PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: John 8:42-47
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” (John 8:47)
If you struggle with faith or following Jesus, do not take these words against you.
Jesus is not in the business of making struggling disciples doubt themselves.
Jesus was trying to shake up and wake up these proud religious people.
He basically says – if you really loved God, you wouldn’t be trying to kill people.
How do we know if we belong to God?
If the message of Jesus appeals to us, and our hearts long to be more like Jesus…
This is the sign that our hearts are open to God.
God isn’t noting the perfection of our efforts, but the genuineness of our desire.
People who love God will desire kindness, generosity, forgiveness, patience, etc.
People who don’t will prefer being selfish and cling to cruelty and anger and pride.
Jesus is challenging proud religious people for their hurtful words and actions.
Don’t take Jesus’s challenge as against you, but still listen to what Jesus says.
Check your heart; can you say ‘Lord, I admit I am not like you, but I want to be!”
Rest assured, you belong to God.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for gently challenging us so that we will see our hearts. I admit that I am not like you… but I want to listen to you, I want to follow you!
“Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say” I can relate to not being able to hear clearly, or better, to understand clearly even tough I hear the sounds. To decipher the sounds and make out the words and then to make out the meaning – is what it takes. In the case of who Jesus is – I do not have the privilege of hearing Jesus directly – yet it seems that those present in this account did, yet many did not understand the meaning. It seems to me to be who is influencing the meaning: the father of lies, Satan or the Holy Spirit? I hear and I have come to believe that Jesus is the son of God – the Saviour – the sinless one who took on the sin that stained me! Sure the father of lies would like to derail me – my spirit is vulnerable – therefore, I need you HS to keep me from the wrong!
Listen.
Listen to the voice which says, ‘Follow me. This is the Way. Walk in it.’
I am His child and I need to listen to the voice of the Father doing His will. I am His and He is mine and His banner over me is love. And that love I need to show by my words and deeds. That is the will of my Father. I need to be like Jesus unto all.
1 I want to be more like Jesus,
And follow Him day by day;
I want to be true and faithful,
And ev’ry command obey.
Refrain:
More and more like Jesus,
I would ever be; (I ever would be;)
More and more like Jesus,
My Savior who died for me.
2 I want to be kind and gentle,
To those who are in distress;
To comfort the brokenhearted,
With sweet words of tenderness. [Refrain]
3 I want to be meek and lowly,
Like Jesus, our Friend and King;
I want to be strong and earnest,
And souls to the Savior bring. [Refrain]
4 I want to be pure and holy,
As pure as the crystal snow;
I want to love Jesus dearly,
For Jesus loves me, I know. [Refrain]