God’s Voice of Reassurance
This was written for our Circuit Daily Devotions, part of the online ministry. For those who prefer to watch and hear it is available here:
This is the written text for those who prefer to read:
In today’s reading, right at the beginning of Lent, we have Jesus speaking about what he knows will be the inevitable conclusion.
Jesus Speaks about His Death
27 “Now my heart is troubled—and what shall I say? Shall I say, ‘Father, do not let this hour come upon me’? But that is why I came—so that I might go through this hour of suffering. 28 Father, bring glory to your name!”
Then a voice spoke from heaven, “I have brought glory to it, and I will do so again.”
29 The crowd standing there heard the voice, and some of them said it was thunder, while others said, “An angel spoke to him!”
30 But Jesus said to them, “It was not for my sake that this voice spoke, but for yours. 31 Now is the time for this world to be judged; now the ruler of this world will be overthrown. 32 When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.” (33 In saying this he indicated the kind of death he was going to suffer.)
34 The crowd answered, “Our Law tells us that the Messiah will live forever. How, then, can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 Jesus answered, “The light will be among you a little longer. Continue on your way while you have the light, so that the darkness will not come upon you; for the one who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 Believe in the light, then, while you have it, so that you will be the people of the light.”
The Unbelief of the People
After Jesus said this, he went off and hid himself from them.
This passage begins quite openly with the humanity of Jesus. Jesus is troubled. He knows what is coming, and he does not want it to happen. But he knows that is his mission, that he is going to have to suffer and God’s glory will be shown.
It can be easy to think Jesus went along quite happily with everything that happened to him in Holy Week and on Good Friday, that his ultimate call sat easily with him.
Though in the Garden of Gethsemane he called out to God – it says that grief and anguish came over him and the sorrow almost crushed him, in body and spirit. This journey was not easy for Jesus, yet he pressed on. I am sure he could have just disappeared if he wanted to, run away, evaded the ultimate sacrifice, his destiny; but he didn’t.
At this point, God speaks to him reassuringly: you are doing a good job, glory has already been brought to me, and it will be again, it is an ongoing thing.
The voice was not just for Jesus, for his reassurance and comfort, but for all those around, those watching. God has been, is being, and will continue to be glorified.
Jesus knows what is going to happen to him, and he knows what will happen because of it.
And he calls on them to believe in him, to live by the light that he shows, because living in darkness is not a good way to be. The light that Jesus shows, is God’s way of living, the best way, the God way. Jesus has embodied that so that all that see may be able to know and seek to live it for themselves.
And what about us? Does it make you feel any different about Jesus’ death knowing that knew what was coming and was troubled by it? Do we hear God’s voice of reassurance? Does it give extra impetus to live by the light that Jesus shows?
I think there is a really important point here of being willing to say at times that we are afraid, even of God’s call – that it is ok to be terrified and overwhelmed of what you are being asked to do.
And what if we know God is asking something of us that scares us, makes us quake at our knees? Can we take strength from Jesus’ journey to the cross? Can we hear God’s reassurance to us that God is being glorified in what happens? Can we know God’s promise of his presence with us?
This Lent, perhaps we can hear God calling anew, or reassuring us on the path we are already on. Let us walk in his light, his strength, his promise into all he is calling us to.
Thank you Lord
for the humanity of Jesus
for his sharing his fears
and anguish.
Thank you for your reassurance,
for Jesus
and for us.
May we pick up on that strength
and walk in your ways
in confidence of you.
Today’s song suggestion is Will You Come and Follow Me, God’s invitation to journey with him – scary, full of trepidation, but God working in and through us.
Thank you for beginning the journey through Lent with me this week. I hope it has been useful and pray God’s blessing on you as you continue the journey.
If you enjoy these posts more of my work is available in my books
Pam's Perambulation 