Wednesday, November 30, 2011 20:29:09
Posted By Nan
|
John 6:28-29.
These two short verses contain so much information about our relationship with God and His expectations of us. Jesus has just told the people not to work for food that spoils but work on the food that leads to eternal life. Now the people ask him what they must do to do this work. In so many churches the people are taught to work hard, to arrange the flowers, clean the church, provide the music, write the church newsletter, any of a myriad of jobs that exist in order to keep a church building running. The message is often that it is a requirement of service to God. Many still believe they have to work to earn their place in heaven. Yet here Jesus is telling the people that the work that leads to eternal life is to believe in Jesus. In case you think “is that all?”, I would ask you to think about how much work that involves. How easy it is to say “I believe”. Can you keep saying it when you are angry? Can you say it when you want to tell a lie? Can you keep saying it when you don’t want to forgive someone? Can you keep saying it when you want to hear or spread some juicy and very hurtful gossip about another person? Believing in Jesus and living that belief is very hard. To believe in Jesus requires us to have a personal relationship with God. That relationship must be serviced. It takes discipline to resist the temptations of the world and spend time with God. The temptations out there are designed to draw us away from God. When we want to hate someone, or refuse to forgive them, or refuse to surrender our pride we are failing to serve God. See how hard it is? Sure, we will never be perfect and Jesus knows that. That is why He died for us. But He also knows how much we can do if we are prepared to give our relationship with God the time and the commitment. That requires work. The nice thing about that is that when we express the willingness God will give us the strength we require to get there. Never forget that Jesus, who was God, spent considerable amounts of time in prayer to God. If He who was the Son of God needed that time, how much more do we who have sinned need? |