Devotions Archive Archive: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Search Archive Print This Article Pleasing God Thursday, March 22, 2007 John 5: 19, 44 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth. The Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. "How can you believe in God if you accept praise from one another ... yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?" Margaret leads a small group at our church. One day they were talking about people they cared for. "She's hurting so much, and I want to pray for her, but we never talk about God. And I don't want to offend her." Margaret listened awhile and then said, "Do you ever think that by not saying something, you might offend God?" Remembering that exchange makes it easier for me to open my mouth. God loves us both a lot more than I realize. It's not hard to say. "Can I pray for you?" And the prayer is simple: "Father, in Jesus' name please touch my friend and take away his pain, his fear, his illness, his disbelief ... thank you, Lord." Jesus "only does what his Father is doing." And he wants us to follow him, do what he is doing. He leads the way of surrender and emptying and serving without repayment. His path certainly leads downward - into a pit of persecution, rejection, and death ... and then it leads upward again into something the Bible calls "glory." In the meantime, the last thing He wants for us is to be distracted by others' approval or opinions. Very few of us know the value of suffering before we've suffered ourselves. But Jesus does. He has taken the whole journey. Following you, Lord, is like being in the last car of the roller coaster. Hold me close, never let me go. "; Add      Edit    Delete