Jesus Draws Our Hearts
OPENING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, as we follow you today, draw our hearts and minds to you, helping us grow more in your image than ever before, living as Romans 12:2 (NIV) says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
“1 Sometime after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.” John 6:1-2 (NIV)
REFLECT:
In chapter 4 of John, Jesus told the royal official who came to him that his son would live. The man “took Jesus at his word” and gloriously, found out later that his son was healed. In fact, from his servants account, he could trace his son’s healing back to the moment Jesus had told him his son would live. In Chapter 5, the lame invalid of 38 years told Jesus he had been waiting for someone to help him get to the pool in Bethesda. Instead, Jesus commanded the man to “get up,” pick up his mat and walk. At once the man was cured and he picked up his mat and walked!
When amazing events happen today, there are always both believers and skeptics around to evaluate them. There are those who believe that the facts are misrepresented or that conditions did not really occur as they were reported. Then there are those who have great interest and hope and long to see and know more. Jesus drew such attention. Those who were looking and longing for the Messiah to come believed that Jesus was the embodiment of him. There were even more people who heard of these miraculous things he was doing and wanted to experience for themselves that same healing power offered.
APPLY:
Is Jesus drawing you to himself today? In John 12:32 (NIV) Jesus said, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” Jesus is seeking to draw “all” men and women to himself. As part of the body of Christ, what part do you have in this mission? Jesus gave us a new command before leaving this earth, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another, John 13:34-35 (NIV). Wherever Jesus went during his earthly travels, he constantly ministered and loved on people. So, what should we do? Love one another through showing concern by helping someone with simple chores, financially, or by simply asking them how we could pray for them. Love God and love his people! This is the heart of Jesus.
CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord, we pray that you would use us as instruments for building your kingdom, walking in love for the lost at every opportunity we have. Then one day, we will hear, as those at the end of the parable of the sheep and the goats, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me,” Matthew 25:40 (NIV).
WORSHIP: