Doing What my Father Does

This week we watched a sermon about simplicity at themeetinghouse.com (http://media.themeetinghouse.com/vpodcast/2016-11-20-1051-video.mp4) A lot that was shared was very encouraging. At the end of the message we were encouraged to begin and end each day by taking a few minutes to meditate on John 5:19 & 20.

Then Jesus answered and said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, The Son can do nothing of Himself but what He sees the Father do. For whatever things He does, these also the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all the things that He Himself does. And He will show Him greater works than these, so that you may marvel.

The implication was that we should begin each day by asking God what he is doing and then be like Jesus and, do what God is doing. Pretty simple.

As I have been doing this I have realized a couple of things that I need to pay better attention to.

First, Jesus said that truly he could do nothing of or by himself. As I thought about that it put a lot of things into perspective. If Jesus admitted that he could do nothing without his Father, how could I ever expect to do anything of value, on my own.

The second thing I see is that Jesus only did what he sees the Father doing. Over the years, I have heard people ask the question, “Why didn’t Jesus…” The simple answer is He didn’t see his Father doing that. I tend to get grand ideas about what I could do if I just got the opportunity. I have tried to do some of those things, wanting recognition. But the things I hear God wanting me to do are much less spectacular. Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute and speak evil of you, Speak evil of no one. Those are just a very few. I’m sure you have heard some mundane things that our Father wants you to do also, things you are not doing.

Third, the Father loves the Son and shows him all things that He is doing. At this point it became clear why I am not seeing greater things that the Father is doing. I haven’t been doing the things he has shown me. His desire is to show me great and marvelous things that He can do through me. But until I learn to be faithful in the little things how can I possibly be able to do great things.