Take this day to catch up on your reading, pray, and rest in the presence of the Lord.
“If anyone serves me, he must follow me.”
—John 12:26
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48 thoughts on "Grace Day"
I want to live by the truth. I want to know God, love God, and serve God. I want to create a legacy within my kids to do the same.
Reflecting today on the difference between serving and following
Love the message version also!
Thank you for sharing the msg translation Aaliyah!
I want to follow Jesus and His voice. Not my own. I know Jesus way is better. I know there is life with Him.
Yes! I love Grace Days.
The Message translation really hit home today. 26“If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you’ll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment’s notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.
To serve Jesus is to follow him so that we are equipped and ready when he calls. He puts the pieces together, and we obey.
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Amen
We are all praying for you.
God helps us now and saves us now and in the future rest in this.
Lord, I want to use this time to shift my focus back on you! As I am tempted to listen and want what the world does, I remember that you have promised far greater. That you have promised joy, peace and love when we serve you! I pray that as I serve you I receive a fresh awakening of your anointing, that I may connect with others and help them find the same joy, peace and love! Thank you that you forgive me! Thank you that you are faithful and never stop seeking to be closer with to me!
Lord i thank you for all you have done for me
I’m so glad I made time every day to stay on track. I currently am sick and haven’t had a chance or energy to do the readings and study book for Friday. I’m asking for prayer for my family. Everyone is sick. Got covid tested today.
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@Sheli Hankins and Katie Schisler, Thought you should know my mom took me and my kids in when I left an abusive marriage. One which in many ways shocked her (but not too much as she witnessed his behavior a couple of times prior to me leaving). All that to say, is I had a place to go with my kids. She has lived a simple life. When my daddy passed away it was so hard for her because she took care of him in his last years. She loved him very much! I loved him very much! He was amazing and so missed. My daddy always said “this” will always be home. I am so grateful and blessed I have a home. All that to say I
need to be there more for her
I feel good about this Grace Day scripture. I hadn’t noticed that and almost frowned that it wasn’t long enough :) taking my morning to really sit down and read my bible with a cup of coffee and cookies. I’ve been writing multiple scriptures down in my journal and praying out loud, lament to the Lord. I feel down some days bc of the state of the world — my fiancé and I were going to get married and try having a baby and having to set that aside :/ but everything is in God’s will and I trust wholeheartedly that everything will be okay. His ways are higher than mine. I trust in Him with all my heart, with all my soul and with all my strength. ❤️
I feel such a fellowship among you ladies as I walk through this study. The insight and experiences that you all share challenge and bless me in concert with the Scripture and devotion. Thank you all for your posts as they enrich this path of drawing closer to God and positioning myself to be in the place He would have me to be. Have a marvelous weekend!
Thank you, Tina. I love that as we follow Christ together when I stumble someone is there to help me and I am there to help her. You and Churchmouse help me often with your comments. Thank you for pointing your sisters to Jesus!♥️
When I choose to love Jesus I choose follow Him in every way. Following where He goes. Following what He does. Following how He moves and what He says.
Then, Being where He is and staying in Him, He is in me. Being wherever He is, He will give me what I need: rest, challenge, strength, energy, love, grace, discipline, food for my soul, joy, peace, awareness, and perspective.
Me choosing to follow Jesus and be in Him, honors God, the Father; and God will honor me and all who have chosen to live all-in Jesus.
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I’m convicted in every way reading this scripture! My Mother-in-law has been living with us since my Father-in-law died last March. She loves Jesus. I love Jesus! But life isn’t always easy with her in our home. We love each other and I have great respect, but I find myself complaining a lot about her. I felt as I served her well when she first moved in but have lacked a great deal since. I’m self absorbed with my feelings and not hers. My life has been consumed with guilt for the way I feel. I’m trying to fully rely on God and praying He gives me an attitude of being grateful to serve her!
When I think of an example of these verses, I think of my Father in Law. We lost him this last summer after a few years of dementia. He was a Pastor and a true servant. I saw so many examples in his life of caring for people because of His love for Jesus. He was the “real deal” as I saw him serve his family and others. I am so thankful that the Lord brought me into a family where I could be loved and come to a deeper understanding of service. I am still learning to give up my own desires and serve, (especially when I am tired ) yet the Lord is working.
Mari, I’m with you. My mother lives with us and she needs a lot of help. Because she is kind of isolated and has so many health issues she become self absorbed. I’m not saying your mother is like this. But for me it gets exhausting to work all day, raise a family, and come home with immediate requests. It challenges me. Serving is hard and sometimes I just want to ignore it so I can have one less thing to deal with. Tina’s insight helped me. Don’t focus on the laundry list I have to get done each day, take time to strip away the trapping of this world and sit at the feet of Jesus. Most likely it will lead me to getting up and serving.
I love that this devotional plan still provides a short verse on the “day off.” Something simple to reflect on for a busy Saturday. I’ve read plans in other apps that just say “no reading today.”
