At the Feet of Jesus

 

Kimberly Poteet – Prayer Center Coach, cbn.com

Have you ever been at the right place, doing the right thing, yet you were still misunderstood?

The Bible records three times that Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, spent at the feet of Jesus. Each time, Jesus welcomed her presence. Yet each time, there was a misunderstanding.

In Luke 10:38-42, when Jesus and His disciples visited Mary’s family in Bethany, Mary’s sister Martha criticized her as she sat at Jesus’ feet instead of helping her prepare the meal.

But Jesus corrected Martha, telling her that while she was busy with many unnecessary things, Mary had chosen the better thing by spending time with Him. And He said that what Mary chose would not be taken away from her.

The second time we see Mary at Jesus’ feet, her brother Lazarus has died. She and Martha had called for Jesus to come heal their brother. But as days passed without Jesus appearing, Lazarus grew more ill and eventually died. It was day four after his death that Jesus finally appeared.

In John 11:32, we read how Mary fell at Jesus feet in grief, saying

“Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Such grief of Mary and others truly touched the heart of Jesus, and he wept — even though He would soon ask for the stone to be rolled from the tomb and call for Lazarus to be raised from the dead (John 11:35, 43-44).

Jesus realized — better than anyone — that this state of death was only temporary. So why did He cry? Maybe it was hurt at the pain that death caused those He loved. Maybe it was having those He loved to wonder why He had delayed coming – perhaps misunderstanding His delay as a lack of care. Such misunderstandings of our motives are hurtful, especially when our intent is only for the good.

Finally, in the first few verses of John 12, we see Mary at the feet of Jesus one more time as Jesus and His disciples arrive for a special dinner. Mary broke open a jar of expensive perfume, pure nard, which was worth a year’s wage for most people. And she anointed Jesus’ feet with the precious ointment, while also pouring out tears of thankfulness and worship.

But once again there was a misunderstanding as the disciple, Judas Iscariot — who would later betray Jesus — commented on the wastefulness of Mary’s act. He said that a better use of the oil would have been selling it and giving the money to the poor. But the Bible shares his true, selfish motive, which was to steal the money for himself (John 12:4-6).

And just as Jesus had previously corrected Martha for criticizing her sister, He, too, corrected Judas. “Leave her alone,” Jesus said in John 12:7, “She did this in preparation for my burial.” He also noted how the poor would always be with them, but He would not always be with them. So once again, He recognized how Mary had chosen the better option.

How precious it is to know that Jesus recognized Mary’s true motives and even defended her when others only criticized. And how wonderful that Mary came to better understand Jesus’ purpose as she spent time at His feet.

Radically Changed Through Salvation

 

 

Maria Stockman – Digital Copywriter cbn.com

Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43).

I was in my early 20s when Jesus transformed my life. As a sinner, separated from God, I lived as if I was the god of my life. Yet, I’m sure it looked like I lived well from an outsider’s perspective! I wasn’t committing any crimes; I had my family and friends, a great job, and was on track with what every 20-something was supposed to do.

After experiencing a time of loss and turmoil in my family, I remember sitting with my sister in her room and feeling an overwhelming need to pray. I knew who God was, but He was more of a magic genie rather than the Lord of my life. I felt like God was someone you pray to when you want something or to Whom you make empty promises. Nonetheless, I asked God if He would take over. I felt the weight of trying to do things on my own for so long, and I knew I couldn’t keep doing it on my own.

I quickly got involved with a local church, started serving, reading the Bible, and really the outside began to reflect the changes that God had made within. I can only imagine what it looked like to my friends and family to see such a change from the old me!

The transformation of a new believer is very much like what I imagine Martha and Mary must have felt after their brother Lazarus died. He had been in the grave for four days when Jesus came and “shouted, Lazarus, come out!”

We have expectations of what people should be or even what we should be, but when you encounter Jesus, and He radically changes you, it’s as if you were dead like Lazarus and are now alive, walking out of the grave and into a new life!

 

An On-Time God

 

 

Diane Stevenson – Prayer Center Chaplain/Recruiting Manager, cbn.com

I remember being in church singing the words to Dottie Peoples’ Gospel song, “He’s an On-Time God” as I played my tambourine. In my life, God comes right on time and rescues me. If you are like me, you have found yourself in a position where only God could rescue you.

In John 11:1-29, there was a situation that only Jesus the Messiah could fix. The two sisters were worried and sad because their brother was deathly ill. The brother of Mary and Martha needed a miracle from Jesus. The sisters sent for Jesus to come right away and heal their brother so that he would not die. When Jesus got the message, He waited four days before heading their way. I am sure everyone thought Jesus missed His opportunity to show His healing power and compassion. Jesus loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, yet He knew His assignment.

There was a specific time I remember crying out to God in prayer, asking Him to make a way out of my situation. I had bills to pay and not enough money to pay them. My electricity was going to be turned off by the end of the week. I tried to figure out what I could do to keep it on; I had used up my extensions and grace period. I could not think of what to do except pray for God’s intervention. All I knew to do was trust God and listen to His instructions.

I love the words Martha said to Jesus when He finally arrived. It reads,

“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask” (John 11:21-22).

It was the “But I know” that I had to grab ahold of in my greatest time of need. Although she was upset that He did not come sooner, she composed herself and remembered who He was and what He could do. I knew that Jesus was not limited in His power, compassion, or resources for me. So, like Martha, I had to trust He knew what was best and not lean on my own understanding as it says in Proverbs 3:5-6.

After the conversation, Jesus sent Martha to get Mary and come to Him. And like Martha, I listened and obeyed His instructions when He told me to contact a family member from whom I usually wouldn‘t ask for money. Because of my faith that God can meet my needs, I could pay my electricity bill and rest easy.

Jesus loves us and wants the best for us. John 11:35 says, “Jesus wept.” Although He has the power to perform miracles, He empathizes with what we are going through. He loves us with an everlasting love.

In John 11:43, Jesus called for Lazarus to come out of the grave, and he was made alive. We must remember to have faith and believe in God. With every situation you may be going through that seems hopeless and even dead, just know that He is an on-time God.

Choose Life

 

 

Mark Dijkens – Regional Director CBN Europe, cbn.com

Much depends on the choices we make. Every day is a new day where we can make decisions that influence our lives, either positively or negatively.

Every day we make many choices. For example, what to wear in the morning, our priorities for the day, and choosing how we respond to things around us.

We choose how to respond to one another, and much depends on it. We can all remember choices we made, poor choices or great choices. The principle is that we have a choice in most things and the freedom to make decisions that impact our lives and those around us.

One of the big red lines through the Bible is about choices. In many places, God puts the question in front of us; what do we choose? Do we choose life or the opposite?

When we choose life, God also promises us His blessings.

I have recently read about Abraham’s journey and how he started on this amazing God adventure. In Genesis 12, God calls Abraham to

“Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1-3).

What do you do when God calls you to make the biggest decision in your life? What do you do when your mind throws up obstacles about how, where, and why? Abraham had a choice to make. He chose to trust God and follow His direction.

I read through the chapters about Lot and the difference between Abraham and Lot in decision making. When there was a fight between the herdsman of Lot and Abraham, they decided to separate as the land where they lived was not large enough to accommodate both families. In his generosity and being a gentleman, Abraham offered Lot the first choice.

Lot looked at the land long and hard and chose what he thought was the best land he could identify, which looked like the ‘Garden of the Lord’ as the Bible says (Genesis 13:10). It must have been an oasis, with enough grazing for his herds and plenty of water and other resources. So he decided to settle in Sodom. He might not have known at the time that the people there were very wicked.

Sometimes our decision-making capacity becomes clouded by outside influences when we do not hear God’s voice clearly anymore. This was the case for Lot.

