Lent Devotional - Day 20

Read John 10:22-42.

The crowds loved being around Jesus. They didn’t care to be in a personal relationship with Jesus nor really believe in Jesus, for many it was just nice to be around him. The religious leaders loved to argue with Jesus. They wanted to know if Jesus was the long awaited Saviour, and anytime he asserted his relationship with the Father, they wanted to stone him.

The reality of following Jesus is that Jesus doesn’t need to prove himself, in fact he has already proven himself through his death and resurrection, but the ones that need to actually prove themselves is us. Jesus kept pointing people to the fruit of his life, to his actions.

The real question then is: Am I Jesus’ sheep? We are the ones that need to prove we belong to Christ, by our actions of obedience. 1. Am I listening for his voice? 2. Does Jesus know me? 3. Am I actively following him?

These are not religious things to do, but is simply loving Jesus. Are you just one of the crowds that enjoy hanging around Jesus without the burden of obedience? Or do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God. What do your actions reveal?

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Dear Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God. Forgive me for keeping things religious, but not really intimate. It just feels way easier and safer to follow you from a distance. I don’t want to belong to the crowd, but I want to belong to you. I want to know you and be known by you. Help me to pour my heart to you. Help me to slow down and intently listen for your voice. Help me to obey you in all the things you are speaking to me about. May everything I do be done in loving obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit. May I live in such a way that reveal that you are in me and that I am in you. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.