Every person has some basis for the things he or she believes. We have a background in our lives that shapes our thoughts, and even when we see new things, we filter them through what we have learned or experienced before.
I think of that as I read the verses in today's Scripture where Jesus talks about being the Bread of Life, in John 6.
Two thoughts come into my mind as I read:
Jesus tells everyone that He is the bread of Life and that no one can receive eternal life unless he eat of this bread. The one that believes on Jesus as the Son of God is the one that feeds on this true Bread. What Jesus is saying is that there is no other way, that He is the only Door to heaven.
The other thought that I get from this passage is the role of the Spirit in the whole process. The Father uses the Spirit to draw men and women to Jesus. Drawing seems to be a gentle process, and it can be a time consuming one. Can the actual belief come quickly? Sure, but there is some background from which that belief springs from. Who can fathom the many and varied ways the Spirit of God uses to bring a person to belief?
Using the words of Jesus Himself would lead us away from any thought of universalism, and the idea that all men in all time will be together in heaven. Jesus said in Matthew's gospel that there are many that are called and few that make that choice. He also says that belief in Him would be the only door of entry. We seem to tread on dangerous ground when we don't take the words recorded in the Bible as authentic. Why else claim that this book is God's Word? God wants us to use our minds to study and to think, but we have to beware when we substitute our worldly wisdom for what He has said. When we say the Bible is a book worthy of our reverence, but pick and choose what in it we want to believe, we put ourselves on the throne and not God.
Using caution in who we believe and what we believe is the key. Two words jump out at me from this passage, even if they are not actually in the text, Be Careful.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Special and Specialer...
Yesterday should have been one of those high water marks in my Christian life. After all, it was a confirmation that God was working here, and that He had put his seal of approval on past and on future works. The fact that the church had asked me to be an elder had led to the ordination to this office at the end of both services, but at the end of the day, the thing that gnawed at me was the fact that I had not been able, or did not choose, to take the time to really sit at the feet of Jesus and hear what He had to say. I gave lip service to the idea, even looked spiritual and humble about the whole affair, but only basked in the light of earthly honor, not the real Light.
I tasted of the bread of human affirmation, but neglected Jesus calling to me and saying that He was the Bread of Life. Not that I had not done what I felt called to, because all through this process, even when I doubted that He wanted me to fulfill this role, God continued to lead me to it. So I accepted that the call to leadership in this, His church, and the laying on of hands signified that the church, and its leaders, had put its stamp of approval on a person.
But at the end of that eventful day, my thoughts turned to the fact that I had not taken enough time to even sit down and reflect on the Scripture for that day. I had been busy and some of the things were "spiritual", but they had not given me the true satisfaction that comes from personal contact with Jesus. Was I feeling a hunger for the real thing or just a guilt because I had fallen down on my plan to sit, pray, meditate and write that day, of all days?
And then this morning, I woke up pretty early with the house dark and quiet and the first thought that entered my head was that Jesus was inviting me to come and sit and taste the real Bread of life.
Yesterday was a special day , but today was "specialer".
My prayer as I end this time:
Dear God, thank You for this morning and the affirmation that I am on the right track. Thank You for the Scripture that talked of the Bread of Life. Thank You for tapping me on the shoulder early and inviting me to the table. Thank You for letting me recognize that call, and help me to live it today. Don't let me make it just another time to hang my hat and look back on, but one that will change my life for today, and for all days.
My two favorite prayers, "Thank You" and "Help".
I tasted of the bread of human affirmation, but neglected Jesus calling to me and saying that He was the Bread of Life. Not that I had not done what I felt called to, because all through this process, even when I doubted that He wanted me to fulfill this role, God continued to lead me to it. So I accepted that the call to leadership in this, His church, and the laying on of hands signified that the church, and its leaders, had put its stamp of approval on a person.
But at the end of that eventful day, my thoughts turned to the fact that I had not taken enough time to even sit down and reflect on the Scripture for that day. I had been busy and some of the things were "spiritual", but they had not given me the true satisfaction that comes from personal contact with Jesus. Was I feeling a hunger for the real thing or just a guilt because I had fallen down on my plan to sit, pray, meditate and write that day, of all days?
And then this morning, I woke up pretty early with the house dark and quiet and the first thought that entered my head was that Jesus was inviting me to come and sit and taste the real Bread of life.
Yesterday was a special day , but today was "specialer".
My prayer as I end this time:
Dear God, thank You for this morning and the affirmation that I am on the right track. Thank You for the Scripture that talked of the Bread of Life. Thank You for tapping me on the shoulder early and inviting me to the table. Thank You for letting me recognize that call, and help me to live it today. Don't let me make it just another time to hang my hat and look back on, but one that will change my life for today, and for all days.
My two favorite prayers, "Thank You" and "Help".
Saturday, January 28, 2012
The Mind Working in Strange Ways
The people who had been with Jesus when He had fed them, continued in the same place, maybe hoping that He would do it again or possibly more. Now, if Jesus had fed 5,000 men and possibly several times that, in total, they would have not been able to get into boats and go across the Sea of Galilee to look for Him again. Maybe just a hard core of those stayed close by to be fed by Him again.
Regardless, a group of those bread-filled people went looking for Him when they realized that He and His disciples were gone. Jesus had gotten away form them, as He knew they would try to make Him some sort of a leader (or King) over them. The people must have felt that this was too good a deal to let slip away.
So the question comes to me, Why do I get up early to do this exercise in Scripture reading and journaling? Jesus has shown up in the past, and I look for Him again. I know my day will be better if I start out this way. I do not want it to be just an exercise, a talisman that I can do something to make my day more meaningful. I want to see Jesus, to hear Him, to feel His presence and to really know Him.
Sometimes, like this morning, it is a struggle. I know what I want, but, for some reason, Jesus does not come, as I think He should. I sit, I read, I try to pray, but nothing happens. Is my heart right? Am I selfishly seeking? Am I just like the people in the Gospel story, looking to be filled again so I can leave this time and feel satisfied? Satisfied that I can say that I have done this time here, and can now go about my day?
Perhaps this beginning is just to keep me thinking as I drive to Hoboken this morning for the Kairos meeting. I hope so, I really do hope so.
After breakfast, I drove on up the road to the meeting. On the way, I kept the radio off, just to be able to think about why I was doing certain things. Were my motives pure or was it all for self?
My thoughts came around to the next Kairos in prison and all the ones that had preceded it. I thought about all the inmates who had come on those weekends, and what my feelings were and should be concerning them. Each man that comes is an individual, with his own hurts, problems, hopes and fears. We meet them on their home ground and have a God-given responsibility to treat them as Jesus would. True, they are inmates in a prison, but they are not just a number in a system. They deserve our notice, our respect for the man and not the crime they committed. They need to know that they are worth something in God's eyes, and we will treat them that way. We know they are lonely, sometimes treated like cattle, sometimes shunned by family and friends on the outside, a voice crying in the wilderness with no one hearing.
The Kairos motto is Listen, Listen, Love Love. Really listen and really love. Nothing shows God's love for men as much as really listening to them as they speak. If they can see that we mean what we say , that we care about them as men, then they are more open to listening to God also.
Matthew 25:36 says that "I was in prison and you visited me". The people asked "when were you in prison and we visited you?", and Jesus answered, "when you have done this to the least of these, you have done it unto me".
It is not whether I say I care or not, it is whether they realize by my actions that I do.
Now, can I draw a line from the feeding of the 5,000 to an encounter in prison? It may not be a straight line, but it is there if I look hard enough. The mind is strange in its ways, sometimes.
Regardless, a group of those bread-filled people went looking for Him when they realized that He and His disciples were gone. Jesus had gotten away form them, as He knew they would try to make Him some sort of a leader (or King) over them. The people must have felt that this was too good a deal to let slip away.
So the question comes to me, Why do I get up early to do this exercise in Scripture reading and journaling? Jesus has shown up in the past, and I look for Him again. I know my day will be better if I start out this way. I do not want it to be just an exercise, a talisman that I can do something to make my day more meaningful. I want to see Jesus, to hear Him, to feel His presence and to really know Him.
