Good Friday Devotional ~ "...unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone."

And Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”   ~John 12:24-5

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.  I have glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.”  ~John 17:3-4

My Jesus, as Thou wilt! Oh, may Thy will be mine!

Into Thy hand of love I would my all resign;

Through sorrow, or through joy, conduct me as Thine own,

And help me still to say, my Lord, Thy will be done!

My Jesus, as Thou wilt! Though seen through many a tear,

Let not my star of hope grow dim or disappear;

Since Thou on earth hast wept, and sorrowed oft alone,

If I must weep with Thee, my Lord, Thy will be done!

BENJAMIN SCHMOLCK ~1704

                                     

        Was the work of the Master indeed done? Was not its heaviest task yet to come? He had not yet met the dread hour of death.  Why did He say that His work was done?  It was because He knew that, when the will is given, the battle is ended.  He was only in the shadows of the garden; but to conquer these shadows was already to conquer all.  He who has willed to die has already triumphed over death.  All that remains to Him is but the outer husk, the shell.
     The cup which our Father gives us to drink is a cup for the will.  It is easy for the lips to drain it when once the heart has accepted it.  Not on the heights of Calvary, but in the shadows of Gethsemane is the cup presented.  The act is easy after the choice.  The real battlefield is in the silence of the spirit.  Conquer there, and you are crowned.

GEORGE MATHESON

     Continually at every heart He is knocking, asking to be taken in as the supreme object of love.  "Will you have Me," He says to the believer, "to be yours?  Will you follow Me into suffering and loneliness and ask for no reward but My smile of approval and My word of praise?  Will you be content with pleasing Me, and Me only? May I have My way with you in all things?  Will you accept Me for your heavenly Bridegroom and leave all others to cleave only unto Me?"

H.W. SMITH- God is Enough