Day 13 - Living Inside Out to Your Highest Level | February Devotional in the Gospel of John

Thursday, February 13, 2020 Bryan Hudson 0 Comments

John 7:37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. 40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.”

During Jesus' earthly ministry, He brought a revolutionary message, not based on performance, but based on the grace and power of God. He said things that are commonplace for us now, but at the time he said these things they were extraordinary. This is one of the reasons that the establishment leaders planned to kill him, because he was drawing people away from the dead works of religion and from the control of mere men.

Everyone understood the importance and power of water. Jesus made the astonishing statement that people who believed in him would experience “rivers” of living water flowing out of their lives. While religious leaders spoke of do's, don'ts, and regulations, Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit. He spoke of a personal inner strength that people had not experienced before. Like a sunny day after weeks of clouds and gloom, Jesus brought hope. Not just hope as a concept, but hope as a real power like rivers flowing out of the heart. 

The statement that Jesus was, “not yet glorified” is very interesting. The usage of the word “glorified” suggests there is something more to life and purpose than what one has in the moment. If anybody was glorified at any time it would have been Jesus. The context indicates that there was something greater, even for Jesus, that would come. We know that the “something” was His death, burial, and resurrection. Romans 8:30 reads, “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

“Glorified” indicates rising to the level of one’s highest purpose. We speak of a masterpiece as the best work of an artist. We are God's masterpiece. The Holy Spirit freely operating through us like flowing rivers of living water surely represents being glorified as believers in Christ.

Reflection Question: Looking at your life, what represents your  highest levels? Where do you find room to grow? 

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