Sometimes, like this morning, it is a struggle. I know what I want, but, for some reason, Jesus does not come, as I think He should. I sit, I read, I try to pray, but nothing happens. Is my heart right? Am I selfishly seeking? Am I just like the people in the Gospel story, looking to be filled again so I can leave this time and feel satisfied? Satisfied that I can say that I have done this time here, and can now go about my day?
Perhaps this beginning is just to keep me thinking as I drive to Hoboken this morning for the Kairos meeting. I hope so, I really do hope so.
After breakfast, I drove on up the road to the meeting. On the way, I kept the radio off, just to be able to think about why I was doing certain things. Were my motives pure or was it all for self?
My thoughts came around to the next Kairos in prison and all the ones that had preceded it. I thought about all the inmates who had come on those weekends, and what my feelings were and should be concerning them. Each man that comes is an individual, with his own hurts, problems, hopes and fears. We meet them on their home ground and have a God-given responsibility to treat them as Jesus would. True, they are inmates in a prison, but they are not just a number in a system. They deserve our notice, our respect for the man and not the crime they committed. They need to know that they are worth something in God's eyes, and we will treat them that way. We know they are lonely, sometimes treated like cattle, sometimes shunned by family and friends on the outside, a voice crying in the wilderness with no one hearing.
The Kairos motto is Listen, Listen, Love Love. Really listen and really love. Nothing shows God's love for men as much as really listening to them as they speak. If they can see that we mean what we say , that we care about them as men, then they are more open to listening to God also.
Matthew 25:36 says that "I was in prison and you visited me". The people asked "when were you in prison and we visited you?", and Jesus answered, "when you have done this to the least of these, you have done it unto me".
It is not whether I say I care or not, it is whether they realize by my actions that I do.
Now, can I draw a line from the feeding of the 5,000 to an encounter in prison? It may not be a straight line, but it is there if I look hard enough. The mind is strange in its ways, sometimes.
Friday, January 27, 2012
The Plan
Jesus' story picks up again in the 6th Chapter of John's Gospel. He has been healing the sick all around, and the crowds continue to follow Him, some to see what He would do next, some to know where He was going so they could bring others to Him to be healed, some because it was just the place to be right then.
Next comes the feeding of the 5,000 (only men were listed, but undoubtedly, with women and children included, there were considerably more than this). Jesus knew what He was going to do with the 5 barley loves and 2 fish, and He also knew that once the people had full bellies, they would talk about making this man their king. After all, sickness would be gone and they would be fed without doing any work. What better king could they have?
He might even be able to rid the land of the pagan Romans.
Jesus also knew that with every healing, especially those on the Sabbath, with every feeding and with every other sign and miracle, His fame would spread. As His fame spread over the land, so would the opposition gather steam, so that the religious leaders would someday have to take Him out. They could not chance losing their power over the people, and they could not invite the Romans to clamp down on what freedoms this occupying power had allowed in Israel.
Jesus had stated before that He only did what the Father told Him to do. All the healings, all the miracles, and all the signs would lead to the Cross and to the Resurrection. There was a plan in place, and, while it is fun to speculate on the meaning of individual actions on His part, He walked straight down that one road to Calvary and beyond.
I can also speculate on what individual happenings mean in the great scheme of things in my life. I cannot see how each thing fits into the overall plan of God. The only thing that I can do is to walk one step at a time, looking ahead only as far as the road is illuminated, listening to God and trusting in His goodness and His plan for me and those I love.
God help me to live that way.
Next comes the feeding of the 5,000 (only men were listed, but undoubtedly, with women and children included, there were considerably more than this). Jesus knew what He was going to do with the 5 barley loves and 2 fish, and He also knew that once the people had full bellies, they would talk about making this man their king. After all, sickness would be gone and they would be fed without doing any work. What better king could they have?
He might even be able to rid the land of the pagan Romans.
Jesus also knew that with every healing, especially those on the Sabbath, with every feeding and with every other sign and miracle, His fame would spread. As His fame spread over the land, so would the opposition gather steam, so that the religious leaders would someday have to take Him out. They could not chance losing their power over the people, and they could not invite the Romans to clamp down on what freedoms this occupying power had allowed in Israel.
