‘Those Things That Please Him’

‘Those Things That Please Him’

…for I do always those things that please him.

John 8:29

Christ was both industrious and conscientious. He came to work and He did work. He worked to glorify God, His Father. We find before us His testimony regarding that work and His accomplishment of it. He declares, ‘I always do those things that please Him.’ What were those things which Christ did which pleased the Father? We read that He went about doing good. In practical terms, what was the ‘good’ which He did? He healed the sick. He gave sight to the blind. He comforted the suffering. He wept with those who wept and rejoiced with those who rejoiced. He gave food to the hungry. He lifted up those who were oppressed and downtrodden.  He defended the weak, and stood up to the oppressors. These things which Christ did, and a host of others like them, deserve our attention. Christ is not only our Savior, but He is also the Great Pattern for our behavior. We look to Christ to show us how to do. We cannot do miracles, but we know the One Who does miracles. We can alleviate suffering. We can comfort the grieving. We can defend the weak and stand up for the oppressed. We can rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. Our contemplation of Christ will lead us to the imitation of Christ. As we consider Christ today, let us look to Him to lead us aright to the places and people to whom we can minister in the imitation of Christ.

Our Good and Gracious Savior,
we rejoice that You do all things well.
We praise You, that by Your pleasing of the Father,
You show us how we ourselves ought also to do.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning