23 January 2020 -John 12:23-24 (NIV)

23 January 2020 -John 12:23-24 (NIV)

Scripture

23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

Reflection

Never let it be said that our God is a selfish God and withholds the best from us.

What kind of God would give up His only treasured son to be wrongfully condemned and executed so that the rest of us could live and be reunited with Him?  The kind that is the perfect heavenly Father that values us so much He considers His son’s suffering is a worthy price to pay to enable our reconciliation.

What kind of God considers the future unconfirmed potential more worthwhile to fight and die for than the clear and present awe, respect and glory He was getting?  The kind that is the perfect Savior that is so motivated to save everyone and let none perish, that He would go the full distance and do what was needed to create the option of saving and receiving anyone who would call on Him at any time, regardless of their personal history.

What does this mean for us who say we follow Jesus?  It means we strive to uphold the “upside-down” principles of the kingdom of heaven in the face of world’s contrasting values.  Dying to my preferences for God’s preferences brings life that really matters.  The least is the greatest.  The hated is the loved.  The lower is the honored.  Choose the narrow path.  Live today’s reality in view of the promised future.  His way and His timing, not man’s, not ours’.  Let’s

Thoughts for the day

  • Thank God for being the kind of God who has loves you so much to give you His best. Thank God for saving and bringing you back in relationship with Him.
  • Where have you felt that God has withheld good things from you? Have a chat with God about that.
  • Take a look at the opportunities around you, what “upside-down” principle of the kingdom of heaven can you uphold today? Tomorrow? This week?  This season

Prayer

Dear Lord and heavenly Father, thank you for treasuring me so much.  May I increasingly appreciate what you have done for me and put in sincere effort to grow my relationship with you.  May I daily ponder on your word and live out the principles of your kingdom, so that I may become stronger in faith and more natural in deeds that follow in your footsteps.  Amen.

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By |2020-01-18T19:23:36+08:00January 23rd, 2020|Categories: Week 4|Comments Off on 23 January 2020 -John 12:23-24 (NIV)

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Sandy is from Singapore and has been working in China since 2005. She joined SCF in 2008 when she moved to Shanghai and is part of Manna Xintiandi.