Jesus had stated before that He only did what the Father told Him to do. All the healings, all the miracles, and all the signs would lead to the Cross and to the Resurrection. There was a plan in place, and, while it is fun to speculate on the meaning of individual actions on His part, He walked straight down that one road to Calvary and beyond.
I can also speculate on what individual happenings mean in the great scheme of things in my life. I cannot see how each thing fits into the overall plan of God. The only thing that I can do is to walk one step at a time, looking ahead only as far as the road is illuminated, listening to God and trusting in His goodness and His plan for me and those I love.
God help me to live that way.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Not Even Close..
The Scripture for today is John 5:30-47.
Jesus, in this passage from John, confronts the religious leaders in Israel with some facts about their unbelief in who He was and claimed to be. He tells them, that because they only seek glory from those that matter to them, from each other, they are condemned because they do not seek it from God, even though they say that they serve Him.
I have touched on this before..glory from men, because that has always been a real sticking point for me. When people around me begin saying such good things about me and putting me in places of leadership that I don't feel worthy of, or even called to assume, I get worried. When folks say, "look how God is using you", I get scared. I know my tendency to react to this last phrase is with the emphasis on me and not on God.
So I get a call last evening telling me that the ordination for new elders is to be this coming Sunday at the end of each service. My reaction to that action is to say, good, now I can begin to do what I feel God has called me to. Not because of any special merit on my part, but because God has worked through other men in the church to place this position in my keeping for now. He has also confirmed this in my prayers, so, that even as I accept the role, I do so with a sense of real humility, and a feeling of expectancy for what He will do.
The first key is God; His will, His testimony, His glory, His Kingdom.
The second is the knowledge that I am not He.... not even close.
Jesus, in this passage from John, confronts the religious leaders in Israel with some facts about their unbelief in who He was and claimed to be. He tells them, that because they only seek glory from those that matter to them, from each other, they are condemned because they do not seek it from God, even though they say that they serve Him.
I have touched on this before..glory from men, because that has always been a real sticking point for me. When people around me begin saying such good things about me and putting me in places of leadership that I don't feel worthy of, or even called to assume, I get worried. When folks say, "look how God is using you", I get scared. I know my tendency to react to this last phrase is with the emphasis on me and not on God.
So I get a call last evening telling me that the ordination for new elders is to be this coming Sunday at the end of each service. My reaction to that action is to say, good, now I can begin to do what I feel God has called me to. Not because of any special merit on my part, but because God has worked through other men in the church to place this position in my keeping for now. He has also confirmed this in my prayers, so, that even as I accept the role, I do so with a sense of real humility, and a feeling of expectancy for what He will do.
The first key is God; His will, His testimony, His glory, His Kingdom.
The second is the knowledge that I am not He.... not even close.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
It Is Late
After two days of traveling, I sit down to write this on Wednesday night. Blogging is not easy when you are on the road, and serious blogging (or blogging on serious subjects) is nigh on impossible for me. It just takes me too long to read the material, in this case a passage from the Gospels, meditate and pray on it, see how it speaks to me and then write about it. That is pretty hard to do after 10 or 12 hours in the car.
One of the main things I realize when I have a couple of days like this, is the fact that I really miss doing it. Not just the writing, but the other part that makes the writing possible.
Now I could fill up the blog with grand children pictures and funny sayings, and they would both be cute things, because the two over in Arkansas that we just visited are both photogenic and smart. But that is not my purpose here, so I will not do it but occasionally when it fits the subject, plus I do not want to make other grand parents jealous.
So, tomorrow morning, I will do my best to forge ahead, or, at least, walk a new path, one that differs from the past two days.
One of the main things I realize when I have a couple of days like this, is the fact that I really miss doing it. Not just the writing, but the other part that makes the writing possible.
Now I could fill up the blog with grand children pictures and funny sayings, and they would both be cute things, because the two over in Arkansas that we just visited are both photogenic and smart. But that is not my purpose here, so I will not do it but occasionally when it fits the subject, plus I do not want to make other grand parents jealous.
So, tomorrow morning, I will do my best to forge ahead, or, at least, walk a new path, one that differs from the past two days.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Believe and Go!
The Scripture today is from John 4 and follows the narrative of the woman at the well in Samaria. A certain official in Capernaum, having exhausted all sources of healing for his son, went to Cana to see Jesus.
