Affected and Moved by Needs and News

Affected and Moved by Needs and News

Do you ever find yourself being moved by news that you hear

and by people’s requests and needs?

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany,

the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

And it was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment,

and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

The sisters therefore sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

But when Jesus heard it, He said,

“This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God,

that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

When therefore He heard that he was sick,

He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.

Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

The disciples said to Him,

“Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You,

and are You going there again?”

(John 11:1-8)

Jesus was not affected by His friend’s need for healing

or His enemies’ plans for killing Him.

Let us take a look at our own lives and see what affects us.

Jesus was not affected by His friendship with Lazarus, Mary, and Martha.

He was not affected by the fact that the Jews were seeking to stone Him.

He was moved by His Father.

How much does the news we hear affect our prayers and our lives?

Does what we hear and see cause us to react out of need and fear?

Sometimes we get so caught up in the news on TV

that we forget how powerful and mighty our God is.

Sometimes we work to take care of people’s needs and wants.

Others’ will in our lives can cause God’s will in our lives to fade.

When we live for the King of all kings,

nothing should affect us but the King and His will.

The King sees what we can’t see; He has all of our interests at heart.

Nothing should affect us and move us more than Him—

not our feelings, failures, news we hear, people’s approval or disapproval,

control, manipulation, lack,

plenty, sickness, health, friendship, etc.

When we get to the place of being affected

and moved by the Holy Spirit,

we can truly love people, not just please them.

In that stage the fear of man will be burned up

and the fear of the Lord will accompany us.

Some people around us may start to manifest, judge us,

and get very angry at our decisions.

People may call us rude, insensitive, and even proud.

Others may persecute us.

Even our closest friends might leave when we need them the most.

But Jesus will always be with us.

It is better for our friends that we not follow them but follow Jesus.

In the end we all will receive the benefit of following Jesus.

We love You, beautiful Jesus.

From Kamran Yaraei’s Book “Food For The Heart”.