glorify your name

Opening Prayer: Forgive me, Lord Jesus, when I am content to give you part of me, rather than all of me.  And all of me is what you require.  Give me the strength and the grace and the courage to totally surrender myself to you.  Amen.

Scripture: John 12:23-33

Journal: Where in your life have you reduced the gospel from all to some?  What does absolute surrender and total abandonment look like? 

Reflection: I don’t know about you, but I am amazed at how often I pray, “Father, save me from this hour,” rather than, “Father, glorify your name!”  It shows me where my true allegiances lie.  I am much more committed to my own comfort and ease than I am to God being glorified in my life and world.  It’s really pretty sad.

Life with God is about absolute surrender and total abandonment.  My problem is that I want a little bit of surrender and partial abandonment, which is impossible.  Surrender doesn’t really happen if I am holding anything back.  And abandonment that is partial, is not really abandonment at all. 

Jesus is trying to move me form a “less of me, more of him” mentality, to a “none of me, all of him” mindset.  That’s why he said, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground AND DIES,” rather than, “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and becomes less.”  The death of self is a necessity in glorifying God.  Jesus did it, and calls us to do the same.  We must die to self, in order to live in God.  There is no half way.

Prayer

Closing Prayer: O Lord, forgive me when I care more about my own comfort than I do about your glory.  Give me the courage to pray, with Jesus, “Father, glorify your name!”  Amen.