Jesus knew the man as he was coming to see him about his son. He knew the situation with the illness and what the boy's family had done for him to try to make him better. Jesus also knew why the boy was sick and the reason for the story as it played out.
The man did not know the whole thing. He only knew his son was sick and was not getting better. The fever had hung on for a long time and it looked like his life would be taken from him. He had tried everything he knew, but he had heard that there was a man, now in Cana, who had healed people and performed other signs. Perhaps He could and would help his son. The man asked Jesus to come home with him and see his son, but Jesus just told him to go on home, his son would live, and the man believed Jesus.
Was there a resignation in his voice which said, "OK, you won't come, so I guess this is the best I can do. I'll go on home and just see if you are right"? He did not plead with Jesus and beg, "Please come". He just believed and went toward home. And the boy lived.
What does that story say to me this morning? I wrote down my prayer as I began this time of study and, looking back on it from this perspective, it said that although I am not worthy to sit at your feet today, please give me Your word.
Jesus says to me today, as He did to the official in the narrative, "If you believe in me, and you are willing to be led by Me, you are worthy of the position I put you in, and what I will do for you."
On my own I am not worthy of anything, but because of what Christ has done for me, and my belief in Him, in God's eyes I am. Humbly I accept that while still acknowledging my human nature, but I know that it is a struggle every day to live and act in that knowledge.
A man came up to me the other day and said he had a word that God had given him so he could give it to me. That word was worthy, and, of course, in my 'proud to be humble' way, I told him to go back and listen again. It is hard for me to accept when something like that happens.
But the man in the Scripture passage did not come to Jesus and say, "look at me, I am an official and I want you to come". No, he just believed and went home.
My prayer for today is: Jesus, I am thankful for what You did for me, and continue to do for me each day. In You I am worthy to do the things You call me to. Help me to accept this, but realize that it is by Your strength that I can do them correctly. Help me not to shirk away, and say I cannot do it, but trust that You can, and will, be there for me during everything.
Help me to walk that fine line between man's praise and Yours.
Believe and go!
Jesus knew the man as he was coming to see him about his son. He knew the situation with the illness and what the boy's family had done for him to try to make him better. Jesus also knew why the boy was sick and the reason for the story as it played out.
The man did not know the whole thing. He only knew his son was sick and was not getting better. The fever had hung on for a long time and it looked like his life would be taken from him. He had tried everything he knew, but he had heard that there was a man, now in Cana, who had healed people and performed other signs. Perhaps He could and would help his son. The man asked Jesus to come home with him and see his son, but Jesus just told him to go on home, his son would live, and the man believed Jesus.
Was there a resignation in his voice which said, "OK, you won't come, so I guess this is the best I can do. I'll go on home and just see if you are right"? He did not plead with Jesus and beg, "Please come". He just believed and went toward home. And the boy lived.
What does that story say to me this morning? I wrote down my prayer as I began this time of study and, looking back on it from this perspective, it said that although I am not worthy to sit at your feet today, please give me Your word.
Jesus says to me today, as He did to the official in the narrative, "If you believe in me, and you are willing to be led by Me, you are worthy of the position I put you in, and what I will do for you."
On my own I am not worthy of anything, but because of what Christ has done for me, and my belief in Him, in God's eyes I am. Humbly I accept that while still acknowledging my human nature, but I know that it is a struggle every day to live and act in that knowledge.
A man came up to me the other day and said he had a word that God had given him so he could give it to me. That word was worthy, and, of course, in my 'proud to be humble' way, I told him to go back and listen again. It is hard for me to accept when something like that happens.
But the man in the Scripture passage did not come to Jesus and say, "look at me, I am an official and I want you to come". No, he just believed and went home.
My prayer for today is: Jesus, I am thankful for what You did for me, and continue to do for me each day. In You I am worthy to do the things You call me to. Help me to accept this, but realize that it is by Your strength that I can do them correctly. Help me not to shirk away, and say I cannot do it, but trust that You can, and will, be there for me during everything.
Help me to walk that fine line between man's praise and Yours.
Believe and go!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Innocent or Guilty?
