My utmost for His Highest

“But on account of this have I come to this hour. Father glorify your name.” (John 12:27-28)

Despite all the opposition and the foreboding of what awaited Him at Golgotha, the Son of God never lost sight of His mission. On entering this world He said, "Lo, I come... to do, O God, your will." (Heb 10:7). Now, some 33 years later, He set His face to go to Jerusalem (see Luke 9:51) - the city "that kills the prophets and stones those that are sent unto her" (Matt 23:37). Neither the Jews (see John 11:8), nor Herod (see Luke 13:31-32), nor His own disciples could stop Him (see Matt 16:21-23). His decision was as solid as a rock, "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written of the Son of man by the prophets will be accomplished" (Luke 18:31).

"Father, glorify your name!" What unconditional devotion and consecration to God lie in this prayer! The Son of God had come to glorify His Father through death. He wanted to magnify Him before men and angels - even if the fulfillment of this desire cost Him everything. During His life He said, "He that has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). But how much God really loves the world, and how just and holy He really is, only became fully evident at the cross. In 6000 years of human history, God has never been glorified as much as through the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary!

Just as the light shines brightest in the darkness, God is often most glorified when we trust Him in suffering and persevere in it. We glorify Him in difficult circumstances when we surrender to His will without rebellion, and say "Yes, Father"! God was wonderfully glorified when the other prisoners listened to Paul and Silas, their feet in the stocks, singing praises to Him in the dungeon at Philippi (see Acts 16:25). Peter, like almost all of the twelve apostles, was to glorify his Master in his martyrdom (see John 21:19). Stephen glorified the Lord Jesus especially at the very moment when the Jews stoned him - for it was, when facing death, that the life of Jesus shone out from him most brightly (see Acts 7:55-60).

How is God glorified in your life? - by making visible in you something of the life or mind of Jesus (see 2 Cor 4:10). This new life was given to you by God at your conversion. Now it is a matter of living out this life practically! But this will only happen if you realize in faith that you died with Christ to sin, and now let Him live in you in the power of the Holy Spirit (Gal 2:20). Without death there is no life!

How do you react when God calls you, or someone very close to you, to a very difficult or even "life-threatening" task? Could you  - in the light of eternity - even then say soberly, in a balanced way, "Father, glorify your name!"? Paul's primary concern was not to be released from prison, but rather that Christ should be magnified in his body, whether by life or by death (see Phil 1:20). Is that your greatest aim too?

From the devotional: Dependence in the life of Christ (The book can be ordered for free here: https://www.the-bereans.com/svetlik )

J.P.S.