Ever have a night where the sleep just will not come? I must have dozed some, but I spent much of the time, regrettably, awake. It is these moments that, upon reflection, educate me. The Lord knows what I need for this day. He knows each moment. He holds me in his hand. It is my reminder today to keep thinking of the Lord, even when moments become challenging. When tears are close, eyes heavy with sleep and cares.
I say this because I was listening to a playlist on the Dwell app (if you click that link and would like to try Dwell, you can for 30 days). Anyway, the list of the Sayings of Jesus and I heard the phrase, “my hour has not yet come” and “my hour has come”. This is mostly in John (2:24, 12:23, 16:32,17:1)
A few things come to mind when I hear those words. Jesus set his face to the cross. He knew what he was about to face. Every step took him closer. Yet, in the volume of words and actions of Jesus, the disciples were caught off guard, surprised when the time DID come.
“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were recorded one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”
John 21:25 AMP
We think, how could they be surprised? How could they not have known? We read knowing what they did not understand. We have the blessing and benefit of the entire word of God. They were living it. And if we are honest with ourselves, we forget and we are surprised by trials and suffering too. Yet, God knows our next step. God knows and is with us.
““Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.”” (Bold and italics mine)
John 12:27-29 NASB1995
But for this purpose Jesus came to this hour. He cried out to God because of the dread and heaviness that was soon to come. I am reminded in my day to cry out, Jesus is our example and He went before us. God confirmed the glory. His audible voice was heard and interpreted differently. Some dismissed it as thunder. Maybe an angel? Jesus heard His Father’s voice.
“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:5-8 NASB1995
It is so easy for me to look at circumstances and interpret for myself. So often I try to play God, maneuvering pieces to create safety. I have set my mind on solving things for myself. This word, attitude, actually can be interpreted as setting your mind. I am focused on the wrong things. I have not set my mind like Jesus when I do not trust His care and comfort.
“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.”
Hebrews 3:1-6 NASB1995
Ooooo, we are partakers of a heavenly calling. That is our calling. I am not meant to figure it all out, looking forward supposing I know the future. Rather, Hebrews asks us to consider Jesus. Who He is ~ the Apostle and High Priest. Faithful to Him who appointed Him. Worthy of more glory than Moses. Moses was faithful. BUT Christ! Faithful Son over HIS house…that’s us. So hold fast our confidence. Boast of our hope firm until the end. Trusting God for the next step for I am reminded faith is trusting.
Can our pain and suffering be used for His glory? Consider this:
“Therefore we do not become discouraged [spiritless, disappointed, or afraid]. Though our outer self is [progressively] wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day by day. For our momentary, light distress [this passing trouble] is producing for us an eternal weight of glory [a fullness] beyond all measure [surpassing all comparisons, a transcendent splendor and an endless blessedness]! So we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen; for the things which are visible are temporal [just brief and fleeting], but the things which are invisible are everlasting and imperishable.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 AMP
Friend, I’ve been trying to write this for over a week. Until today, it just has not come together. The prompt, the reason for this post was considering this passage which I still have shared. SO here:
“Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. [Ps 110:1] Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.”
Colossians 3:1-4 AMP
Just as Christ, who is our example, set His face, we too, are to set our faces. Set them above. Set our minds. Focus on the things above. The “light and momentary” earthie things will pass. Our lives are with Christ. There will come a day when all these trials will pass away, and we will see Jesus with our eyes. What a day that will be.
But for now, remember Jesus in the midst of your moments today. You are loved.
Leave A Reply