Later in the story, we see how Abraham rescues Lot from a vile and wicked place. I thought about this. How, in his right mind, could Lot have settled in the center of this wicked city? I think it started with the first decision to settle in a land that seemed beautiful on the surface but was a wicked place. Then he did not adjust his thinking but went along with his first choice. More choices must have followed, and his judgment became clouded, causing him to end up in a real pickle.

God is merciful, and He sent a rescue team. Then, God Himself and two angels visited the city, and the angels got Lot and his family out. But unfortunately, Lot’s wife made a poor choice to disobey God’s instruction and turned into a salt pillar. So much we can learn from this story if only we spent more time.

I would like to briefly share about choices impacting not only our lives but also those around us and generations after us. Abraham chose to obey God and trust Him, and He received the blessings. Because of Abraham’s obedience, the Saviour of all mankind came from his lineage, as we read in Matthew 1. God promised Abraham to make him a father of nations, and it is because of his faithfulness and obedience to God that you and I are now part of God’s eternal family.

Lot made poor decisions that reflected how his daughters acted, like getting him drunk to lie with him to preserve their family line. The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites. The younger daughter gave birth to a son named Benammi, who became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Ammonites. The Moabites and the Ammonites were enemies of Israel, causing much trouble down the line. All results of disobedience to God and His ways: making poor decisions that impact generations to come.

When Jesus was tempted in the desert, He chose to obey His Father alone. He declared God’s Word and His commandments and did not cave into temptation.

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’” (John 7:38).

Father, help us to make our decisions rooted in who we are in Jesus. Help us to choose the path of life each day and follow hard after You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I Am Weak and God Knows

 

 

Ana Paola Romero – Office Manager, CBN Mexico

A few weeks ago, I talked with a friend about the Women’s Day demonstrations in Mexico. Without a doubt, they are a series of controversial and often very violent events in my country. Unfortunately, it becomes more of a show of forces instead of a request for recognition of rights, which should be noted, that God granted many centuries ago.

The world has made us believe that being weak is bad, and even more so, being a woman and being weak can seem worse. That is why, lately, we have seen so many social movements that want to “empower” women, losing sight of God´s original plan that is different, in a good way. In the eyes of God, women are just as valuable, created with a special purpose because that is His plan. Galatians 3:28 says,

“…There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

So, thinking that I am weaker (physically) is not something that affects me; instead, I try every day to remember that God has endowed me with the ability to say no to what is wrong and say yes to what is right. Therefore, I live my life consciously for His glory.  Satan is the master of manipulation, and he knows that if he succeeds in diverting my thoughts, in time, he will succeed in diverting my life. So, with determination, I submit my mind to that of Christ so that all my thoughts have His touch. I often do an exercise of sincerity before God and ask him to examine me and show me what I must do and I would like to share it with you.

Put the Word of God into practice. In the long run, your entire life will be strengthened in God and you will not depend on your own strength. Everything we have and everything we are comes from Him, so let us take hold of Him who created the heavens and the earth, to fulfill with determination everything He has commanded us.

For me, I realize that everything I live for is God, by God, and for God. He created me, and I surround myself with more people with the same mission: to spread the Glory of God on this earth and that is why I serve so gratefully at CBN. From a telephone, we can do missions, we can also be the hands of God with every help that we deliver, and we are the voice of God in every word of encouragement that our partners share. What a privilege to be considered for the perfect work of God and yet be weak.

I gladly accept that I am weak, that I am not in control of anything, and I pray God would allow me to see Him work. So, let us strengthen ourselves in the great power of God, because the Lord will accompany us wherever we go. In his Word, Jesus promises:

“All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out and find pasture” (John 10:8-9).

His power is evident in my weakness, so anyone of us can gladly say now: I am weak, and God knows it!

