#127 THINK ABOUT JESUS 9-13-26
Being willing to live for Jesus means being willing to walk with Jesus. We cannot truly follow someone we never think about. We cannot obey Him while keeping our minds somewhere else. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15), and John reminds us that “he who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6). To obey Him, I must depend upon Him. To be fruitful for Him, I must cling to Him, rely upon Him, and keep my mind fixed upon Him. Jesus said plainly, “Without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Fruitfulness begins with abiding.
So how do we abide in Christ? Think about Jesus. Make a conscious decision to put Him into your mind and keep Him there. “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2). “Whatever things are true…noble…just…pure…lovely…of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8). What could be more true, noble, pure, lovely, and praiseworthy than Jesus Christ? “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls” (Hebrews 12:3). Think about Christ.
THINK ABOUT CHRIST. The man. Think about the person who walked among us. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). He lived and breathed. He became tired. He became thirsty. He sat weary beside Jacob’s well and said, “Give Me a drink” (John 4:6-7). He became so exhausted that He was asleep in a boat while a storm raged around Him (Mark 4:37-38). He knows what it is to experience the weakness of human existence, yet He was without sin. “We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Think about the One who is truly God and truly man, the One who came near enough to understand our tears, our weariness, our temptations, and our pain.
THINK ABOUT THE CROSS. Christ did not merely come to teach us how to live; He came to give His life for us. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Peter says we were “redeemed with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19). When we think about the Cross, we remember the terrible cost of our redemption and the immeasurable love of our Redeemer. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Paul could not get away from that thought: “The love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Think about the Cross until gratitude becomes obedience.
THINK ABOUT HIS CALL. Jesus still calls us to follow Him. “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19). He calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him (Luke 9:23). He calls us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). He calls us to love one another (John 13:34-35). He calls us to make disciples and take His message into the world (Matthew 28:19-20). The greatest cause in the world is the cause of Christ. There is nothing higher than living for Him, nothing greater than loving Him, and nothing more important than helping others know Him.
And if we are going to answer His call, we must abide in Him. Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you” (John 15:4). He did not say that we could bear fruit by ourselves. He said, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:5). The branch does not struggle to produce fruit by independent strength; it remains connected to the vine. So we cling to Christ. We rely upon Christ. We pray to Christ. We listen to His word. We think about Christ. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16). And as Christ becomes the continual focus of our hearts, His life begins to show itself in ours.
Think about Jesus when you wake up. Think about Him when you are tired. Think about Him when you are tempted. Think about Him when you are discouraged. Think about His life. Think about His Cross. Think about His resurrection. Think about His promises. Think about His call. “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:1-2). He is not simply part of life. He is what life is about. “For to me, to live is Christ” (Philippians 1:21). If we keep looking at Jesus, we will keep walking with Jesus. If we keep abiding in Jesus, we will bear fruit for Jesus. And if we keep our hearts fixed on Him, we will discover that He truly is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).
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Lord Jesus, help me to think about You. When my mind wanders, bring it back to You. When I am weary, remind me of Your humanity and Your compassion. When I am guilty, remind me of Your Cross and Your precious blood. When I am tempted, remind me that You understand my weakness. When I am discouraged, remind me of Your promises. Teach me to abide in You, depend upon You, obey You, and bear fruit for You. Let my thoughts become more Christ-centered, my heart more Christlike, and my life more completely Yours. May I never forget that without You I can do nothing, Amen.
BDD
