Tuesday, December 17, 2013
God’s Pattern For Building Up
It is possible for us to not fully appreciate words when we hear them. I know that for me sometimes there are words that I just sort of “run” right past. For me, edification can be such a word. Even though I know what it means, I can pass by it quickly and not think of how we actually do it in our everyday walk with God. Edification means to build up. As I thought about that today, it seemed to me that like all things with God, there must be a pattern to follow. There is a scripture that gives us such a pattern.
John 21:1 5So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
This passage tells the story of an event that happened after Jesus had died, rose again, and had ascended to the Father to be glorified. The disciples had just seen Him perform a miracle in blessing their fishing. He made them fish and bread on the fire, then He spoke to Peter the words of this passage. It is interesting that He first said to feed His lambs once, and then feed His sheep twice to Peter. The word lamb here has a root that means lifted up, like someone that is just becoming a sheep. For me this is telling Peter to seek out those that need to here that they can have new life through confession and belief in the Messiah. The interesting point for this discussion is that he repeated the feed my sheep statement. The word sheep has a root that means moving forward. Jesus was telling Peter that once we become believers – the transition from lamb to sheep – we need repetitive care and feeding. This is the pattern of edification or building up. It is repetitive. Often we need to hear something repeatedly to stay on track with the path we are to go down. Edification is not a one time event. It is a repeating pattern that we must do continually until Jesus returns.
To edify and be edified, we must plug in to this pattern. Today, if there is something that you know is a point of struggle in your life, perhaps repeating reading the same scriptures you have read many times about that subject would help to build you up, right? Or singing a song again. And the same is true for those around you. Help build them up, too. That is what Jesus (Yeshua) tells us in this passage we are to be doing.
Prayer
Father, we thank Yo and praise You for as the Most High God. You have given us the patterns to follow in life as we serve You, the patterns that give us life. We ask that You help us to remember these patterns. We ask that You help us to have the strength and the courage to actually do and say the things You would have us do and say to be more like Jesus (Yeshua). In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.