Carry Out His Plans

Nia Taylor, cbn.com

Jesus rose so we could live the life He has planned for us. Jeremiah 29:11 says,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

His plan is for us to reach out to the world, and we see in Mark 16:15 that Jesus commands this of us by saying,

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

What are you called to do for Christ? What are you called to do for the kingdom? Whatever it is, you need to rise up and do it. I’m speaking to myself when I say no more slumber and sleeping. Proverbs 6:4 tells us,

“Don’t put it off; do it now! Don’t rest until you do” (NLT).

If you don’t know what you are called to do, speak with your Pastor and ask if they could help you.

David had the vision of the temple, but Solomon rose up to build the temple. In 1 Chronicles 28:6-10 and 20, Soloman was given a task. He did everything to make his father, King David, and his Heavenly Father proud. Once we are given our mission, we should do it with excellence. I plan to open a faith-based salon and spa next year. I chose this year to design this vision so I can rise up. To rise up, I must die to self and crucify my flesh; this is my dream and God’s gift of ministry to the women of His body and a sacrifice of money and time. But in the end, God will get the victory. When we pray about this, we should pray David’s prayer…

David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name” (1 Chronicles 29:10-13).

In the end, 1 Chronicles 29:25 says,

The Lord highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel and bestowed on him royal splendor such as no king over Israel ever had before.

As you rise up to do what He has called you to do, He will bless you.

Miracles Happen When We Least Expect Them

 

 

Whitney Ballard – Social Media Marketing Producer

We see them every day. On television, online, in books, and sometimes, in our very own lives. The question is—what do we do with these miracles that we see, or read about, or most importantly, experience ourselves?

God has performed countless miracles in my life. Looking back, my first human instinct is to ask “how” and “why”? I tried to find reason within the miracles of my life. Instead, God met me in my darkest moments.

I was a teen, finding out I would soon become a mother. Alone. I was sure my life was over. But God!

There was no luck about it. God carried me emotionally and spiritually, and He provided financially. During the most trying days of my life, God filled in the gaps and performed an absolute miracle in my life! I founded a relationship with God during this time … which is a miracle in itself.

You see, God performs miracles out of our realm of understanding. They don’t always make sense to the human eye. They don’t always follow the trends or statistics.

He is the one you praise; He is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” Deuteronomy 10:21

Your eyes are not deceiving you. God creates miracles from scratch, with no need for reason and logic. He is capable of all things!

When I begin to doubt the miracles in my life, big or small, I think back to the story of the blind man that Jesus healed. Jesus used mud to cover this man’s eyes and then told him to wash his eyes at the river. Once the man washed his eyes, he could see!

In John 9:3, Jesus assured us that this man was not blind because of sin, as many of his peers had suspected:

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

This reminds us that God does not put us through trials out of punishment but because He is using us so that others may see Him through us.

In John 9, the Pharisees question HOW this man could now SEE. It didn’t make sense to them! It couldn’t be!

Oh, how often I have acted like the Pharisees when something just didn’t make sense to me, questioning just how God orchestrated everything out for my good.

But God reminds us In Mark 9:23, “All things are possible to him who believes.”

ALL things are possible, not just the things that can be explained, understood, or broken down. God said, ALL things. Let’s believe him. If he can heal a blind man, what can He do for us?

The Truth Shall Make You Free

 

 

Lina Johnson – Prayer Center Coach, cbn.com

Have you ever heard of the sinner’s prayer? It’s not found in Scripture, but it’s an introductory prayer that many use to lead someone to Christ. Typically, the prayer may look like this:

Lord Jesus, I ask you to come into my life. I want to turn from living my life under my control. Come now and live in me. Cleanse me from my sins. I receive you as my Lord and Savior. I will live for you and serve you all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I have led people in such prayer and will continue to do so. However, that prayer is not the end of the matter, but rather the beginning!

Jesus never told us to go and make converts. Instead, he commanded us to make disciples:

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen (Matthew 28:18-20).

