occurs whereby we accepted, amongst other changes, that we must love every person. You may have heard me formerly as an Elder, refer to the “love” that Jesus taught.
The remainder of the section piques special interest: it talks of losing your life, not your physical life, but your old idea of your way of living and thinking. Those who serve Jesus must follow Jesus, thus I consider myself a disciple of Jesus, “and the Father will honor” me.
Then Jesus asked, should he ask the Father (GOD) to save him.
Then a voice came from heaven glorifying Jesus’ name. Upon public discussion, Jesus asserted that the voice came for regular people, not him; and when he is lifted up, he will draw all people (you and me) to himself; ergo, the kind of death for him.
While I don’t favor ritualism so much, I do try to favor what Jesus taught, particularly to love and be helpful to the downtrodden.
Prayer: Lord, may we all follow Jesus and take that into the world. May we live the love that Jesus taught. And may the whole world, thus, become a place of love, prosperity, and justice.
– Douglas Cook