This season, we’re blessed with a set of Lenten devotionals by contributing author Lee Hinkle.  Find out more about Lee at the bottom of this article, or at hinkledownunder.com.

Reading

John 12:28-43 (ESV)

Meditation

What keeps you from seeing Jesus for who He truly is, in the world and in your life? The obvious answer is that we are not able to see until God opens our eyes. But what about after our eyes are open? What keeps us from living and speaking in a way that proclaims that we understand (at the level we can) and follow Jesus?

[pullquote]”They loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”
–John 12:42-43, ESV[/pullquote]”They loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” It is one of those verses that we would prefer to gloss over. It confronts us with the truth about our fleshy-ness, our broken- and fallen-ness.

Before you rush to judgement and think that you would not be like the people in the passage, hear me say that on some level we are these people each day. I am these people. It might not even be for the glory from other men, but the glory I gather for and from myself when I decide to climb up on the throne of God. “I can do this better.” “I will take it from here.” Foolishness, but it is all to common.

[pullquote class=”left”]What is it within our sinful hearts that drives us to ignore the King of Glory and Ruler of All, and focus on what glory we may receive from others or ourselves?[/pullquote]What is it within our sinful hearts that drives us to ignore the King of Glory and Ruler of All, and focus on what glory we may receive from others or ourselves? Is it that the assurance of our place in Christ and seat at the family table as children of God do not compare to the feeling of acceptance we get from someone we want acceptance from? Is it that the sorrow of this life needs more solid fleshy hands to hold us, instead of the assurance of the Holy Spirit providing peace that passes understanding, and that is demonstrated from that broken group of people called the church?

It might not really matter. Because the Truth is that God’s glory should be our chief aim, and not the glory of men. The great thing is that He promised to Glorify His Name. And He has decided to do that through our lives in Christ. The lives He has given us. The lives He formed before the foundation of the world. And that, although doubt and fear drive me to secure a temporary glory, it is always overtaken by God’s glory. He will receive all glory. We have been created by Him to bring Him glory, and to enjoy Him forever.

Prayer

Jesus, yours is the name above all names. You are the Bright and Morning Star. You are the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. You are the Lover of our souls. You are Messiah. You are Redeemer. You are our Prophet, Priest and King. We Praise You.

Lenten Action

Find a place to write a new praise song to God. Find a place to sing an existing praise song to God. Look in the Psalms for a praise song to God and memorize it. Find a way to bring God glory.

It doesn’t have to be a song. Just think on His majesty, holiness, love, sacrifice, and strength…everything that makes Him God.
• • •

Lee Hinkle is an American pastor who, with his family of 7, felt God’s call to pack up and plant a church in Fremantle, a town in Perth, Western Australia.  Last Summer, the Hinkles left Indianapolis and arrived in Oz to begin their work.  You can follow their adventures at hinkledownunder.com.