John 12:20-33

By Amy Whiting

Following Jesus is often counter-cultural and counter-intuitive.

The truth is that if we want a full, satisfying, worthwhile life – a life whose influence lives on well beyond us – one that leaves a legacy and inspires others. If we want to be honoured by our heavenly Father (vs 26)...If we want to be that person we must...die, serve and follow.

I guess the thing that most captured me in this verse was this – “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains all by itself.” All by itself. Lonely. Isolated. Maybe by our wordly measuring stick successful, but in reality alone.

I wonder if this is something we have missed – that dying, serving and following ensures that we will be fruitful...and not all by ourselves...both in this world and in the age to come.

This promise of not being alone is echoed again in( vs 26) With this promise – if anyone serves me, they must follow me. Where I am, my servant will be too. In dying, serving and following we are found right with Him.

It goes against everything our world, our intuition, our common sense screams at us – but my prayer is that I could grasp this fully – in choosing to serve & follow, to die to myself...there I am found fruitful & at the side of the One who’s opinion matters in this life, and the one to come.