Daily Devotion – March 22, 2021 – Dr. Pat Taylor Ellison
John 12:20-33
12:20 Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks.
12:21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
12:22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
12:23 Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
12:24 Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
12:25 Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
12:26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
12:27 “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say–‘ Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour.
12:28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
12:29 The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
12:30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine.
12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
My favorite part of this passage is the reference in verses 24 and 25 to being willing to lose your life in order to gain it. Unless we stop hanging on to what we have out of fear and risk losing something, we never get abundant blessing.
This is not about reckless risking. It is about letting go of whatever we hold so tightly that we miss holding onto Jesus.
Some of us have had a lot of anxiety during these COVID days. And looking for things to be anxious about has become a habit. Complaining has become a habit, looking for the dark side or for the most sensational bad news has become a habit, both for broadcasters on the news and for people themselves in their daily conversations. When we participate in amplifying anxiety, we hold on to what we think is our safety and what we think is our life so tightly that we actually choke it off.
Psychologists these days are trying to help their patients acknowledge loss and fear, and then relax and let go of some of our anxiety-heightening practices. They want their patients to be able to sleep better, to take time during every day to claim health, wholeness, and goodness. Jesus wanted that for his people, too. He advised his followers that if they wanted to flourish, they would face risk. If they wanted eternal life, they might see death first. But they should trust the Father’s love and be willing to lose something in order to gain something.
We are Christians, followers of the Lord Jesus. We know that the way to heaven, to life eternally with our God, is through the valley of the shadow of death. But Jesus, our good shepherd, walks with us through that valley and out the other side. If we don’t walk through the valley, we can’t get to the other side. If God calls us to let go of one thing in order to be blessed in another way, we’ve got to know God will be with us when we do it. That is the journey of faith, accompanied by a loving God.
Lord God, Thank you for loving us. Thank you for letting us know that the fullness of life requires risking and letting go. Give us courage when we need it, and walk with us as you have promised. Amen.
