Less and Less
Father, why do I come out so often? I am problematic…putting it mildly… My only hope is claiming John the Baptist’s assertion as recorded in John 3:30, He [the Messiah – Jesus the Christ] must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. NLT (insertion mine) Father, may it be so in my life…
John 1:15 (<<click here to read the passage)
I was fairly proficient in math in school. I wasn’t super smart by any stretch of the imagination but if I remember correctly that is the one subject that I did not have to take in college in that I tested out of it. Now my son, Massey, has a much better grasp of many mathematical concepts. He actually has a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics along with one in Mechanical Engineering – and of course, his most recent accomplishment, a doctorate in Aerospace Engineering. Mathematics lies at the core of them all. Though I may have been proficient in math, Massey left me in his dust while still in high school!
One thing I still have a firm understanding of is the meaning of these symbols: > and < or greater than and less than respectively.
So, connecting with my opening prayer and interesting enough with today’s passage, here are a couple of equations for you.
Jesus > me……Jesus is greater than me
I < Jesus……I am less than Jesus
I had not read today’s passage before writing my opening prayer. I am certain that God loves bringing those kinds of things together. There are no coincidences with God!
Look once more at John 3:30 in my opening,
Now read John 1:15.
John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’” NLT
John (the Apostle) is referring to John (the Baptist) in both passages. As a reminder, John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus. Many consider John the Baptist to be the last Old Testament prophet. For over 400 years, God had not used a mouthpiece to communicate His word, but John the Baptist would be the herald of the Messiah!
John the Baptist proclaimed in no uncertain terms that though he was the first to be vocal in that time that he would be followed by someone who in reality proceeded him in time and surpassed him in literally every way! There was boldness but not even a hint of pride. He exuded humility.
Do we do the same? It is so easy in our culture to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. We can even do it by portraying ourselves as humble but many times it is self-righteous humility. (Can anyone say “oxymoron”?) Oh, woe is me! I am nothing…Hey! Did you hear me? I said I am nothing! Watch! I’m being humble!
Lord Jesus, once again may You become greater and greater. May I earnestly desire to become less and less. No false humility…just the real me seeking to be more like the real You. Amen.
Feb 22nd, 2021, Mon, 7:32 pm
Talk About Unique!
Father, I would ask that You would enable me to see what You see. And in doing so that Your will – not mine, not others no matter how powerful or respected they may be – but that Your will would encompass all. Amen.
John 1:14 (<<click here to read the passage)
Here is an old, old joke that I remember from when I was a child.
“How do you catch a unique squirrel?”
“U – nique up on him!”
And one more I just learned,
“How do you catch a tame squirrel?”
“Tame way.”
I know they’re lame but corny jokes are the best!
On a much more serious note, I am so grateful I don’t have to “nique” up on Jesus, for in all of creation the is no one nor no thing more unique than He. We don’t have to find Him for He has already gone above and beyond to make Himself available to all humanity – without one single exclusion!
Read through this passage once more,
And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception). John 1:14 AMP
Each of us is called a child of God but Jesus is unique in that He is the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father. As the first verses of this chapter remind us.
In the beginning the Word already existed.
….The Word was with God,
….and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
….and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
….and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
….and the darkness can never extinguish it. vs1-5 NLT
The Word – Jesus Christ – existed before there was a beginning! He has always been and always will be! Where better to stand than in a relationship with Him? Absolutely nothing gets by Him to us! If we suffer – and we must if we are to be like Him (1 Peter 2:21) – it is for our growth and development to make us still more like Him. And we do not suffer alone, for He is beside us all along the way. He never leaves our side. And in the end, if it doesn’t make us stronger but does kill us, we will be with Him and all our brothers and sisters in Christ for all of time.
(I don’t know exactly what eternity will entail but I’m pretty certain we won’t just be floating around on clouds jammin’ on our harps! God is too awesome, too creative, too forward-thinking for anything as boring as that!)
…the Word was God… yet as I wrap things up, my study Bible* had this to say (if you don’t already have a study Bible, they are very helpful!),
When Jesus was conceived, God [the Word] became a man. He was not part man and part God; he was completely human and completely divine (Colossians 2:9). Before Christ came, people could know God partially. After Christ came, people could know God fully because he became visible and tangible in Christ. Christ is the perfect expression of God in human form… Jesus is both God and man.
Lord Jesus, there is no place I would rather be that with You! Continue to draw me closer to You. May my desire to be like You burn in my heart stronger each and every day! Amen!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Feb 21st, 2021, Sun, 7:49 pm
A Perfect Sacrifice
Father, thank You for the honor of blood donation. That You would create us so that we could share such a vital substance is awesome. The intricacy and versatility of Your creation are astounding!
John 1:14 (<<click here to read the passage)
How often in life do we wish for some instrument that would take volatile circumstances and bring peace? What if you had something as simple as a garage door open with a button that instead of opening the door to your garage would instantly bring peace.
Work environments, not to mention families, are quite often places where anger can run amuck. Wouldn’t it be great if with one push of your “peace control” the anger would just melt away? How great would it be if the red would fade from the chief antagonist’s eyes and understanding would come to be known and peace would reign?
I remember when Massey was just a little guy, and something would upset him to the point of hot tears flowing down his tiny face. On more than one occasion we would slip into a public restroom stall giving me a chance to get down on his level and get him to just breathe. He wasn’t in trouble, but I would say, “OK, Mass, just take a big breath.” With all the emotion still playing through him, he would do so, a bit shaky at first but he just needed help getting himself under control. Once that happened, everything was cool.
The last thought from my study Bible* of John 1:14 says that when the Word became flesh, Christ became the perfect sacrifice – Jesus came as a sacrifice for all sins, and his death satisfied God’s requirements for the removal of sin (Colossians 1:15-23).
In verses 19-20 of the first chapter of Colossians the Apostle Paul writes,
For God in all his fullness
….was pleased to live in Christ,
and through him God reconciled
….everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
….by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. NLT
Jesus was the only “peace control” able to help us get ourselves under control. For the most part, we are utter failures at maintaining peace. Our world is a mess. Something is said or done and “BOOM!” we blow up and anger takes control. We can’t stop it and once it’s underway we can’t seem to slow it down.
But once and for all, Christ gave Himself up to bring true and unending peace. Through His sacrifice, God reconciled everything to himself. And it wasn’t just for one or two incidents of strife and division. Because of Christ’s sacrifice – His perfect sacrifice – by means of Christ’s blood on the cross, God made peace with everything in heaven and on earth… (emphasis mine)
We simply cannot maintain peace. Even in relationships where we truly love one another, far too often, peace is shattered over some trivial matter. Words are said, actions are taken, and peace is gone.
Lord Jesus, we call out to You. You are our only hope. And not just with each other in our time here on earth but most importantly, Your sacrifice satisfied God’s requirements for the removal of sin from our lives and now peace – eternal peace – with You is ours. Praise Your holy name!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Feb 18th, 2021, Thurs, 7:23 pm
Even Me!
Father, my praise rises to You. You are my Provider. You are my Creator. You are my Savior. You are my Sustainer. May I always be mindful of these, and so many more, of Your mighty and majestic attributes!
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My brain needs a change of direction, so I’d like to step away from John 1:14 and write about something, as many of you well know, that is near and dear to my heart…music!
I love many of the old hymns and regularly have the pleasure of singing them. One thing about the whole pandemic is that it has necessitated virtual worship. And to keep costs to an absolute minimum, I have chosen to not spend money on any kind of licensing that would allow me to use newer hymns. Everything that we sing or play in our services falls into the category of public domain. Each of them is no longer copyrighted.
I have a book published in 1990 (Oh, my, that was 30 years ago!) entitled Amazing Grace: 366 Inspiring Hymn Stories for Daily Devotions. The hymn for today is “Jesus Loves Even Me”. It was one of many songs written by Philip P. Bliss. Bliss was an associate of evangelist Dwight L. Moody and Major Daniel W. Whittle (an acclaimed lyricist in his own right – he wrote both “I Know Whom I Have Believed” and “Showers of Blessing”). At the age of 38 Bliss’s life tragically came to an end when he and his wife were killed in a terrible train accident.
