So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him."
~ John 13:31 (NKJV)
If you've never seen it, this half-minute clip from the movie "City Slickers" explains "Just One Thing." (The single profanity is muted.)
Jesus knew His Just One Thing: glorify the Father. He sought no glory for Himself, with the exception of the glory in Him which glorified His Father.
We are greatly beloved to Jesus. Just before He died, Jesus invited us to join Him in His Just One Thing, and live to glorify the Father. We will one day do it in face-to-face worship. In the meantime, we have an opportunity to glorify God that we won't have then. Our days here are a gift during which Jesus allows us to carry His Holy Spirit on His behalf, to the glory of God.
We strive to do that through our good works—giving to the poor, or sharing the Gospel, or living a righteous life. Though Jesus said in Matthew 5 that our good works bring God glory, it's not the works themselves that accomplish that. There's really only one good work to be done, which we put into action through every other word and deed, thought and feeling:
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
~ John 13:34-35 (NKJV)
All will know we are Christians by our love, and they will give glory to God for it. Our love glorifies God more than all the praise songs and good works can ever give Him by themselves.
To join Jesus in His Just One Thing is to love one another. You stick to that and everything else don't mean ...
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your love. Thank You for the privilege to join You in Your highest goal. Please help us see our opportunities for what they are.
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Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Amen sis.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Denise!
Deletefor the last few days i've been thinking about this series. since heaven is a place for prepared people i've got a loooong ways to go yet. last night while ploughing thru the sanctification and holiness archive i discovered the Husband post (Jan. 19. 2010). it's a great post and right in line with this!
ReplyDeleteheaven can wait...\o/
Bud, while I don't disagree that Heaven is a place for prepared people, it's so, so, SO important to remember that Jesus has done all the work! The only required preparation is a soul redeemed from sin by His blood. The ongoing sanctification (which we cooperate with during our time here) is simply a portion of the sanctification to be completed there. I anticipate that one of next week's posts will address this again, based on John 14.
Delete"Heaven can wait."
I smile at the words from you, Bud. : )