This is quite a long passage as I didn't paste it here in the devotional, but click on John 20:1-29 it should take you to biblegateway.com so you can read the scripture what I'm talkng about in this devo!
As we’ve finished off the Easter month with the last supper and passover there’s more that follows. The resurrection has been an important part of history plus it might of gave some people doubts and confusion what Jesus meant in His parables or words when He will rise in 3 days or rebuild the temple. Other places in the bible when Jesus was around on earth some people tried finding all kinds of excuses to hold him back from doing what God calls Him to do. Jesus did things anyway, He’s like whatever, you can knock me down and disbelief all you want, but I will heal or help the poor whenever even if it's on the sabbath. Except when Jesus does it he does it for the Lord. He also took time for His Father, that was important that to Jesus for sure. God the Father gave Him direction, they are a team along with the Holy Spirit. The 3 together were strong that there is nothing that could hold them down under man's thumb.
He didn’t need man’s approval to do something or what they think of Him and stuff. He relied on God to guide Him in his decisions. As humans we sometimes struggle with that. We always want to do good and do well in things, and that's ok to want to strive to do good and succeed. Just ask yourself why? And who are we doing things for? If it’s chores or tasks you do around the home/yard or work, school maybe it’s because you were asked to by your parents, teacher or boss. Maybe we don’t always want to do it, but think how helpful that is for them?
Was going to share a song I heard on the radio on ShineFm afew months ago, but I can’t remember what it was called or who it was by. I’ve looked through my Soundhound and Shazam history and I don’t know what happened. The song had actually reminded me of something Pastor Dave had said/preached about one Sundays. It really clinged to me. What I got from the song and fits with this devo as well as what Pastor Dave had said one time is that the world tries to put Jesus in a box. They try to mold God to what they want God to be and how God should work in their life and in other people’s life and such. The rulers in Jesus time thought they could put Jesus in a box, make Him his puppet, and probably thought there’s no way Jesus could get out of the tomb. He did, Jesus proved them wrong, He showed and glorified God’s power that it was possible to overcome the grave, He showed up the enemy! It’s like those shows where the school bully challenges the new kid or the unpopular kid to a fight after school? Well Jesus owned that fight!
Pastor Dave had got these boxes he had pulled up one by one as he spoke. They were labeled, and he asked us this question. What do you or how many of you/us put theses things in a box? As you think about this question make a list on paper or in your mind of these things.
- Family
- Friends
- Teachers
- Your pastor
- Your leaders
- Workers/staff
- Peers/each other
- Christians
- Non-Christians
- God
- Jesus
- The Holy Spirit
- Your selves
The list goes on, how many of you been put in a box by others? I think all of us have been there at times. Whether we limit people or others limit us what we can do in life God has a greater plan for us than what others say we should do. I hate it when people tell me “my will for God in life is this or should be this…..” that sounds nice, but I will pray on it and see where God leads me. Sometimes when I get discouraged, mad and hurt by people it’s real easy for me to go back in my box and build up my walls and have no one come in. I struggle with this lots, I’m certainly guilty of that as I’ve been there hurt by the world, as I’ve probably hurt others too! Sometimes I do care what people think of me. It’s nice when it’s good things, sometimes the enemy gets in there and stirs the pot in a mean way to make me feel bad.A good friend told me when I get in that place to pray and talk with God to help me break out of that box, tear down those walls like Jesus broke out of that Tomb! Sometimes yes we need a quiet space to think, just don’t stay in your box too long, you do need air! Nobody can be you and you can’t be like others! Be like Jesus, make those doubting Thomas’s doubt no more!
Take your list you’ve made and tear it up, and open the box!