Bliss wrote “Jesus Loves Even Me” in 1870. Growing up, I knew it as a children’s hymn, but it applies to all children of God. After attending a service where the hymn “O How I Love Jesus” was sung repeatedly, Bliss thought, “Have I not been singing enough about my poor love for Jesus and shall I not rather sing of His great love for me?” Soon he completed both the words and music… (p.58)
The Apostle John records Jesus as saying,
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love…” John 15:9 NLT
As I read through the six verses he wrote, the last one grabbed my attention.
In this assurance I find sweetest rest,
Trusting in Jesus, I know I am blessed;
Satan, dismayed, from my soul now doth flee,
When I just tell him that Jesus loves me.
How many times do we feel that the world has just run over us like a Mack truck? That old deceiver, the devil, stands smirking over us with the attitude that once more he has taken us down. I love the last two lines, Satan, dismayed, from my soul now doth flee, When I just tell him that Jesus loves me.
There is power in our relationship with Jesus! If we do as Jesus admonishes us, “Remain in my love” then the powers of earth and hell itself cannot stand against us! The devil flees, just knowing that Jesus loves us!
The closing sentence of the devotional sums it all up. Take time to thank your Lord once more for His great love for you personally, a love that cannot be comprehended but can only be gratefully accepted by faith.
Here’s a nice rendition of the hymn and it even includes the verse I noted. Enjoy!
Feb 17th, 2021, Tues, 8:29 pm
Follow the Perfect Example
I am grateful for Your long-suffering love, Father. Where would I be without You? I would surely be lost. Though I so often am unsteady, You are my rock. May I stand beside You each day and strive to be like Your Son in everything I say and do. Amen.
John 1:14 (<<click here to read the passage)
I was a part of a group of boys who ended up in the principal’s office when I was in the 5th grade, for running in the hall. Parents were called as we suffered the consequences for disregarding the rules of safety.
If we exceed the speed limit and a police officer pulls us over, we often suffer for our actions by receiving a ticket.
Over the course of our lives, if we overindulge and avoid exercise, it is a distinct possibility that our bodies will suffer from all kinds of potential reactions as a result of our misdeeds and neglect.
I could go on and on for we all have suffered in some way for things we have said or done that were out of line. And truly we deserved whatever punishment we received.
But here’s the question…have you ever suffered for doing good?
The second portion of the note from my study Bible* regarding the first few words of verse 14. (And the Word (Christ) became flesh… AMP; So the Word became human… NLT) states that by the Word becoming flesh, becoming human, Christ became the perfect example as a model of what we are to become, he shows us how to live and gives us the power to live that way (1 Peter 2:21).
Peter’s words from the noted reference read as follows:
For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2:21 NLT
Hmmm…I would say that for most of us, that is a lot easier said than done. I know I’m pushing the obvious, but I can say that I would stand for what is right and that I would do the right thing but when push came to shove…would I?
We all would like to think we would…but would we?
In school, a student who just doesn’t fit in with the crowd is once more being ostracized. We want to sit with our friends but that still small Voice in our heart of hearts suggests we sit with the rejected student. Do we just ignore the Voice…or will we sit with someone who needs a friend?
On my bus, on occasion, I hear students using words such as “gay” and “retarded” in very demeaning ways. Do I pretend I don’t hear them, or do I call them out?
It’s easy to sit back and act as if everything is hunky-dory but if it’s not…what do we do?
Of course, these examples are pretty mild. But what would we do if someone went off on a profanity-laced tirade about how there is no God and that people who think that way just need to get a life? Would we stay tight-lipped, just wanting to avoid any confrontation? Do we lay into them, yelling that they are the one who needs to get a life? Or do we patiently…lovingly…share why we disagree and see where the Lord leads the conversation?
The Word – Christ – is the perfect example for us and models what we can become by showing how to live. And – here’s an important part we cannot miss – He not only shows us how to live but gives us the power to live that way. He empowers us to stand strong but only if we stand in Him.
Lord Jesus, help us to closely follow Your example and to suffer for doing good if that’s what it takes as we follow in Your steps. Amen.
Feb 16th, 2021, Tues, 7:49 pm