Honoured 

God on Monday
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‘Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour’ (John 12:26) 

Reflection

There are three things that strike me about this verse.

The first is that a mark of true disciples of Jesus is a commitment to service. For me, serving means ‘doing’. Yet in the past few weeks, I have been recovering from a spinal injury and have not been able to ‘do’ as much as normal. My service has been severely restricted. But it has reminded me that God only requires us to serve with the capacities we have been given. We do not need to compare ourselves with those with greater capacities.

Second, Jesus’ followers need to be where he is: ‘Where I am, there will my servant be also’. Where, then, is Jesus? He is, of course, omnipresent. But we also know that he is with the downtrodden, the marginalized, and the despised. If our eyes and ears are open, such people are not difficult to find in our workplaces, even though they are sometimes masked under a ‘professional’ culture.  

Thirdly, when I think about God and honour, I think about how I should honour him, not the other way around! Yet in this verse, Jesus says that his Father will honour those who serve and follow him.

This echoes for me the parable of the prodigal son. When he repents, the son thinks he will return home as a servant rather than a son. Yet, what a welcome he receives! He is greeted with wide-open arms, kisses, and gracious words of his father. Before he can perform any act of service, he is honoured with the best robe, sandals and a ring. He is reinstated as a son and offered forgiveness and honour. All because he is back where his father is. 

In summary, whatever our circumstances, at work or at home, this verse can inspire us to acts of service, especially towards the vulnerable. It can also inspire us to believe when we fail in this and admit it, God will lift us. As we turn again to follow Jesus, God honours us. How amazing!

Response

What can you do in your work this week to be with God and to serve God?

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you that you sent your son Jesus Christ to restore us to a right relationship with you. Thank you for your promise to honour those who serve and follow you. Draw close to us today as we draw close to you. Amen.

This Week's Author

God on Monday is produced in partnership with the Church of England. The reflections are based on the scriptural readings designated for the next Sunday in the Church's lectionary. You can sign up here to receive each God on Monday instalment.  

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