Skip to main content

hate life

John 12:25
"He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."

We are asking what it means to glorify GOD. A couple of verses ago Jesus said "The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified." Jesus is on His way to the cross. Where He is tortured and killed. The death and resurrection is the reason Jesus became incarnate. How is this brutality Glorifying God? Is this what GOD means?

In yesterday's verse Jesus talked about the grain of wheat that must be buried. And, the seed itself "dies" so that the new plant may grow. New roots form, then a blade. Which becomes a stalk and a full plant. That will in due time develop a head of seeds that will produce their own plants. In successive generations, the wheat plant multiplies and fills the whole field, providing an abundant harvest! This natural order of reproduction and growth tells us something about life and the way GOD intends our world to work.

In today's verse Jesus explains, "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." This is a verse to think about. Broadly, we can understand that the "loss" of our lives is not only in the future, it also happens in the present, when we value material things over heavenly reality. If we are too anxious and careful, we fail to live a full and rewarding life. We must dare to sprout and grow. Reaching our leaves toward the sun. Growing and maturing, producing our own grains that will be carried by the wind to fertile soil where they can grow.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

I will make you

Matthew 4:19&20 "19 And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him." In our "Follow Me" series, we study Jesus calling His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. By the Sea of Galilee, a thriving fishing hub, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew casting nets as humble fishermen. His disciples were ordinary workers, not wealthy or educated elites. Jesus approached them and said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Remarkably, they immediately left their jobs to follow Him. This brief exchange conveys a profound truth: Jesus says, "I will make you." Only God can transform us to accomplish His purpose. We should often pray, "Help me, God," seeking Jesus' guidance to follow His plan for our lives.

heart, soul, and mind

Mark 12:30 "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." Jesus called His disciples, promising to transform them. In Acts, the Sanhedrin marveled at Peter and John’s boldness despite their lack of formal education, showing God uses anyone to advance His kingdom, regardless of human limitations. Notably, Jesus chose no Pharisees or scribes as disciples until Saul (Paul). In Mark, Jesus declares the cornerstone of faith: the entire law and prophets rest on God’s singular nature. Quoting the Shema from Deuteronomy 6, He affirms the one true God of Israel, distinct from false gods. The command to "hear" calls for understanding, accepting, and obeying this truth, the foundation of all commandments. Today’s verse completes the "first commandment." We choose to delight in God and act faithfully on His behalf. Trusting God leads to obedience. We mak...

Elisha’s example

1 Kings 19:19-21 "19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? 21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him." In Luke 9:54, after James and John sought to call down fire on a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus, they referenced Elijah, saying, “even as Elias did?” Jesus then taught three lessons about rejection: 1- Discipleship demands sacrifice, embracing hardship and forgoing earthly security. 2- Following Jesus requires immediate, un...