"John 5:16-30
1. Do what ‘the Father’ is doing
Rather than initiating your own plans and asking God to bless them, try to see what God’s plans are and join in.
Jesus was God: ‘he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God’ (v.18). Yet Jesus was also the obedient Son of his Father; and he said in response to those who wanted to kill him: ‘I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does’ (v.19).
Father, help me, like Jesus, to discern what you are doing and join in.
2. Listen to God
The people of God got themselves into trouble, as we see in today’s Old Testament passage, because they did not listen to God (Judges 6:10). Jesus says the key to life is to listen to him and believe: ‘I tell you the truth, those who hear my word and believe him who sent me have eternal life and will not be condemned; they have crossed over from death to life’ (John 5:24).
Even Jesus says, ‘I can’t do a solitary thing on my own: I listen, then I decide’ (v.30, MSG).
Lord, thank you that when I hear your word and believe, I receive eternal life and cross over from death to life. Help me daily to listen to your voice.
3. Do all the good you can
You cannot earn your salvation by ‘doing good’. However, the evidence of a life of faith is a life of doing good. Jesus himself, we are told, ‘went around doing good’ (Acts 10.38). Jesus says, ‘For a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned’ (John 5:28–29).
Lord, help me to do all the good I can, by all the means I can, in all the ways I can, in all the places I can, at all the times I can, to all the people I can, as long as ever I can. (Words adapted from John Wesley)
4. Seek to please God
I find this one of the hardest things to even begin to put into practice. It seems so natural to seek to please myself. Jesus said, ‘I seek not to please myself but him who sent me’ (v.30). To live a life seeking to please God involves a complete U-turn. It is not only a one-off U-turn but it is something that you have to try to put into practice every day. It is not easy!
Father, help me, like Jesus, to live a life not seeking to please myself but rather seeking to please you."
1. Amen. Thank You, Lord, for the constant reminder that it is all about You. Always.
2. Thank You, Lord, for bonding time and laughter.
3. Praise You for simple realizations that I can become stronger and more polished due to sandpaper trials.