Thank you, Tina! Well said and thought out.
Beautifully written/broken down Tina. Thank you so much!
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Such a “simple” verse, but it’s deep! It’s a reminder to me that, it’s not enough to just do things “in the name of Jesus”, but I need to be backing service up with a lifestyle that follows the example of Jesus! When I’m living in step with Him, true service will follow, from a heart poured out in love. There is so much truth to unpack from this small portion of scripture..a great word to meditate on today.
Thank you Tina!!
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What struck me was the word, there. Seems like when I serve him, I find him. So, it is in serving that I am where he is. That is the very heart of God! No “me-culture” in God’s economy! ☺️
Beautiful!!
God asks us to serve
And FYI (A little side humor note) On Saturdays I allow myself to sleep in a little. So 4:30 AM is quite early for a Saturday morning. But during the week I am up anywhere between five to 5:30 AM.
Tina,…… I am convicted. I needed to “hear” (read) this, this early morning (4:30am pst). I couldn’t go back to sleep so I came here to SRT. We all got Covid here. My two kids, my mom and I. Thankfully it has not required us to get hospitalized as it was pretty minor case. However my mom is still pretty nauseous. I have not been a servant for her. It’s tricky because nothing sounds good to her as far as food goes so I’ve allowed that to be an excuse for me not to do anything for her. I get to go back to work on Wednesday. I’m taking the last few days I have here at home to be able to “serve” even if it just means getting her some water or warming up some soup. Thank you Tina. I have felt that “tug” but was ignoring it.. My mom loves Jesus! I love Jesus! I need to be more like Jesus. I was supposed to go back to work on Tuesday but they extended it for one more day giving me one more day to “serve.”
I needed this conviction.
That was excellent, Tina!
Very well put Tina! Thank you for helping me understand the verse better!
Thank you for sharing, Tina. It truly helped me to understand the verse better. Hope everyone has a blessed weekend!
Not sure why this whole verse wasn’t included, only the first portion…
John 12:26- “If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there my servant also will be.
If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
I really love the middle “where I am, THERE my servant will be.”
What a great question to stop and ask myself throughout my day- Where exactly AM I and WHO have I followed to get here?? Most commonly I’m afraid the person I have followed has been myself. That’s a sad thought..! So grateful He’s only a prayer away- a spoken word of “My God, lead my heart and mind and feet back to you..”.
He’s so faithful to do it.
He’s so patient in my missteps.
He’s so merciful when I finally get to where I should be.
He’s so kind to lead me. AGAIN. :)
And He’s SO welcoming, even when the whole misstep was my fault in the first place.
He is JUST THAT good… amazing.
Amen, Tina, amen. Your words are explanatory, revealing, challenging and a blessing this morning. I thank you for them.
Pet your puppies (all 11!), knowing I am wishing I were with you to enjoy the moment. God bless you, my friend. Hugs to you there from over here.
Thank you Tina
Lord i thank you!
Amen, Tina! Thank you! ❤️
May the Lord bless you today Tina. Thank you.
Tina, thank you!! So beautifully helpful ❤️
Funny thing happened as I tried to understand these words of Jesus..
“If anyone serves me, he must follow me.”
I was struggling to understand because I was thinking in terms of waitering., so I tried a few other versions of the same verse. Still confused, and by mistake I pressed the ‘more’ button, and the verse before appeared..
“Those who love their own life will lose it; those who hate their own life in this world will keep it for life eternal..”
What i realised was that to serve here is about giving up, letting go of all things earthly, that are hindering you, holding you back from following of Jesus.. truly and properly..
I kept thinking the verse was written backwards, that is to say, it should have read..
‘If anyone follows me, he must serve me.’
Reading this as I write though, I see now it is an order that 1) isn’t loving, and does not allow choice.
2) actually in this broken world, would it have happened..would we have heeded.. (another story).
What I realise this verse is saying is that IF, I truly want to serve Jesus, I MUST, 1) shed the lust, want and desire for things of this world that gets in the way..
2)that to serve, and serve well, I must follow Jesus’ example.. live humbly, love others as He loves, kindness, to my fellow man, be a good example to others. Share my resources, afterall are the not God given..?
3) I must(not in capitals, so not an order, but a ‘doing’ from heart) make sacrifices for my ‘brother’, my fellow man.. Jesus gave His life!
That revelation lead to me understanding the best and next bit of this verse.
” ..so that my servant will be with me where I am. And my Father will honour anyone who serves me.”
To follow Him, Jesus, is my ticket to Eternity when the time comes, but whilst here on earth the Father will honour those who serve Jesus..
I do not serve Jesus for gain or reward, but what a blessing to know that God the Father, would ‘honour’, this sinners efforts..
I just want to say Thank you Lord. Thank you
Amen..
I have mumbled, I have waffled, forgive me, but hope filled that it will help someone this day, as it did me to break it down..
Happy Saturday beautiful sisters, wrapped in love and weekend blessings..❤