Greater Things…. Elevation and upgrade

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12)

Being raised in the world it is so easy, and so natural, to think the way the world does. No matter how hard I try I tend to get caught up in the world’s definition of things. At the beginning of this year I felt the Lord’s words for us for 2017 were “Elevation and Upgrade”. So, my ever present and persistent flesh was like “Woohoo! NOW we’re talk’n!” I probably don’t have to tell you what I was picturing in my mind as to all the ways we could be “elevated and upgraded”! Even though I have tried to avoid coming to conclusions, trying NOT to form a mental picture and expectation of what God has in store for me, I still do it!

As I listen to Jesus in the gospels I hear Him saying things that can be so easily considered contradictory or even understood differently than what He is actually meaning (i.e. we see through the temporal perspective instead of the eternal perspective). One day, after listening to the scripture above, (“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12), I couldn’t help but think “God’s definition of “greater” must be very different than mine!” We automatically think that, if Jesus is healing and casting out demons, then “greater” for us would mean even more amazing things than He did!! Our definition of “greater” would mean that we will become famous healers and go around the world healing everyone and casting out more demons than Jesus did! MORE miracles, MORE people are healed, MORE deliverances and MORE people are raised from the dead… But, as much as I have wanted to believe this, I just don’t see it happening anywhere in this “greater” way. Yes, people are healed and delivered but, “greater” than what Jesus did?? And the famous quote of Inigo Montoya comes to mind again saying “I don’t think that word means what you think it means”!

And then a bunch of scriptures started to come to mind, like:

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” John 13:12-17

“And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4

“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:26-28

“The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Matthew 23:11-12

“But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." Mark 9:34-35

Looking at these statements that Jesus makes, He is clearly stating that “greater” in the Kingdom of Heaven is being last, a servant, having a childlike faith and humility, and having no need or desire to exalt himself. Jesus is our example of humility, laying his life down as a ransom for many. So, with this in mind, now I am trying to wrap my mind around what HE would define as miracles that are “greater” than what He did. Since it is NOT about “exalting” ourselves or greater numbers or bigger miracles, maybe it is just the opposite and it is quietly serving in ways that are not acknowledged or noticed? Maybe it is loving the unlovable and rejected people of the world? Maybe Mother Teresa nailed it! How many miracles of “service and love” did she perform in her lifetime!? She may not have “healed” people outright in miraculous signs and wonders, but how many were transformed spiritually and emotionally by her care, time and love!? I can’t say I have figured this out… but, what do you think? If God’s perspective is “eternal”, and our physical body is “temporal” and doomed anyway, why would an eternal God focus on healing our bodies? Of course it would be important to us but I don’t think God is on the same page as us in that regard. We may get a healing but ultimately our bodies will die. But our emotional and spiritual healing will last through eternity!

Yes, Jesus did heal people! He told John the Baptist’s disciples when they asked "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?" Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” (Matthew 11:5). But, I believe He did those amazing miracles to show them who HE was! Only the Son of God could do the things He did with the Love and compassion He had for people. He WAS the One who was to come and these signs and wonders proved it! We don’t have to prove anything like this, he already did it. His command to US was to LOVE ONE ANOTHER as He has loved us (John 15:12). Which, in this day and age is most definitely a “greater” miracle!

And if that doesn’t convince us, then we have these scriptures to tell us a little more about what Jesus thought about miracles:

“The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name." He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:17-19

“Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”  Matthew 7:21-23

“Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you." He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Matthew 12:38-39

What I understand Him saying through these scriptures is, it is not the miracles and signs and wonders that He wants from us! While He may do those things through us, He wants us to focus on our relationship with HIM and each other, loving HIM with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, and loving our neighbors as ourselves and trusting Him with the rest.

So needless to say, as this year is coming to a close, our “elevation and upgrade” did not come in the way we thought it would! But, we have been humbled more and we have loved and served more and in that way we feel like we are doing God’s will and are closer to God than we were at the beginning of this year. I guess, for me, that truly is my goal. My flesh would like things to be more “comfortable” but my heart and my spirit are willing to do whatever it takes to KNOW God in new and wonderful ways! Even if it means that I will be an unnoticed servant, a slave and the very last of all.