The story in Mark 7 is pretty straightforward. Some people bring a man to Jesus, a man who is deaf and cannot speak, and Jesus takes him away to a private place and heals him of both. When these two come back to the crowd, the man can hear and speak, and the people are amazed. Jesus tells everyone not to talk about this, but, of course they do, and this too, is added to the aura around Him.
How could the people know that this man had been with Jesus? It was easy, he was healed of both his hearing problem and his speech problem.
If I say that I have indeed been with Jesus, that I have met with Him in my time of study, prayer and meditation, how would people know I was telling the truth? Would I come out of that time the same way I went in, or would the difference be noticeable to others? Is it noticeable to me? Will I live my life any different tomorrow because of what has happened to me today?
If I don't change, did anything happen?
My brother in Louisville reminded me the other day in an email of the statement (or question)..If you were to be in a court of law and the charge was being a Christian, would there be any evidence to convict you?
Would there be?
How could the people know that this man had been with Jesus? It was easy, he was healed of both his hearing problem and his speech problem.
If I say that I have indeed been with Jesus, that I have met with Him in my time of study, prayer and meditation, how would people know I was telling the truth? Would I come out of that time the same way I went in, or would the difference be noticeable to others? Is it noticeable to me? Will I live my life any different tomorrow because of what has happened to me today?
If I don't change, did anything happen?
My brother in Louisville reminded me the other day in an email of the statement (or question)..If you were to be in a court of law and the charge was being a Christian, would there be any evidence to convict you?
Would there be?
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Farming and Ministry
Our church had a mission statement at one time that went something like this: "Our purpose is to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ". Not just to be a spiritual haven, and not just to make sure people heard the Gospel, and not just to be sure they were born again, but to be active in the whole process.
As far as church was concerned, the message began in the parking lot, as a friendly helping face and attitude welcomed the people as they came. All of this seemed to say that "You are important to us and you are welcome to meet with us here.
I have related the story before, having to do with prison work, and listening to what the inmates say after the last session, that one of the things that attracts them to the opening session and that keeps them wanting to come each day, is the smiles and welcoming attitude that they see on the faces of the workers. The men in prison see that there are others from the outside world that see them as much more than just a number in a jumpsuit, and that gives them a hope that they are worthy to come, and that God may still care about what happens to them.
I see all of that, church work and prison ministry, as tangible evidence of what Jesus talked about when he told the disciples about reaping and sowing. All the work is important. Some ministry activities and jobs may get more of the worldly credit, but everyone who is involved, doing their assigned task, is an integral part of the whole process. As the work on a farm proceeds from tilling to sowing to cultivating to reaping, all the steps are necessary have a successful harvest.
Committed believers, working together, exercising their individual gifts for the benefit of the whole, carrying others through the process from unbelief to spiritual maturity, now that is a successful harvest in God's Kingdom.
As far as church was concerned, the message began in the parking lot, as a friendly helping face and attitude welcomed the people as they came. All of this seemed to say that "You are important to us and you are welcome to meet with us here.
I have related the story before, having to do with prison work, and listening to what the inmates say after the last session, that one of the things that attracts them to the opening session and that keeps them wanting to come each day, is the smiles and welcoming attitude that they see on the faces of the workers. The men in prison see that there are others from the outside world that see them as much more than just a number in a jumpsuit, and that gives them a hope that they are worthy to come, and that God may still care about what happens to them.
I see all of that, church work and prison ministry, as tangible evidence of what Jesus talked about when he told the disciples about reaping and sowing. All the work is important. Some ministry activities and jobs may get more of the worldly credit, but everyone who is involved, doing their assigned task, is an integral part of the whole process. As the work on a farm proceeds from tilling to sowing to cultivating to reaping, all the steps are necessary have a successful harvest.
Committed believers, working together, exercising their individual gifts for the benefit of the whole, carrying others through the process from unbelief to spiritual maturity, now that is a successful harvest in God's Kingdom.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Spirit and Truth in Worship
The Scripture today is the one that chronicles the incident of the woman at the well in Samaria as she talks to Jesus. The story itself is familiar, but I found, as I read it again this morning that another thing jumped out at me. Where before I had always emphasized the encounter and the facts of the situation before Jesus, this time the emphasis appeared to be on true and authentic worship of the individual before God.