So, what’s the difference between converts and disciples? John 8:31-32 tells us how to be a disciple:

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

As we share the good news of Jesus, let us remember that while the moment of salvation comes by believing and confessing (Romans 10:9), God wants so much more. He wants us to grow. He wants us to learn. He wants us to be disciples, and just like with the first twelve, He wants our fellowship and friendship. And He also wants us to be free. Remember John 8:32:

“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

As His disciples, we grow in freedom. What a blessing! I know there have been many times when I felt bound to a sin or a mindset that caused me pain. God does not want us to remain in pain. We receive freedom from pain, sin, hopelessness, and shame when we allow His truth in our lives.

My hope for you today is that you will allow God, through His word and through His Spirit, to lead you into all truth so that you may indeed be His disciple and reap every benefit He has for you. (John 16:13)

Lord, help us be your disciples and help us to make disciples. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

From Darkness to Light

 

 

Lorie Hartshorn – Co-Host – The 700 Club Canada

I remember a few years ago when I was at our cottage with my kids, and we drove the boat down the lake to visit some people at a nearby camp. By the time we left, it was dark. I hadn’t thought of what it would be like to be on the water in the dark. There were not many cottages on our lake at the time, so the shoreline was pitch black. I couldn’t tell the difference between the water and the land. The sky was also pitch black, clouded over with no shining moon. It was frightening, to say the least. To make matters worse, I could not find the flashlight that was supposed to be in every boat as a safety requirement! And I hadn’t remembered to leave a light on in my own cottage to guide me home.

As I headed out on the water in total blackness, I strained to look ahead. Suddenly, a small light appeared, coming from a cottage up on a hill not too far from our cottage. That little beacon became my guide. I knew if I pointed the boat directly in line with it, I would avoid any shorelines and I could then find my dock. I remember the relief when I slowly came up to our dock and parked the boat without incident. That small light from that cottage broke through all the surrounding darkness and showed us the way home.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

Jesus broke through the darkness of this world, the darkness of sin that had separated us from God, the darkness of the demonic forces that were working against our knowledge of God to show us the way home. Without Jesus, we would be lost in the dark, out on the water, floating aimlessly, afraid and alone. He shows us the way out of our darkness and our brokenness. And in the next chapter, Jesus demonstrated this by healing a blind man:

“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing (John 9:5-7).

When we follow Jesus, who is the light, He frees us from darkness, heals our spiritual blindness, and leads us safely home to the Father. Unfortunately, not everyone welcomes the light:

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil (John 3:19).

Satan wants to keep us away from the light, and sin has a way of blinding us. Because of our shame, we choose to hide in the dark. We don’t want to be exposed. When Jesus says He is light, it is to deliver us to safety, free us from shame, and bring us home to the Father. Just as a boat needs a lighthouse to safely reach a port at night, we need Jesus to light the way for us through the Bible and by His Spirit. If you’re feeling lost on the waters of life, look to Jesus who is the way home—because that’s courageous living:

Jesus, Light of the World, guide my steps. When the way is unclear and darkness surrounds me, light my path and grant me wisdom and trust to follow You.

Thirst for Living Water

 

 

Lina Johnson – Prayer Center Coach

In John 4, we read that Jesus met a Samaritan woman at “Jacob’s well,” and asked her for a drink of water. When she questioned His behavior, He engaged her in conversation:

Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water” (John 4:10).

Wait a minute. Why would she ask Him for “living water”? I mean, even if she knew Jesus was the Messiah or if she had known He was God, why would she think to ask for that?

John 7:37-39 reveals the answer.

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

The prophet Jeremiah had this insight. God revealed to him that God alone is the source of living water. We see this in Jeremiah 2:13,

For my people have done two evil things: They have abandoned me—the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all!

We see it again in Jeremiah 17:13,

O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who turn away from you will be disgraced. They will be buried in the dust of the earth, for they have abandoned the Lord, the fountain of living water.

