Friday 4 January 2008

Falling to the ground and dieing


I have been looking at Jesus' words in John 12 recently about being like a grain or kernel of wheat falling to the ground and dieing:
Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!"
Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again." The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

Challenging words to start the new year with... in all sorts of different situations I have found myself being drawn back to this passage - perhaps it is a reminder from God that I am committed to being simply like Jesus and that my life like his is all about giving the Father glory - not having it for myself and that my life is about being 'set aside and laid down' for him (as the Methodist Covenant prayer puts it).
Hmmmmmm