Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Prepared for Life" Saturday, 29 March 2014 - Read John 12:23-33

Nashville, Tennessee, United States - The Upper Room Daily Devotional "Prepared for Life" Saturday, 29 March 2014 - Read John 12:23 Jesus answered them, “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Most certainly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life will lose it. He who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me. Where I am, there will my servant also be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
27 “Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this time?’ But for this cause I came to this time. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then there came a voice out of the sky, saying, “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”
29 The multitude therefore, who stood by and heard it, said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
30 Jesus answered, “This voice hasn’t come for my sake, but for your sakes. 31 Now is the judgment of this world. Now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 But he said this, signifying by what kind of death he should die.
The psalmist wrote, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”--Psalm 23:4 (KJV)
My mother was 95 years old when she died. Two weeks prior to her death, she was signing birthday cards. But she didn’t select only the few needed for the next two months; she signed cards to be used through the next six months. Then she mailed them. On the outside of each envelope my mother wrote, “Better early than never.” In her own way, my mother was preparing us for her death. Jesus did the same with his disciples. In his last months on earth, he told them, “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me.” He was preparing them for his death, but he didn’t stop there. He also said, “You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NRSV). Jesus was preparing his disciples for his death and for their life! It is the same for us. Prepared for death, we still mourn our loss. Prepared for life, we become witnesses for Christ. I want to be prepared for both.
The Author: Nancy C. Todd (Kentucky, USA)
Thought for the Day: If we live for Christ, we will be prepared for death.
Prayer: Dear Father, help us to be willing to live for you even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Prayer focus: Those mourning a parent
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