Speaker: Paul Diaz

Theme: True Greatness

Weekend Music links on iTunes:  All Because of Jesus I'm Alive by Fee; Let God Arise by Chris Tomlin; Glory to God Forever by Fee; Came to my Rescue by Hillsong United.

Read: Mark 10:35-45, John 5:19-20, Ephesians 2:8-10, Psalm 37:3-11

Think: I love the zeal of James and John in the passage Pastor Paul outlined for us on Sunday. They approach Jesus, the Son of God, asking for seats of power—right in front of the other disciples! But I love these two because I think they were trying to apply what Jesus taught about coming to Him with our requests and with expectation (Matthew 7:7, John 14:13-14 for example). And even in their limited understanding, they were willing to go the distance and drink "The Cup" that Jesus was going to drink in order to serve Him and obtain the position they so desired.

 But what I love even more than James and John's eagerness is Jesus' response. He could have humiliated them in front of their peers, berating them like an angry football coach for their arrogance. Instead Jesus graciously addresses James and John by refocusing their perspective to the cost they will need to pay and the attitude they should have.

I think I’m often worried that humility is supposed to look meek and self-effacing, and so I speak in false humility that belittles who I am and what I've done so I can avoid humiliation. I can think of many times when, after receiving a compliment, I poked my finger up at the ceiling with a shrug, and fumbled out some words about, "Well, it wasn't me, it was the Lord," and not really meaning it, just so I could avoid looking prideful.

 But God has placed a great calling on all of our lives all so that He will be glorified. Pastor Paul encouraged us to redefine our sense of "greatness" by bringing it in line with the attitude that Jesus had, He who lived solely out of the resource of the Father's love in order to serve the world, all so He could bring glory to the Father.  His humility came from acting out of who He was and what He was called to do, but knowing that apart from the Father, He could do nothing.

Do: Think of some of the desires of your heart. Remember that God delights in them because He has placed them there so that He might accomplish His will in your life and in the world around you. Ask Him where selfish motives might have crept in, and ask how He would like to reorganize your attitudes so that His will might be accomplished.

Pray: Lord, I know that every good and perfect gift comes from you. Will you bring my thoughts in line with your agenda so that I may become the servant of all and a testimony to your great love.

 The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

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