Good day dear friends. What a day yesterday! I think most folks in
the USA forgot to "Spring forward!" I'm in that number. My associate
sent me a card earlier in the week reminding me to do that, but I
didn't mark it down and our unplanned trip to Galveston to see our
daughter and son-in-law didn't help us remember. We left late
Saturday and arrived at 11 p.m., I set the alarm for 6 a.m., slept
soundly until 4 a.m., checked the clock and thought, nah, too early,
got plenty of time. The alarm awoke me and while walking to the
bathroom, it hit me that it was not six but 7! Rush, rush, rush. Our
new candlelighters have no windshield and the first use of them at
8:30 showed how necessary a windshield is, and our acolyte stood there
mouthing to our liturgist, Julie, that the fire had gone out. We usually have a lighter in the pulpit storage area, but not one that could be found. Julie had to run down the aisle to the narthex and bring back a lighter and relight the candle. From that moment to the shift towards the candle, the light went out again...
We wish to see Jesus was our theme for worship. Based on the passage from John 12:20ff, the petition of the Greeks at the Passover Festival becomes that petition of so many with whom we work, live, play, etc. How do we show them a living, loving Jesus in our lives?
Here is our study guide for today:
Monday: In Luke 4:42-44, we see, like we saw yesterday during worship, that there was a crowd wishing to see Jesus. The reasons may have not been the most sincere or the best, but they still knew Jesus offered something they were not receiving anywhere else. Where do you seek Jesus? Or do people seek Jesus in you? Read the passage from yesterday (John 12:20-33) and see if you can’t grasp what the Lord stands ready to offer you for your life. Jesus is still the most sought after person for what God intended to share with the earth. Are you among that number?
Here is that passage: 42 At daybreak he departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowds were looking for him; and when they reached him, they wanted to prevent him from leaving them. 43 But he said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose." 44 So he continued proclaiming the message in the synagogues of Judea.
In both passages of John 12 and Luke 4, people sought Jesus. Some for good reasons, others for the "show" of doing unexplainable things, others for the food that He sometimes provided in miraculous ways. Yet, they knew Jesus brought with Him something no one else was providing, a message of hope and love from above. Jesus was offering a new way to live, and people were anxious to hear it. Jesus was offering healing and wholeness to so many and folks flocked to that. Jesus sought to share that with whomever wanted it.
So many in our midst need Jesus. Some may have already said, maybe not in so many words, that they want to see Jesus to help them in dealing with life and some of life's challenges, and what have we done to show them Jesus? If you've ever sought the Lord and found Him, then you know what Jesus can do. If you've ever been blessed by the Lord, then you have a word of hope to share with someone who hasn't heard.
Get out of your comfort zone today and show someone Jesus!
PRAYER: Loving God of life, I thank you for Jesus and for having shared Him with me when I needed Him the most. Let me in turn, share Him with someone whom I know is hurting and needing Him like never before. I pray for courage and wisdom and sharing Jesus. And I pray in His name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day.
e.v.
