Corona Devo 591

I am sorry.

And it's good to get there sometimes.

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. ~John 3:30

It's like every now and then we get so full of ourselves and the (sometimes) facade that we can convince even ourselves of...that it is necessary for God to "clean us out", and He does that by convicting us. I felt that today, and it was at first shameful and then good.

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. ~John 3:30

Sometimes we do wrong on purpose. We are angry, we are hurt, or we are at the end of our rope...and we make the wrong choice.

But sometimes we get so caught up in trying to do the "right/kind/Godly/outreach" opportunities, that we sacrifice the peace, joy, contentment and gratitude of things and people that are right in front of us. These things and people are also "right/kind/Godly/outreach" opportunities, but we miss them as we look through the cross-hairs at something else on the horizon.

And inevitably, if I am that preoccupied with the doing that I am missing the being---then I have gotten off God's track and fallen into a me-rut.

I get in competition with Jesus. Not for popularity or holiness, but my intentions and hoped-for-outcomes become mine instead of His.

Our motives can start off "good", but our delivery turns out stressful, hurried, empty and fake. Or spiteful, mean, impatient and rude.

It can mean only one thing: too much of "me" and not enough of "Him".

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. ~John 3:30

It happened to me this morning, and I am not even sure if my "audience" had any idea of my "spiritual disconnect", but I did.

Sometimes on our journey to serving God, we get confused and caught up, and we end up serving ourselves. That's the emptiness I was feeling in my spirit--the conviction of good-intentions that went rotten because of my agenda and the roll-out of my plan instead of His. And God's plan is always the right one because of who He is. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. (John 3:31).

God's way is always greater, but it seems almost inevitable that we will get "caught up" in ourselves, even as we are in pursuit of Him.

John the Baptist is a great example of someone who didn't let that happen. From the onset of his ministry of telling others about Jesus, He kept Jesus first and in precedence over himself. John knew his earthly limits and the unlimited potential of Jesus. John hit the Jesus-follower nail on the head when he realized/said/lived: "He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less."(John 3:30).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(22) Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there, baptizing people.

(23) At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism....(26) So John’s disciples came to him and said, “Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.”

(27) John replied, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. (28) You yourselves know how plainly I told you, ‘I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way for him.’ (29) It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom’s friend is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. (30) He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

(31) “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. ~John 3:22-23, 26-31

John's followers worried about John's "numbers" dwindling as more and more people began to follow Jesus, but instead of being intimidated, John rejoiced in that by saying "I am filled with joy at his success" (John 3:29).

John understood: He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. (John 3:30).

This is what a true life of obedience and homage to Jesus looks like, and may we gain traction from John the Baptist so that (like him) our lives may have an impact in pointing others to Jesus as we fade into the background.

If we are preoccupied with the doing for God instead of submitting to and becoming involved in the process of preparing the way to God (including within our hearts), then we are placing ourselves and our intentions in competition with Jesus.

We are sorry, Lord.

And it's good to get there sometimes.

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. ~John 3:30

Blessings, 

sarah     

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

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