Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 5; Jeremiah 6; John 12
Scripture: John 12:49-50
49 "...For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."
Observation: Jesus words are truly amazing. He explains that everything He says does not originate with Him. He is repeating what He is told to say by His Father. Look how He puts it: "...the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it." Wow! That is strong. The word commanded has a severe nature to it. And the restriction in not only what to say but also how to say it seems very strict.
Application: I would think that Jesus would be able to say whatever He pleased. But no. He only says what the Father tells Him to say in the way the Father tells Him to say it. Isn't that demeaning? I mean, a person who only says what they're told to say is little more than a glorified parrot. Right? Apparently not. If it was not beneath Jesus to restrict Himself to the direction of God and to see Himself only as one who was exclusively responsive to God's command, it is not beneath anyone.
Bottom line: Total surrender and submission to God is not a trendy teaching but it is what Jesus modeled and what we are to do. It is my challenge to be so well connected to the Father that I can know what He wants me to say and do and how He wants me to say it and do it.
Prayer: Lord, help me to rid myself of the silly notions of pride and self. What a great privilege it is to be a mouthpiece of Almighty God -- to have Your words pass through my lips. How stupid I am to think that my words based on my thoughts would be preferable to Yours. Lord, I want to have such a strong connection to You that I know what You want me to do, say, think, and feel. I would rather be Your puppet or parrot than to be directed only by my own earthbound thoughts and feelings which are so unsteady and unreliable. Take all of me -- change me, Lord.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
2 comments:
How wonderful the world would be if we all were "mouthpieces" of God. Kind of sounds like heaven doesn't it? No hurting insults, no coarse jesting, putdowns, cursing, lying or rudeness. Instead, truth, love, encouragement, affirmations and the like. That sounds better than holding on to my right to say what I want to.
Submitting was what you did when I was a child. You did not even questioned. I respected my parents. You trusted them and obeyed. I guess that's why I am having such a difficult time understanding teens today. Yet, do I truely submit and obey my Father? Do I think I know more that my Father in heaven? If you go by some of the things I do, then I guess I am not to much diffrent from today's teens. If we could just get that teenager to trust and obey. God is probably saying, "if my people would only obey".
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