THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 8

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Day 8:  Mary, the Worshiper (John 12: 1-8)

Mary had grown so much by simply listening to Jesus and learning at His feet.  Oh, how she loved her Lord!  She just could not get enough time with Him.  His words of love, compassion and eternal life were the daily bread of her soul.  She believed at the core of her being that He was God’s Son, the Messiah whom her parents had taught her would surely come one day.  She had discovered, too, that Jesus’ mercy and love knew no bounds and that His power came from God in Heaven.  She learned this on the day that He brought her beloved Lazarus back to life.  And the changes she had witnessed in her sister Martha were equally profound.  Yes, she just marveled at everything about Jesus.

Jesus visited her home on a couple of occasions, but today had been different than the rest.  Jesus seemed to be preoccupied.  His words were solemn, and He appeared to be preparing them for something.  He hadn’t come alone, either.  Some of His followers had joined Him this time.

Martha was listening intently to the Lord as she prepared the evening meal.  Lazarus reclined with Jesus as they spoke of her brother’s death and resurrection.  It was still the talk of Bethany.  Mary sat glued to the conversation, hanging on their every word.

Suddenly Jesus changed the focus from Lazarus’ death to His own.  A hush fell over the whole house.  Overcome with grief, Mary ran to her sleeping quarters and retrieved the jar of perfume that she had been saving.  Without thinking of its cost, she took it and began to anoint her Lord’s feet.  Wiping them then with her hair, she worshiped Him unashamedly.  Her mind was filled with what He was about to do for her, and sorrow, worship, and love came forth in her actions.

Like Mary, have you been transformed by Christ’s love and the sacrifice He made for you?  Are you still worshiping Him for it?  Have you counted the cost of worshiping unashamedly, or have you decided that the cost is simply too much.  Are you willing to appear “silly” to others in order to engage in a kind of worship that honors our Lord?  Or are you too embarrassed to show the Lord how you really feel about Him?

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 7

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It was an unusual day for Martha at the market in Bethany.  It wasn’t unusual that she would be there, for she loved running the household for her siblings, Mary and Lazarus.  That was her gift and contribution to the work of their family.  But what was unusual was that she met Jesus there.  Everyone was talking about Him, so she seized the opportunity to be hospitable and invited Him to stay at her home.  How thrilled she was when He accepted her invitation!

Upon arriving home Martha set out to prepare the evening meal.  She busied herself at the fire where she roasted a lamb and baked bread.  When her Guest arrived, she kept the fruit bowl and glasses filled at the table where Jesus and Lazarus reclined.  They were talking about God and His ways, and it was a lively conversation.  She listened as she went about her preparations for the meal. 

On one of her trips to refill the fruit bowl, she noticed Mary just sitting and listening.  Jealousy filled her thoughts.  “Why must I be the one to do all the serving?  Mary should be helping me.”  Taking her case to Jesus, she complained, “Don’t you even care that my sister has left me to do all the work of serving alone?  Tell her to help me!”

She knew she had spoken too boldly; His response made her cheeks turn crimson.  “Martha, you are worried and bothered about many things.  Only one thing is necessary.  Mary has chosen the good part.

But what was the good part?  Should Martha have been sitting instead of serving?  No, Martha was called to be a servant in her hospitality. Instead, she served, but complained as she did it. Mary’s gift might have been to teach or encourage or have wisdom and knowledge.  If that were the case, it would be totally appropriate for her to sit at Jesus’ feet and learn.  Again, what is the “good part?”  It is to be a servant who is content to serve where you are called, without jealousy or grumbling.  Martha had to learn to use her gift of hospitality as a servant, not just to be one who serves.  (See John 12:1-3.)  Do you see the difference?

Are you one who grumbles while serving, or are you a servant of Jesus?  When you talk to Jesus in prayer, do you tell Him what to do?

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 6

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Day 6:  Simeon  (Luke 2: 25-35)

How long Simeon had waited.  For his whole life he had been waiting!  In his wait he had been transformed into a holy man.  Two words described him accurately—righteous and devout.

