Dear Friends,
What is most important to God in the world today is _______________ and the most important person in the world to God is ______________. I do not pretend to know what you would fill in the first blank with, but did you put your name in the second blank? If not, why not? I was reminded this morning during our prayer time that the Lord’s thoughts toward you and me outnumber the sand on every seashore on planet earth.
As to the first question, I would like to suggest that what is most important in the world today is the condition of our hearts. As a Christ follower, the heart symbolizes the center or core of our being from which prayer, moral actions, and all decisions originate. That is why the Word of God declares, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the issues of life.” Prov. 4:23
We continue our study in John 12 this Sunday and see to some degree the hearts of Simon, Lazarus, Martha, Mary, Judas, the chief priests, the disciples, the rulers, the sign-seekers, the Passover crowd, the Greeks, Philip, Andrew, the Father, the believing Jews, the unbelieving Jews, and even Satan is mentioned. However, in this chapter “Jesus is the Center of Attraction.” He always has been and always will be but, I wonder dear friend, if He is the “object of your affection.”
As we have been journeying through the gospel of John we have heard several times that “Jesus’ hour had not yet come.” But in chapter 12 Jesus emphatically states that “His hour has come.” This is the central hour of human history, coupled with His resurrection.
I want to encourage you to meditate on the first 19 verses of John 12 in preparation for our corporate worship time. You will read about a woman by the name of Mary who worshipped Jesus sparing no expense. Please invite someone. I have invited 5 people and I am praying that they will come, like the Greeks in John 12 who said, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
In the hands of the Risen Lord,
Glen