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God's Words For US
by Cecelia Lester
Abide In Him
Scripture: John 15:1-17
Focus Verses: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:7-8 (NIV)
The following lines comprise what the disciples might have thought as Jesus shares with them.
“Abide with him?”
“What does he mean?”
“We have followed him all these months and assisted in his teaching. Yet he says he can now call us friends.
“I don’t understand where he is going with this.”
These thoughts show the confusion the disciples felt when they heard Jesus talk about his soon-coming death.
We who live in the 21Century collectively have doubts about what goes on around us—either temporally or spiritually.
Jesus tries to prepare his disciples for what lay ahead of them. He also shares moments with us, his children, today as a way of making us ready for what will enter our lives, as a way of giving us strength.
Does our abiding with Jesus cause circumstances we would rather not have? I believe it does. However, our abiding (remaining) with Jesus gives us strength to withstand many difficulties that come our way.
Dear Father God:
We give thanks to You for allowing us to experience Your grace and mercy. We appreciate Your going before us and being beside us whenever we face difficult and trying circumstances. In Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen
Persecuted by the World
Scripture: John 15:18-16:4
Focus verse: “Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master’. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” John 15:20 (NIV)
“What is the Master saying?”
“He speaks of people being persecuted because he chose us from the world. Why?”
“They hated him without reason? Who would do that?”
The disciples are hearing things they do not understand. They hear him speak of hatred, persecution, shunning and killing of those who believe in Him. Questions arise in the disciples’ minds. Jesus’ words pierced their hearts, bringing grief to the forefront.
In our 21Century world, we should look closely at these words and ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten and strengthen us.
Back just before the Super Bowl, I read where an automobile company would have a commercial about their product shown during the breaks in the game. What I read offended me. The message I received from that company was, “We cater to the young. We think older people (read senior citizens) are not the people we want purchasing our cars.” My original thought was, when did older people become personae non grata? As I read this scripture, I understand why businesses do not treat older people with the respect they deserve. They do not look at the people as who they are but for what those people can give. (Please forgive my rant.)
The Counselor Will Come
Scripture: John 16:5-17
Focus Verse: “But I tell you the truth: it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. John 16:7 (NIV)
Jesus’ message brings more confusion to the disciples. Their thoughts could have been like the following:
“What is Jesus saying?”
“He keeps telling us he is going away. Now, he tells us he will send someone else in his stead?”
“Do we need someone else, why can’t he stay here?
“”This new person will guide us?”
“He will convict the world?”
“Why does what he says not make sense to us?
Could the disciples be like many 21Century people? Did they think their group would be together forever?
Several years ago, we had a situation in our family. A young man died from a terrible disease. Most of us knew his outcome would not be what we wanted. His sister drew into herself. I found myself asking her why she seemed so saddened. Her answer—“I just knew the doctors would find a cure for his illness.” This sister was not a believer; therefore, I chose not to tell her that maybe God did heal her brother by taking him home to heaven. Today, I believe she did not realize that we only have a certain God-set time on this earth.
The disciples began grieving as they heard these words from Jesus. They probably could not focus on the words spoken about the Father, “he will never leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 (NIV)
Another relative grieved prematurely when her older sister was in the hospital. That sister had undergone two Cancer surgeries in less than 10 days. The patient was not rallying. The doctors said she was doing well, in spite of what we saw. The older sister lived nine more years.
The disciples received something we do not always receive about the end of someone’s life. Jesus tried to prepare them for his departure. We don’t always get to prepare ourselves when a loved one passes on to heaven The part we initially find strange is they could not grasp what He was telling them.
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Cecelia Lester has been serious about her writing for over two decades..
She composes Christian essays and posts them to her blog quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/
She has served in a faith-based organization, Grace In Action by writing two newsletters and searching for possible grants.
In July 2017, she published her first book, 'Times of Trouble Bring Rays of Joy.'
She and her husband of 54 years live in central Indiana. They have one grown son.
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