Many years had been spent learning as much about his God as was humanly possible.  He never missed going to temple, where he sat under great scholars who interpreted the Scripture in a way that he could understand.  Simeon had learned so much through the ancient fathers of the promise, and the prophets’ words had taught him to be watching constantly for Israel’s consolation—the Holy One, the Messiah.  Because of his deep longing for God and his desire to know Him, Simeon had found favor with God, a favor that not many men had experienced.  This favor had produced a Power working in his life that he didn’t completely understand, but he had certainly learned to depend on it.  This Power had clearly spoken to him a message of hope—that he would not die until he had seen with his own eyes the very Messiah he knew was coming.  From that day on, Simeon’s hope in seeing Messiah was the foundation of all that his life entailed.  It was his only focus.

One day that same Power urged him with great persuasion to go immediately to the temple.  Long ago Simeon had learned to obey that powerful inner Voice, and he made haste to go to the temple at once.  Upon arriving, he contemplated the message of the Voice.  Why was it so necessary for him to be at the temple right now?  Anticipation filled him as he waited for God’s revelation on the matter.  And then the most  amazing thing happened!  In walked a man and his wife carrying a baby swaddled in linen cloths.  As his eyes landed on the infant, he knew at once!  This is the One!  Messiah has come!  Taking the babe in his arms, he blessed God for the fulfillment of His faithful promises.  Salvation had come to earth, a Light for the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.

Is the hope of seeing Jesus the motivation of all you do?  How much time are you willing to invest in studying God’s Word to know Him?  Are you attending studies on a regular basis where you can be instructed about God and the things of God?  Are you hearing and responding in obedience to the inner voice of the Spirit? What does your walk reveal?

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 5

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Day 5 -- Elizabeth Meets Jesus (Luke 1: 5-7, 24-25, 39-45)

Walking faithfully and blamelessly before the Lord with her husband, Zacharias, Elizabeth wondered why she suffered so.  She knew deep within her soul that the Lord could give her the child of her heart; yet, He hadn’t.  Some days it seemed that her inner ache would destroy her.  Leaving her thoughts behind her, she watched as her husband approached their home.  Something was wrong.  Confusion clouded his face.  He looked as if the weight of the world rested completely on his shoulders.  Rushing to meet him, Elizabeth soon realized that he was not the man who had left to go serve in the temple so many days ago.

Struggling to communicate, Zacharias gestured with his arms and drew pictures and words in the dirt.  Little by little she was able to piece together the story of a prayer, an angel, and the promise of a son.  Going inside with her husband, Elizabeth pondered the story she had just learned.  Though her husband’s silence continued on, Elizabeth soon discovered for herself just what the angel meant.  God had opened her barren womb!  Keeping herself hidden away for a few months, she marveled at the miracle growing inside her tired, aging body, and the favor of her God upon her.  Now Zacharias knew the truth of the angel’s words.  The sign he’d sought turned out to be his wife’s ever-expanding middle.

When Elizabeth was in her sixth month, she received an unexpected guest, her relative Mary from Nazareth.  The moment she heard Mary’s greeting from afar, the baby inside her leapt for joy.  At that very moment she was filled with awe and wonder and knew instinctively that Mary was carrying the Messiah, HER Messiah.  In her jubilation she cried out with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  How has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me?”

On that blessed day Elizabeth met her Savior whom she already believed in, and she received the Holy Spirit and was filled.  Her child was also filled with the Spirit to fulfill the words of the angel. (1:15)

Are you allowing the Spirit into the “middle” of your sufferings?

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 4

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Day 4 -- Zacharias' Disbelief (Luke 1: 1-23, 59-64)

Zacharias entered the temple once again.  It was time to light the incense on the altar, and the crowd was already gathered outside to lift their prayers to the Lord.  Oh, how he loved fulfilling his priestly duties.  To him lighting the incense was another way to serve the Lord by worshiping and praising the Lord in and through his service.  His greatest desire was to walk blamelessly with his God and to live out the commandments and requirements of his covenant with God.  Today would not be much different than any other.  He knew that he must surely lift his own praises to God, as well as the praise of his entire people.  But his heart was heavy with another matter—his wife’s barren womb.  Despite his deep longing, Zacharias began his time of worship.  Never, in all his days, would he expect to see what  happened next!

There before him, just to the right of the altar, stood an angel of the Lord.  “Your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.”  He couldn’t believe it.  He and Elizabeth, a child?  Their advanced years indicated otherwise.

“What will be the sign that it will happen?” Zacharias ventured.  Little did he know that his unbelief had just been revealed in his request for a sign.   Now Zacharias would live in silence.  How long, he did not know.  Committed to fulfill his priestly duties, he continued to light the incense, but his prayers were confined in a mind that struggled to believe.  When his priestly commitment in the temple was completed, he returned home to wait for the birth of his son.

