Journey to the Cross

Pause

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
to bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

from “What Wondrous Love Is This,” anonymous (ca. 1811)

Listen

Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Human One to be glorified. I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their lives will lose them, and those who hate their lives in this world will keep them forever. Whoever serves me must follow me. Wherever I am, there my servant will also be. My Father will honor whoever serves me.”

John 12:23-26

Think

Like in yesterday’s psalm, Jesus uses a metaphor from nature to describe an aspect of faith. He refers to a grain of wheat dying – being buried in the ground – so that it can produce many more grains of wheat. Jesus seems sure that in this final trip to Jerusalem he will be killed. But he is expressing his hope that his death will “bear much fruit” for others. He believes that God will bring life to others because of his death.

Because of Jesus’ confidence in God’s plan, he invites his followers to offer themselves, too. Using the symbolic language of “love” and “hate” to describe the choice between serving self-interest and serving God, Jesus assures them that serving God means life.

I wonder what “fruit” you have seen from people choosing to serve God. When have you experienced life because you, or someone else, served God?

Jay Kieve

Pray

Dear Jesus, thank you for your faithfulness to God’s plan.

Help me to find the life offered when I serve God.

Amen.

Go

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down, sinking down,
when I was sinking down beneath God’s righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul.

from “What Wondrous Love Is This,” anonymous (ca. 1811)