The Triumphal Entry (written for my church's devotional)

Read:
John 12
 
Reflect:
        John Chapter 12 contains an account of the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. A crowd gathered to celebrate Jesus’ arrival. While they were gathered, Jesus told them that He would die, and through his death and resurrection he would defeat Satan, and bring all people to Himself. The crowd believed, but many were afraid to say so because they were afraid of what other people would think. Scripture says, “Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God” (v. 42-43).
         Do I love the glory (or approval) that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God? Do you? I think the resounding truth for all of us is that yes, there are times that we love the approval of humans more than the approval of God. Why is that? Well, sometimes it’s easier for us to see approval of other people because it is physically right in front of us. We audibly hear the accolades from people around us; we visually see the comments on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms.
         In this life, it is so easy to get caught up in seeking the approval of the world. We want flesh and blood assurance that we are accepted. However, the Gospel tells us that our only approval is through the blood of Jesus. He alone loved us enough to carry our sins and die to save us from them. It should follow that we would value the glory that comes from Him more than what comes from man. God alone holds the power to deem us “approved”. The opinion of the world means nothing in light of Jesus’ sacrifice, yet we continually forget, and seek worldly glory. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with enjoying the approval of the people in your life. The problem lies in seeking that above the approval of God.
        Praise God that we can confess this sin to Him, repent and turn from it. We can trust that we are forgiven because Jesus paid the penalty for every sin you and I have ever committed and will ever commit. Why would we seek the glory that comes from anyone else above the glory that comes from Him? When we keep our hearts and minds focused on eternity, the glory of the world pales in comparison to the glory of God.
 
Apply:
            Take some time to talk with God about where you are in this area. Ask Him if there is anything you are doing or avoiding doing because you are afraid of what people will think. Confess that to Him. Repent, and ask Him to give you the grace to be obedient.