Instagram Jesus Week 7: Devotional Day 4
DAY 4
Daily devotional
Read
Mark 1:32-34, John 16 and 17
Ask
Do I live my life with a holy urgency? Do I look for kingdom purposed moments in my everyday life?
Reflect
Many years ago I heard a woman’s testimony. She stepped up to the microphone and kicked off with this: “Six months ago I was given seven-to-eight months to live. You see, I have cancer and I’m going to die.” This naturally piqued every ear in the church. She talked about getting that life/death sentence. She first assessed everything in her life and immediately the things she was expending time on that had no kingdom purpose were tossed out. She took stock of her heart and the message of the hope of the Gospel. She committed to being obedient to anything Jesus called her to. She spoke every word with urgency wanting every minute to count. She considered her life/death sentence a gift because she felt that her last six months had brought her so close to the Father and had been more meaningful than the sum of all her years.
In every account of Jesus’ ministry there is an underlying urgency. He knew His time on earth was limited. If you study the accounts of Jesus ministry in the Gospels you will notice that Jesus never wasted time, He was always about kingdom purposes whether He was teaching, healing, listening, praying, or asking questions and more. This is just what we find him doing in today’s passage.
John 16 is Jesus’ final teaching before his arrest and trial. In 16:4 it says …”all these things I have spoken to you so that when the hour comes, you may remember all that I told you of them.” (emphasis mine)
I have experienced loss many times in my life. One person sticks out in my mind more than the rest. He died recently. In his last week of life, he was able to meet with all of his loved ones. He imparted wisdom to them and reminded them of the good things of Jesus. He also was honest with them, in love. He told them what was affecting their witness in the way they were choosing to live or speak. In a way, there is the same tension in John 16 and 17. Jesus gave his disciples all they could handle in this passage.
Today, take stock of your life. What is your normal pattern of life? Is it getting up, going to the gym, then work, then sports (with your kids), or music, then dinner? Ask Jesus where in all the areas of your life you can be kingdom-purposed. How in “your going” you can make disciples? Do you ever feel a holy urgency? How does that look for you?