With the typical rejoicing that surrounds a birth, John entered the world, and as was the custom, he was named and circumcised on the 8^th day.  What Zacharias learned in his months of silence was revealed when he was asked what the child’s name would be.  Writing on a tablet, his obedience and new faith were displayed.  “His name is John.”  Belief in the God of the impossible transformed the heart of Zacharias.   Little did he know his promised son would be a cousin of the Messiah, that John would baptize Him, and also hear God say, “This is My Beloved Son.”

What is your “barren womb?”  He’s still the God of the impossible!  (vs. 37)

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 3

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Day 3 -- Abraham's Test of Obedience

Life is full of tests.  Tests are what lie between the beginning of our faith journey and the day we receive our glorified bodies in heaven.  They are not intended to squash us.  On the contrary, they are to move us toward a greater dependence on God.  Our faith is revealed to God and others by the degree to which we obey, worship and love God.  These three Christian principles of faith are mentioned together for the first time in the Bible in Genesis 22 when Abraham is tested by God.

Abraham already had righteousness credited to his spiritual account (Gen. 15:6).  God told him that One would come from him who would be his heir and would give him many descendants.  Through this Heir, ALL the nations would be blessed (Gen. 12:1-3).  Abraham knew of the Messiah to come and believed God.  Through his child of the promise (Isaac), Jesus would come.

But God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to take his beloved Isaac and offer him as a burnt sacrifice.  How could Abraham obey that command?  He could obey because he believed the promises that God made to him!  If God allowed Isaac to die, Messiah could not come through that line.  Abraham trusted God to do what He said He would do.  This is how he was able to tell the men with him, “I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” 

Again Abraham demonstrated and acted on faith when his son asked him a difficult question.  “Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”   Abraham replied, “God will provide for Himself the lamb.”  Abraham passed God’s test when he followed through on everything God commanded him, binding up the one he loved most, laying him on the altar, and raising the knife to slay him.  Because of such faith, Abraham is a picture to us of true worship.  His actions reveal to us an obedient heart.  No wonder Abraham was called a friend of God!  (James 2:23)

Though he was a man from the Old Testament days, Abraham’s heart was transformed by his love for a Savior who had not yet come.  We have the promises in the Word; we say we believe them.  But do we live a sacrificial life that is proven by our obedience to God’s commands?

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 2

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Day 2:  Abraham's Part of the Covenant (Genesis 17)

At the age of 99, God Almighty, El Shaddai, speaks again to his servant Abram, calling him to “walk before Me, and be blameless.”  God reminded him again of the blessings that would come and even changed his name to Abraham (from “exalted father” to “the father of a multitude.”)  All the blessings that would come from God’s covenant with Abraham were God’s part of the covenant.  But Abraham wasn’t off the hook.  God clearly told him his part in the covenant, “This is My covenant, which YOU SHALL KEEP, between Me and you and your descendants after you:  every male among you shall be circumcised.”

I can’t even begin to imagine Abraham’s initial response to such a command!  Can you?  Yet, he immediately went out from God’s presence and obeyed what the Lord had commanded.  Maybe it was the terms of the consequences of disobedience that catapulted Abraham to such obedient action.  God had precisely told him that any who refused to comply with the covenant agreement would be cut off from his people.  Disobedience would be evidence of a broken covenant, and God takes covenant very seriously!

Abraham understood his relationship with God. He knew his responsibility was to keep his end of the covenant in order to stay in covenant relationship.  It is clear that God has a part for us to do as well.  While Abraham’s part was to circumcise the flesh of the foreskin of every male, our part is to allow God to circumcise the foreskin of our hearts.  God wants to weed out every sin that still lies in our hearts, every wrong motive, every wicked word of our tongue, with the goal being Christ-likeness.  Our circumcised hearts are a sign to God that we are living obedient, surrendered lives.  This is our part of the covenant.

Another way to look at the circumcision of our hearts is to return to God’s words to Abraham:  “Walk before Me, and be blameless.”  These words He still loudly speaks to us today.  God is calling us to personal holiness (“Be holy, for I am holy”), to sanctification.  This includes walking in the Spirit, growing into mature Christians, dying to our fleshly disobedience, and living a life of integrity.  Are you as willing to obey God’s command as Abraham was?  Are you today?  Consider your answer, and talk to God about it.  Remember, God takes covenant seriously.  So should we!