John 5:22-24, 30
And the Father leaves all judgment
of sin to his Son, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they
honor the Father. But if you refuse to honor God’s Son, whom he sent to
you, then you are certainly not honoring the Father.
“I say
emphatically that anyone who listens to my message and believes in God
who sent me has eternal life, and will never be damned for his sins, but
has already passed out of death into life.
“But I pass no
judgment without consulting the Father. I judge as I am told. And my
judgment is absolutely fair and just, for it is according to the will of
God who sent me and is not merely my own.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
When my Mam-ma Polly got
older, I was given her Durable Power of Attorney. This meant that I
could make major decisions for her in matters of pertaining to her
personal business and her health. I could sign papers on her behalf,
make decisions such as engaging Hospice care, and choose her primary
care physician. My grandmother had entrusted me with the authority to
make these decisions. But as long as she was able to communicate with
me, I still consulted her before giving my final answer. So even a
couple of weeks before she died, I asked her if she wanted to go to the
ER after she fell in her room and hit her head. She adamantly told me,
“NO!” And after I carefully assessed the situation and consulted
Hospice nurses and other family members, we did not go.
Before
she lost her ability to speak, Mam-ma would often wave off a major
decision (literally with a wave of the hand) and say, “Whatever y’all
decide is okay with me.” Now, I will admit that sometimes she said this
with all of the pitiful sarcasm her voice could muster…but in her heart
of hearts, she knew that I would never disrespect her – or make a
decision that I felt would be harmful in any way. My Mam-ma Polly knew
that I had her back!
God gave Jesus authority over each of us and
decisions with regard to our care – and our eternal destiny. As the
One who suffered, bled and died for our sins, it seems only right that
Jesus would have the say over whether our petition to belong to Him is
granted or not. But notice that even Jesus still consults the Heavenly
Father…that there is a deference and respect for Almighty God – even at
this “level”.
What does this mean for us? This passage reminds
us of God’s authority and power…and also of His love, grace, mercy and
compassion. Even Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and has the
complete and final say over whether we are forgiven of them for all
eternity, still listens for His Father’s voice. He still respects God’s
“place” as the ultimate and final word on all matters. And we must
value this, also. We must trust that in the end, it’s all up to God…and
He has our back!
We must also remind ourselves to respect the
earthly “chain of command”. We must honor the “position” of those in
power and authority, even when we might not agree with their decisions.
We must always offer them respect and behave toward them as would honor
and please God. This may often mean biting our tongue and keeping our
opinions – and ugly thoughts – to ourselves.
Sometimes in our
earthly judgments, we have to make hard decisions that go against the
preference of an elder or someone in authority. I am not telling you to
lie for your boss…or to allow your ailing or aging parent or loved one
to make a choice that will be harmful to them or someone else. This is
where we must turn to God and ask, “What do I do now?” And He will answer!
I
am so glad to know that Jesus chose me…that He deemed me worth saving.
And I am grateful to know that He has my back…each and every minute of
the day. I am doing all I can to honor this gift...to ensure that MY
decisions mirror His will in each and every situation. I am constantly
listening for His voice and seeking His opinion…what about you?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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