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Live Dead Joy: 30 Days of Living and Dying with JesusSample

Live Dead Joy: 30 Days of Living and Dying with Jesus

DAY 26 OF 30

“Ministering to Jesus”

We all betray Jesus in one way or another (Matt. 26:31). If we are all Spartacus, we are all Judas as well. Jesus lives with our continual collective betrayal—we betray Him with our kisses, and we betray Him with our loud protestations of supposed fidelity. When we brazenly approach His presence to betray Him, He sees right through our hypocrisy and asks, “Friend, why have you come?” (26:50). We shudder at those who spat in His face, beat Him, and struck Him with the palms of their hands (26:67) without realizing that by our actions we have cursed and sworn, “I do not know the man!”

It is a mystery that God receives our worship at all. We betray Him and worship Him in alternating whimsy. The great heart of God alone can endure our instability. Yet when we worship (and our worship can be as genuine as our betrayal), God is big enough and glad enough to receive it. It is true that we can wound and betray Jesus, but it is equally true that we can genuinely minister to Him. When we pour out costly fragrant oil (26:7), when we give to Jesus extravagantly, He is delighted and lets everyone know.

Jesus’ accommodation of our frequent betrayals does not mean He endorses or accepts them. He longs for us to minister to Him constantly. Often we approach worship to receive—peace, healing, help—and He is gracious to meet us. We forget that we really can bless the Lord! We really can make Jesus happy. We really can minister to Him. And we can do this continually—if we will.

Aaron and his sons tended the light of the lampstand from morning to night (Ex. 27:20–21). The psalmist endeavored to go about God’s altar in innocence as he “loved the habitation of [God’s] house and the place where [God’s] glory dwells” (Ps. 26:8). When we approach worship from the perspective of what we can give extravagantly to God rather than receive from Him, He speaks to us from the mercy seat (Ex. 25:22). Our reward is to break our alabaster treasures and lavishly pour them out on Him. Even with Jesus, it is in giving that we receive.

Pray for the Unreached:

Saudi Hijazi Muslims of Saudi Arabia

9,077,000

0.1% Evangelical

Pray that the Saudi Hijazi would feel and know the burden of sin and would come to Jesus for forgiveness and salvation (Matthew 11:28-30).

About this Plan

Live Dead Joy: 30 Days of Living and Dying with Jesus

Living dead is not original to us. Christians across time have been called to the crucified life. Looking to Jesus, we stumble in their footsteps - both grinning and grimacing as He stamps His image upon us. Hopefully, this portion of the daily devotional will encourage you to do the same. Each day includes readings from the Scriptures. The meditations will be most helpful if you follow the suggested readings. Join the conversation with other readers by using #livedead on social media. 

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We would like to thank Dick Brogden for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: http://www.livedead.org