John 5:43-44 (KJV)
43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. 44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
We look high, and we look low. We look for significance, and we cling to those we think can make us significant. We become depressed and downcast when we don’t receive the honors we deserve. Through all these states of mind, we forget the Lord. When we are immune to the memory of Who He is, we forget His promises, His way, and the knowledge of His touch in our lives. These are the times when we slumber to grace and mercy. Enthralled by the dynamics of work-life and the world, we are entranced by the music of the rat-race and forget to look to the throne of grace. Yet God in His mercy waits for us, and sends pain if need be to wake us up. Ouch! Are you awake yet? (Am I awake?)
English: Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Jesus said:
41 I receive not honour from men.
Jesus had total knowledge about Who He is, and He was comfortable in that knowledge. He was complete as a man, and complete as God, existing in perfect harmony with God the Father and the Holy Spirit. Although He received both honor and scorn, He was not moved by either. Having made man, Jesus knew the limitations of the human heart, mind, spirit. In His strength and wisdom, He did not look to humans for affirmation. In John 5:41 (NIV), Jesus said “I do not accept glory from human beings.” John 2:23-25 New International Version (NIV) gives us insight into why:
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Jesus created mankind, (“without Him was not anything made that was made” John 1:3). He witnessed the fall of Satan and the fall of Adam, so He knew not to entrust Himself to the fragile, fickle mind of humanity. Whoever or whatever your self-esteem takes root in will determine how you see yourself and what you do in life. Christians must learn from Jesus and remember that He alone knows us, and calls us by our true name. He died for us and we are His. That is our honor.
Jesus is our true guide and comforter in this life. He is the seal of the promise of eternal life in the world to come. When your knowledge of yourself comes from God alone, you will have no need to look high and low for others to confirm who and what you are. The honor that comes from God is all the honor we should ever look for.
Until we meet again: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!” (Ephesians 6:10).
– Verneda
(Twitter handle: @vlights)
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