Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall My servant also be; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor Him.” John 12:26 NIV

We are in a situation today unlike any we have ever faced. I can tell you that I do not feel fear, in a typical way. I don’t feel like crying. I don’t feel helpless. I don’t feel alone. I don’t feel desperate. My hands don’t shake. My head doesn’t spin. I feel calm. I feel the need to do things differently. I listen. I evaluate. I react in a calculated manor. But I have to admit, I am not sure quite how to define this reaction.

I read the passage above in John 12. When Jesus said these words, His life on this earth was coming to an end. In verses 27 & 28, He continues.

“Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Thy name.” John 12: 27 & 28

As a Christian, I place my faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. So the question that begs to me is, “Who do I serve?” I can see clearly that everything Jesus did on this earth was to serve His Father and glorify His name. How does that speak to me?

With all the changes and “new normal” of the current world, many of my life habits are changing. Here are just a few honest examples.

• First, ESPN, FoxSports, & MLB channels are no longer members of my immediate family. It has been a painful separation.
• Second, I had no idea how much food my children would consume if I actually cooked from scratch. Leftovers are non-existent.
• I can wash laundry. Furthermore, it can be folded & put away.
• Teaching your own child is different. I have become acutely aware that what I say & how I say it has a direct & significant impact on the outcome. My own children don’t care about being polite when I push their buttons.
• I don’t go to the office first thing in the morning. We go to the farm in the afternoon. I go to the office some. Translated that means “little”. What is important is different. What is necessary is different.
• We watch Sunday services in our living room on the iPad. Unbelievable! The first week was awkward! Now, I am getting more accustom. I am grateful for technology that allows us to see familiar faces & hear familiar voices when we are not together.
• I get to watch & listen to my children play together. They play pool upstairs during study breaks. Charles tickles Mary Ellen while she squeals & kicks. I experience life with an 18 year old that has been absent from my house most of the last 2 years with school activities.
• I get to spend time with my husband during the day. I even feed him lunch.

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Phillipians 4:6

I must confess not all, or any, of this has been an easy transition. However, I profess it has been an unimaginable blessing. I need to say that God has been working on me hard for years. I can’t imagine His continued frustration. Today, though, I have started to see my masters. The most important part is that I am changing.

I read & listen. I know that human suffering is real. It is hard. God said it would be. So I focus on Him-His promises, His grace, His mercy, His hope.

God placed me where I am for His purpose. So here I should live in this moment.

All through the Bible, God tells us that we are His. He tells us that He will never leave us, but He will walk by our sides. In 1 Peter 2 & 3, the scripture addresses how we should live. Please take the time to read or reread it. I speaks to me in strength today. In this chapter what I see over & over again is the message that Jesus’ words conveyed in John 12:28.

We all have new & different roles today. Our lives are changing constantly. It makes us all anxious. I have to remember who I serve and why. I serve a risen Savior who chose to serve mankind. He served humanity, and He served His Father in Heaven. He washed feet. He fed the hungry. He healed the sick. All for the glory of His Father.