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My Role Is To Pray
Andrea Lende • June 16, 2020
John 12:10-11
The Chief Priests Were Planning Murder
You can also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/The-Chief-Priests-Were-Planning-Murder-efh2gs
Daily Word:
John 12:10-11
“So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also,”
“Because on account of him many of the Jews were going away [were withdrawing from and leaving the Judeans] and believing in and adhering to Jesus.”
As we know Jesus had brought Lazarus back from the dead.
The chief priests were jealous.
They were afraid of losing people in their church.
More and more people were believing in Jesus.
So, the priests’ fears of losing their foothold with the people were driving them to plan not one, but two murders.
They were not only looking to kill Jesus, but they were also going to have to kill Lazarus to cover the evidence.
Evidence that Jesus had more power than they had.
Evidence that Jesus was a Healer and they were not.
Evidence that Jesus could bring the dead back to life and they could not.
As I read these verses today, I could see that even back when life wasn’t as complicated as our current time, people were planning others’ demise.
Not only people, but the leaders of the church.
The Chief Priests were planning murder.
All because they were losing popularity.
All because of jealousy and fear.
And even though their actions looked so wrong as I read this story again, God had a plan.
His plan to send His Son to die for us was His plan to save us all.
God has a plan today.
It is unnerving to see the violence increasing in our country.
However, I must believe that God has a plan.
He had a plan two thousand years ago, and He has a plan for us today.
What is my role?
Well, when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, He told His disciples to pray.
He told them to pray against temptation.
I feel that the same message applies to me today.
My part in this calamity is to pray.
Pray that God keeps me out of temptation.
Pray that God’s plan will be done.
Pray that God will show Himself glorious once again.
Pray for all people everywhere – that we will be obedient to His calling.
Today I choose to believe that God is working out all things for His glory and pray that He strengthens me to withstand all advances from the enemy.
May you find that God’s plan is working in your life and that He will strengthen you to withstand temptation.
Daily Word:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me that You have a plan today just as You had a plan two thousand years ago. Thank You for showing me that You will not leave me abandoned, but You have a plan to work out all things for Your glory. Help me be obedient to You in all things. Help me hear Your whispers and obey Your commands. Keep my heart seeking after You, Lord. May You strengthen me in every way to withstand all advances of the enemy. Keep me from temptation, Father, and keep me from hurting others. Show me where I can be of service to another and lift up instead of tear down. Help me be a beacon of light that leads back to You, Lord. May Your will be done in my life and in all the lives of people everywhere. Help us all draw close to You and heed Your call, Father. May we follow You and help carry out Your plan. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM working in every circumstance and My plan will be done.
Response: Help me serve You in all things, Lord.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.