Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.
Good morning and happy Monday, friends! Welcome back to another week of Daily Devos. If you’re anything like me, you would love nothing more than to hit snooze on your alarm clock when Monday rolls around. I’d prefer the weekend to last just a little bit longer, but unfortunately, that’s just not how life works.
The idea of preference kept jumping out at me as I was reading through John 11, and I want to unpack it here with you today. The story of Lazarus is one that most people know whether they are Christian or not. Many know this story as the time Jesus raised the dead guy back to life, and yes, that is what makes this story miraculous. However, when I sat down and studied today’s passage of scripture, I couldn’t help but notice what was happening before the miracle even occurred. Everyone involved had a preference.
Let’s look at the disciples when Jesus told them that they were going back to Judea. In verse 8, the disciples say, “But Rabbi, a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” You know what they really wanted to say was, “Are you crazy? Did you forget that they just tried to kill you in Judea?” The disciples preferred the safety of Jesus over risking His life by going back.
We also know that Mary and Martha had a preference. They were not shy to let Jesus know that the outcome would have been different had He been there sooner. Lazarus would still be alive. Now, we don’t know if this was said from a place of deep belief in the power of Jesus or if there was a little bit of anger directed at Jesus. Nevertheless, we know that if Mary and Martha had it their way, Lazarus never would have died. They had a preference.
The dangerous thing about preference is that it can distract us from what Jesus is actually trying to do in use, around us, and through us. The disciples were so certain that going back to Judea was a bad idea that they completely missed Jesus telling them in verses 14 and 15, “And so He told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead, and for your sake, I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’” Because of their preference, they couldn’t see that what Jesus was going to do for Lazarus was also going to be for them!
Mary and Martha’s preference kept them from seeing that Jesus wanted to do more than just make Lazarus well. He wanted to make him alive. Their preference kept them from realizing that Jesus wanted to sit with them in their grief so they could know Him as Comforter. Their preference kept them from seeing that what Jesus had planned was far greater. His plan, though painful, would bring God the MOST glory. His plan brought a dead man to life.
Two thousand years later, we still find ourselves in the same predicament. We fix our gaze on what we think our lives or circumstances should look like or what we want them to look like, and we miss what God wants. We want the road to be easy, or trendy, or free of pain, but that is not the way of Jesus. The way of Jesus is surrendering our preferences so that God receives the most glory.
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
- Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
- SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
- OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
- APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
- PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.
The Way of Jesus: 7 Marks of Discipleship
As we begin a new series, we encourage you to lean into the 7 Marks of Discipleship each week. The 7 Marks of Discipleship provide a simple tool to help us identify areas where we are thriving in our calling and where we can grow. Check here each week for a new 7 Marks Challenge that will encourage you to follow Jesus closer every day.
