April 10 Testify

John 11:41b-42 Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”
 
GOD calls us to testify of his character and his work in our lives. All of us have a testimony of God calling us to faith. The church is spiritually enriched and encouraged when we hear people testify to God’s grace and power to save them into true faith. I hope you testify of God’s gracious work in your life.
    God established this pattern early in history. “Testimony” is used in the Old Testament as a physical display of God’s presence with Israel as they journeyed in the desert. The Testimony in Exodus, for example, is the ark of the covenant. This ark – or chest – contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments, a piece of manna and Aaron’s staff. These three items testified to God’s law, provision and priestly order. The word “ark” it is said, comes from a combination of words that described Noah’s ark and the basket Moses’ parents used to place him in the Nile River (Exodus 1). Noah’s ark, Moses protection and Israel’s journey are three testimonies to God’s gracious work to save mankind from our sins. When we consider how God acted in ancient times to save us this present day, he is glorified. God is praised, uplifted in our minds. As the ark of the covenant was the visible Testimony long ago, God’s church today must continue to be a physical Testimony of God’s provision, grace and salvation.
    This is Jesus’ example. Before he spoke to Lazarus’ dead body, he spoke to the Living Father in heaven. He testified to the people around him that this was not his power to call forth a dead body. Before them they would, instead, see the Father act on the Son’s prayer.
    Jesus testified, “that they may believe that you sent me.” He has testified of the Father throughout his ministry. Jesus’ testimony that day would further enrich the disciples’ own testimony one day as they displayed God’s glory to the world.
    Today, this work has been given to the church. That is each one of us as well as the universal community of believers. You and I must be a visible testimony of God. Strive to speak, act and live in Jesus’ commands. With your faithful testimony, people will know you are Jesus’ disciple, testifying to your glorious Lord God.
 
Prayer: I praise you, Holy Spirit, for opening my mind to the Bible’s testimony of the Living God. Amen.