Luke 9:46

I love the disciples – they are just so human. I mean seriously, who can’t relate to these guys? Nothing comes more naturally for us than desiring to be top dog. Nothing comes more naturally for us than a “look out for number one” mentality i.e., it’s all about me! Our flesh is consumed with self. A perfect example of this is to look at a group picture we posed for. Who is the first person we fix our eyes upon? Be honest! We always zero in on our big fat faces to see if we deem the picture good or not. It may be a wonderful shot of all the others but who cares? If it is bad of us we definitely think we need a do-over! Human nature, God tells us, goes contrary to His nature. Here are just a few examples of these contrasts that we find in Scripture:Human Nature says live for self.God says deny self: 23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23 (NIV) Human nature says seek revenge.God says it is His to avenge: 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. Romans 12:19 (NIV) Human Nature whines “It’s not fair; why am I to suffer?”God says we will have trouble: 33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 (NIV) Human Nature says if you want to be great you must clamor for first.God says to be great you must be last and the servant of all: 25 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- Matt 20:25-27 (NIV) I think we can begin to get the picture here! God is calling us out of our human nature into His nature. Out of our darkness and into His marvelous light. He is all about conforming us to the image of His precious Son – this of course takes pruning and pruning is often not very pleasant! Scripture tells us:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:29-30 (NIV)
Furthermore, Jesus tells us in John:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. John 15:1-2 (NIV)
As the loving Gardner, God lavishes care and attention to His precious vine desiring to see His fruit produced. He plants, He waters, and He tenderly guards it as Isaiah tells us: "Sing about a fruitful vineyard: 3 I, the LORD, watch over it; I water it continually. I guard it day and night so that no one may harm it. Isaiah 27:2-3 (NIV) Then God waits patiently for the good fruit to be produced in our lives. The fruit God desires from us is loving obedience, righteousness and justice. Fruitfulness is the evidence of Jesus’ life being reproduced in the life of the disciple. That is our ultimate goal as John the Baptist states: 30 He must become greater; I must become less. John 3:30 (NIV)
Remember too, on the night He was betrayed, Jesus washes His disciples feet showing them the “full extent of His love” and adding: 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:12-17 (NIV) Our ultimate happiness comes through our obedient service as Amy Carmichael states: “There are joys that are unearthly in their power and in their sweetness.”