Acting on What I Know

Read: Deuteronomy 33-34 & John 13
“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:17

Examine:
God blesses His servants not for what they know, but for their response to what they know.

Apply:
In this chapter I see one thing I need to know and two things I need to do. In verse 3 John tells us that Jesus knew God had given all things into His hands and that it was His time to return to the Father. This is a core and critical belief that I must hold close to my heart and understand deeply in my soul. I serve a Savior who lives and who is seated on His throne. He is alive and all power has been given to Him. Once I became adopted as a son I gained access to all things that were given to Jesus. Knowing this is essential to my faith.

The first thing I need to do with this knowledge is allow it to transform my life to the model Jesus gave. If I were to sum up the life of Jesus on earth, I would say He lived with the heart of a servant, the wisdom of a king, and the valor of a warrior. God calls me to bring glory to His name by spending my days serving, leading, and advancing His kingdom as He leads me towards home.

The second thing I need to do with this knowledge is to allow the love of Christ to transform my interactions with people. There is no way to read the story of Jesus and not recognize that He loved people intensely. In verse 34 Jesus tells His disciples to focus on a new command; love one another well. By doing so, others will know that we are of Christ and that is the greatest testimony we have to offer the world.

Pray:
Jesus, it is amazing to think of all the power that is available to me through You and the Spirit of God within me. My amazement turns to shame when I examine my life and realize how little of that power I use and how easily I fall away when adversity strikes. Somewhere between You and me lies a leak in my system. The power You have given somehow is lost and my life feels as if it does not run on full strength. I do not understand the cause of this, but I ask that You open the eyes of my heart so that I may know the power that is available through You.

Jesus, it is not enough to just love people. I have to be able to love them as You loved them. Father, as I examine the way in which You loved others, I pray that You continue to develop inside of me the heart of a servant, the wisdom of a king, and the valor of a warrior.