Praise and Seeking Approval
So Jesus explained, ”I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
Jesus, John 5:19
I only want to do what I see my Father doing. This powerful verse and insight into Jesus’ relationship with Father reminds me of watching my little brother follow my dad up and down the backyard with a toy lawn mower as my dad cut the grass. Following in his footsteps. Getting so close that by the end of the day, both of them had green shoes and were covered in dust. Jewish disciples in ancient times had a phrase that I just love – they wanted to follow their rabbi with such passion and closeness that they would be “covered by the dust of his sandals…” reminds me of mowing the lawn – out on mission with Father – and the delight that we share as we do the work together is wonderful and meaningful…
Isn’t this true discipleship? Knowing where God is and following after him as close as we can? Doing only what we see him doing? Listening carefully to God’s voice, then boldly doing amazing things in HIS name, not our own. My friends at LK10.com say, “Mission flows from listening…”
Set up next to this beautiful image of listening to one voice is the temptation of listening and following many false voices. Jesus states that he does not accept the praise of men. But the Jews alternately seek each other’s praise, which leads to a disbelief in Christ and an ambivalence toward God. Jesus says in v44 that you can not believe if you accept the praise of one another, but make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God. The only way to come to belief is to think for yourself, and stop seeking human approval!
But what does “the praise that comes from the only God” look like? I thought I was supposed to be praising him! I’d love to know you’re thoughts on this, but I think that if God is my Father, then I should hope that he would want to praise me for doing good work, work I also see him doing. That praise may be his provision, or his healing presence (from past wounds, or physical healing), or his overwhelming love and acceptance of me as his adopted son, or his strength to silence the praise of men and let me think for myself, which leads to deeper belief in Christ. Just some starter thoughts…
What other ways does God praise us, even as we live our lives as praise to God? Lots to ponder here…
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Richard Kent Matthews 9:52 am on August 20, 2009 Permalink
The inner workings of our planet i.e. the molten rock and poisonous gases remind me of the Old Testament God: appearing to be supportive and nurturing on the surface but boiling and smoldering underneath, just waiting for the opportunity to pour out his wrath. Coincidence? Naw….
Mark 9:59 am on August 20, 2009 Permalink
Also insightful to the character of God is that the earth’s molten rock (a ever shifting sea of iron) creates a magnet field that blocks most of the radioactive blasts from the violent sun. Without that boiling and smoldering magma, we’d be over-cooked ducks.
But what’s your point?
Richard Kent Matthews 1:13 am on September 7, 2009 Permalink
Yes, it would appear that all is well. But as early church fathers pointed out, God is always holding us by the scrap of the neck over the fire. It is only by his good grace (read mood) that he doesn’t let go.
Point? The universe is continually in a state of chaos. Even the order that comes out of the chaos must return to chaos again. There is always the chance that a large object from outer space can knock Earth out of her orbit. Or major plate shifts. Or something.
There is only the appearance of peace and tranquility. Whatever brought this universe into existence was not really thinking of our comfort. Just ask the dinosaurs.
Mark G Willis 8:39 am on September 7, 2009 Permalink
I don’t know about you – but it sure seems like our ability to have this conversation and breathe air and all that is proof enough that the Divine God was thinking about our relative comfort when finely tuning our universe. Besides – in Christ we are anticipating a new earth, with new bodies – the ultimate creation and the ultimate rest – this current world is in the midst of battle – between chaos and order (read Gen 1 – where God takes things that are chaotic and shapes them into order). Then look at where things are headed (Revelation describes a city, well planned and ordered, with God giving light at the very center.) I see this “city” as part of the new earth – and while we live in the current universe, we are experiencing the grace (read – deep, unchanging character of God) and provision of God.
Richard Kent Matthews 9:58 am on September 12, 2009 Permalink
I suppose when one takes those writings, particularly Revelation, literally, then what you say appears to have validity. It’s also important to constantly remind oneself of the rest of the antics of the OT god. He was almost never benevolent. Even toward his so-called Chosen People. Some would call it discipline; I would call it torture and harassment. Then, suddenly, as if by magic, he becomes a rather different being in the NT. What gives here? Can we read between the lines? Of course. Different writers, different context, different time frame. And especially, different agendas. Control, mostly.
But get this, and it’s crucial: At least when the OT god smote you, you were forever dead. The NT god claims to love, but allows eternal punishment. And not because we’re “bad people.” Mainly, it’s because we do not believe a certain way. I can be the best Muslim, Jew, Hindu, Buddhist, or, like me, New Thought minister, and still end up in perdition because I didn’t believe a certain way.
Now, that’s monstrous.