At the beginning of His public ministry, after having walked all morning and talked with the woman of Samaria for the better part of the afternoon, Jesus’ disciples returned with food, urging Him to eat. He resisted their urging by saying, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” When the confused disciples wondered who could have brought Him something to eat, He explained, “My food . . . is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”
In order to finish God’s work, Jesus had to keep His focus and embrace that purpose with a single heart and mind, lining up all of His priorities accordingly. The result of finishing His Father’s work would be even more deeply satisfying than food to a starving man.
If you and I are able to finish God’s work, it will not be an accident. It will be because we have been focused every minute of every day of every week of every month of every year of our lives on God’s purpose.
When Jesus miraculously fed the crowd with five loaves and two fishes, the people weren’t just given a snack or a bite to tide them over until they could get a full meal, they “all had enough to eat” (John 6:12, NIV)!
It was such a quiet, unobtrusive miracle – nothing flashy or showy or manipulative or spectacular. There had been no adequate resources to feed so many people at once, yet everyone was not only fed but also filled!
How had He accomplished the miracle? The formula is really quite simple:
The disciples gave it all.
Jesus took it all.
God blessed it all.
Jesus broke it all.
The disciples gave it all.
And the entire multitude was fed!
The branch is totally, absolutely, completely dependent upon the Vine, not only for fruit, but for life. Whether because of pride or fear or some other reason, we as branches seem to struggle with being totally dependent on the Vine.
In what areas of your life are you acting independently of the Vine? I can usually determine these areas by just checking my prayer life. The items I have not prayed about-the people and problems, the relationships and responsibilities, the activities and attitudes, the schedules and stress, the entertainment and exercise, the pleasures and pastimes, the decisions and dreams, the desires and diets, anything and everything—are those areas of my life where I am not dependent upon Him. If my heart’s cry is for more of His fruitfulness, then one of the goals of my life needs to be more consistency in my dependency. Would you make this your goal, too?
What is your reaction to that verse? Jesus is the One Who died for you and me! Surely He’s not saying you and I must die for Him! Death is a pretty big stretch from your daily prayer, “God, bless me indeed,” isn’t it? And it’s not nearly as full of wonder and excitement, and if we’re honest, personal profit. God wants to bless you and me even more than we could think to ask, but the power that produces the blessing comes through brokenness and death. And not just any death, but death by crucifixion.
I will tell you honestly from experience that crucifixion is a slow, painful death to your self. It is impossible for victims to crucify themselves. Crucifixion is the result of our decision to yield ourselves to God as He allows various pressures and problems and pain into our lives. They are used to put us to death that we might be raised to an abundant . . . victorious . . . blessed . . . fruitful . . . powerful . . . Christlike . . . Spirit-filled life. And remember-after the Cross comes the resurrection and the glory!
Are you repulsed by the thought of crucifixion? I am. But I also know that when I look into the eyes of Jesus, I see a cross! And He has said to me, “Anne, if you want to be My disciple, if you want to follow Me, you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me. Because if you want to save your life, you’re going to lose it in the end. If you choose to lose your life for Me, you will find it. For what good will it do you if you gain the whole world, yet forfeit your soul?” (Matt. 16:24-26, paraphrased).
The cross that Jesus commands you and me to carry is the cross of submissive obedience to the will of God, even when His will includes suffering and hardship and things we don’t want to do. It is a willingness to totally, absolutely, irrevocably, and finally yield our lives to Him because we want what He wants more than what we want.
