Read the Word:
John 12:37-43
Meditate on the Word:
Two different groups of people come into focus in this short passage. There are those who, even seeing Christ’s miracles, do not believe because of the hardness of their hearts. Then, there are those who believe, but are unwilling to publicly confess Christ because of what it will cost them. Both of these types of people live in a sad state of existence.
It is easy to look at the first group and think that it’s not their fault, if God has hardened their hearts so that they cannot believe. I think that John 3:19-20 give us a better insight into this. “The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.” Their rejection is their fault because they have avoided the light revealed to them because it shone a light on their darkness.
The second type of people mentioned in this passage are just as sad. They believe, but are unwilling to publicly confess Christ. These are those who never speak of a relationship with Christ because “What will the neighbors think?” Jesus spoke to this mindset in Luke 9:26 when He said, “For whoever is asahamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and that of the Father and the holy angels.” Let us not be too ashamed to live publicly for Him.
Pray the Word:
Pray to the Lord to reveal to you anytime when you might love the praise of men more than the praise of God.
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