Written by Juliet Constantine, these devotionals share thoughts and blessings from on high to give you encouragement, wisdom, and strength to face life's many challenges. Juliet has authored two sets of devotionals: "At His Feet" and "Finding Jesus In The Scriptures". Select from all the devotionals below or choose a topic from the menus.
As you face your daily challenges, did you remember to pray? Even if no one remembered your prayer request, you need to spend time in ‘closet’ interceding with God so that you can get ‘closet power’. God is ready and listening and He will also answer while you are still speaking. Before you leave your home today, did you remember to pray? Your Father is waiting.
Most importantly, we should commit our ways to God and allow Him to lead and direct our lives. For all encounters, pleasant and unpleasant ones, let’s ask ourselves the question: What would Jesus do? How would He handle the matter? We can be assured that we will receive an immediate answer. Listen for the response because His promise is certain:
Jesus had worked among them for three years, and still many hearts did not believe. Raising Lazarus from the dead wasn’t the only time Jesus raised someone from the dead. He had raised the widow’s son, didn’t He? Yet, it’s not recorded that the Jews sought proof of this miracle. Jesus’ work was littered with many evidences of whom He said He was; but still, many did not believe. Would seeing Lazarus awaken their belief in Jesus? Well, it did for some.
At Jesus’ going away supper, while others dined and conversed with Him, Mary, out of sheer gratitude, felt a compulsion to anoint Jesus. So she anointed His feet using a very expensive ointment, and her hair was the towel. It was nothing strange to anoint dead bodies, but it was a strange sight to behold the anointment of a living person. Some thought it was a sexual advancement and were very critical of her, others thought that she broke protocol and was being disrespectful. It would seem that no one, except Jesus, was grateful for what she did.
It’s one thing to have a death threat hanging over your head by the government or anyone else. But a death threat from within the body of believers is frightening. Such was Lazarus’ experience. He was the next best choice since he was responsible for many Jews believing in Jesus. In Jamaican Creole we say: “If yu kian catch quako yu catch im shut”, meaning if you are unable to get to the person you need, you will take the next best. Since Jesus was proving to be so ‘slippery’ to their grasp, they would take Lazarus instead and make him a public example of what will happen to all who believe in Jesus. Imagine that, the leaders of the Church, who are appointed to be the intercessors between God and man on Earth, planning to murder?
As I reflected on this story and the setting, I found myself thinking about supper time in Heaven. I seemed to be thinking about Heaven more and more these days and my constant prayer is to be ready to go. I am not afraid to die. I just want to be ready to meet my Savior in peace. And so, I gladly answer His call to come home. Supper time with Jesus in Heaven is almost here. It’s suspended in space between two verses in Revelation. But any day now, supper will be served.
Our sinful desires to tear down and put down each other, speak evil of one another, gossip and engage in tale-bearing: are all symptoms which show that we do not regard each other as brothers. No one would willfully and intentionally kill their father’s child. So, why do it to God’s child? Gossiping and tale-bearing destroys unity and genuineness of friendships. Resentment and hatred should not be harbored in hearts that are preparing for Heaven. We are brothers and sisters.
Finally, a child’s request to his/her earthly parent is done in faith. Likewise, we are to ask in faith, believing that God can and that He will. Let us not doubt His ability or His willingness to relieve our depressed condition. He is ready and able to do far more than any government or president. He is more willing to give to us that which we are to ask of Him. Let’s ask in faith. We will receive.