Wow! Jesus basically came straight out and told the woman in John 4, “I am God.” We know from Jeremiah that no one else can give living water. However, the poor woman missed it. Have we missed it? What is God really saying here? We know from John 7:39 that this living water is, in fact, the Holy Spirit. God wants to satisfy our thirst for His presence through the gift of His Spirit.

Some years ago, while fasting, I felt God’s leading for me to take Communion alone, just He and I. This was not like any other time I’ve participated in Holy Communion. As I sat alone in my room eating that bread, I became very aware of how thirsty I suddenly became. I then drank the grape juice, and hunger returned for the first time since starting the fast. I ate more bread. Again, I thirsted, so I drank–only to hunger again. I repeated this several times while asking the Lord, “What are You trying to show me?”

The Lord spoke to my spirit through His Spirit: Jesus is the bread, Jesus is the Word. The Bible is My Word. I want you to read my Word until you thirst for Me. Then I want you to sit in My presence until your thirst is satisfied and your hunger returns. I want you to repeat this and make it a lifestyle.

Prayer:
Oh God, forgive us for not seeking more of You. We need Your living water. We need Your Word, the “bread of life.” How quickly we have forgotten Your words in John 6:35:

Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

Lord, You want to satisfy us, but we get busy following our own plans. Help us to yield to You and let You satisfy our hunger and thirst.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

The Lord Looks at the Heart

Marissa lives with her husband and children in Arizona. She’s been with CBN less than a year. In her free time, you may find her restoring furniture, on a walk with her boys, or writing music.

Marissa Nordlum – Email Analyst, cbn.com

“You really want THOSE chairs?” my husband said to me reluctantly as I showed him the ad for six used chairs from an old barbeque restaurant in our town. I searched for the perfect chairs to put at our dining room table for weeks. With toddlers in our house, I knew our chairs would get marked and stained, and I figured a little DIY project was just the thing for my kitchen’s “custom made” chairs.

Even though my husband was skeptical, I finally convinced him of what these chairs could be. So, he went down to the restaurant and picked up my six chairs. When he brought them home, they were definitely dirty. From the outside, it looked as if these chairs were trash and too far past refurbishment. But I still set out to see if they would work for our kitchen table. First, I cleaned the chairs, sanded them, and then painted them with nice white paint multiple times. It sure was a labor of love!

I’ll never forget the look on my husband’s face as I showed him the finished project in our garage. I was so excited for him to see what I had imagined finally. While the chairs looked dirty and past use at first glance, they were now clean, sturdy, and beautiful! He was astonished at how beautiful the chairs became!

This DIY project reminds me of the words Jesus spoke to the crowd of people in John 7:24 (NLT) when he said,

“Look beneath the surface so that you can judge correctly.”

In John 7, the crowd began asking Jesus questions to see why He did things differently than they were used to. They were skeptical of who He was and where He came from. As Jesus taught them, He told them to look beneath the surface of what they were seeing to “judge correctly” for who He was and why He healed on the Sabbath.

The crowd, the Pharisees, and the religious leaders were often confused about who Jesus was and His methods. They were perplexed, surprised, and left in awe of Him. They didn’t understand his methods because they were blinded, so they couldn’t see who Jesus truly was.

How often do we do this also when we misjudge people or things that may seem “different” than us or our methods?

The Bible shows us time and time again that we should not judge by outward appearance or first glance, but as the Lord does. The Lord looks at the heart of a man.

1 Samuel 16:7 says,

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

How easy it is for us to look at what we first see and make assumptions about people or things. Just as the crowd did with Jesus and just as one could have with my kitchen chairs. But Jesus shows us that the Kingdom of God is different. Beneath the surface, we find true beauty and character.

May our eyes today be positioned to see as Jesus sees. To see beauty in what seems like ashes. To see restoration in what seems hopeless and see as the Kingdom of God does