I am currently in the music ministry full time. Consequently, I want my music to be a blessing to others. That's the music aspect of the music ministry. The ministry aspect sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Some of my blog posts deal just with the music, but I thought it would be a good idea to include some ministry posts as well. Here is the first one:
From John 14: 18-24 NIV
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”
22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?”
23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (John 14: 18-24)
The words of Jesus reassure us that we are not alone, and we will not be alone. Because we have been born into new life with Christ, we can believe his promise. Picture this scenario: a child loses both of his parents, and feels empty and alone in the world. Without the knowledge that Jesus is with him and in him, he will most certainly feel alone, and many times resentful. This resent is manifested when the child goes to school and appears angry all of the time. The child sees other children in the school with two loving parents, a nice home, and a stable life. It is manifested also in his actions. The child gets in trouble when his anger, resentment, and depression result in aggressive behavior that hurts others. Without someone to love him and for him to love, the child has an emptiness that God wants to fill.
Consider also the elderly person who is placed in a nursing home to live out her final days. Because she has no more living friends, and her family is too busy to see her, she also feels alone and desolate. The nursing home employees do not care for her as needed. She is left in a room alone, often without basic necessities. And yet her faith gives her comfort that God is with her. Peter teaches us to rejoice in our suffering so that we may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. (1 Peter 4:13)
In the passage above Jesus shows us the importance of allowing Him to be one with us. We were made in God’s image (Gen. 1:26), and that should be the catalyst for our invitation to be one with Him. God is so good, and when others see us, Jesus wants us to see Him. There is a magnificent joy when we are LIVING WITH GOD! (Please click on the link to feel the joy.) When we are one with him, we are true disciples, following and obeying his teaching, and sharing with others to good news and the goodness that comes from not just having His outward identity, but his identity within.
Questions for reflection:
What are ways that you sense that you have an identity with God that tells you that you have achieved true discipleship?
What are ways that you could help others who may be feeling alone and desolate, like an orphan, to experience the joy of living in oneness with Jesus?