I wrote in my Journal:
This particular Scripture does not seem to focus on Jesus' powers of discernment or prophecy, but on the God's acceptance of worship, and so, it would behoove us to be careful in our worship practices and make sure that what we do and what we say are in accordance to his principles regarding this.
Worship is to be in spirit. I am wondering whether or not to capitalize the word spirit? Are we to be led by our spirit or by the Holy Spirit? If it is to be by our spirit, then we an get away with almost anything and call it worship, because we are the only ones that can say that we are in that spirit. God knows whether this is true or not, but others around us cannot.
What about worship in truth? Jesus says that He is the Truth and we know that Scripture is Truth so what does all that have to do with authentic worship? I really don't want a set of rules about how I could and should worship God, but I also do not want to flaunt my independence by saying that I can do it any way I think is best. That thought seems to elevate me to a place where I do not need to be.
So, Jesus says that acceptable worship encompasses these two areas, and that God the Father is looking for people who practice worship in these ways.
The verse used in the opening of the Truth Project series to answer the question "Why did Jesus come into the world?" was the portion of John 18:37, where He answers Pilate that the reason He has come is "to testify to the truth".
How do I put all of this together?
My prayer in all of this:
Dear God, I read these Scriptures, and understand that You have a standard for true worship. I realize also, that I have preferences in my worship that could be caused by a lot of things, culture and upbringing included. I pray that You would show me how "in spirit and truth" is meant to be played out in my life, and the life of my church.
Help me not to get the "me" portion mixed up with the "You" portion, but allow me to see You in all of this. Help me to say, in all sincerity, that You are God and I am not.
I wrote in my Journal:
This particular Scripture does not seem to focus on Jesus' powers of discernment or prophecy, but on the God's acceptance of worship, and so, it would behoove us to be careful in our worship practices and make sure that what we do and what we say are in accordance to his principles regarding this.
Worship is to be in spirit. I am wondering whether or not to capitalize the word spirit? Are we to be led by our spirit or by the Holy Spirit? If it is to be by our spirit, then we an get away with almost anything and call it worship, because we are the only ones that can say that we are in that spirit. God knows whether this is true or not, but others around us cannot.
What about worship in truth? Jesus says that He is the Truth and we know that Scripture is Truth so what does all that have to do with authentic worship? I really don't want a set of rules about how I could and should worship God, but I also do not want to flaunt my independence by saying that I can do it any way I think is best. That thought seems to elevate me to a place where I do not need to be.
So, Jesus says that acceptable worship encompasses these two areas, and that God the Father is looking for people who practice worship in these ways.
The verse used in the opening of the Truth Project series to answer the question "Why did Jesus come into the world?" was the portion of John 18:37, where He answers Pilate that the reason He has come is "to testify to the truth".
How do I put all of this together?
My prayer in all of this:
Dear God, I read these Scriptures, and understand that You have a standard for true worship. I realize also, that I have preferences in my worship that could be caused by a lot of things, culture and upbringing included. I pray that You would show me how "in spirit and truth" is meant to be played out in my life, and the life of my church.
Help me not to get the "me" portion mixed up with the "You" portion, but allow me to see You in all of this. Help me to say, in all sincerity, that You are God and I am not.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
On The Road Again..thanks Willie
Mayre Lou gave me a travel cup a couple of years ago that played Willie Nelson's On The Road Again country song. We laugh about that a lot, because it sometimes seems to be our own theme song. Since our kids and grand kids live miles away from us and also because each family is pretty busy, we choose to go to them when we can. Today we began our trek to Arkansas to help Donna with her two while Noel is out in Utah. This is a two day trip (around 16 hours) and so tonight we are in beautiful downtown Grenada, MS. I guess it is beautiful and I guess we are downtown, but it was already dark when we arrived, and all I saw was the Interstate 55 exit and the motel.
Our day consisted of breakfast at home, Bible Study at church at 7:15, Starbucks at 8:15 for her free coffee, and on the road to Mississippi. For the first 3 hours or so, we got to playing "Can you remember these people?", a game we made up as Mayre Lou went through her birthday and anniversary book. As she called out a name, we attempted to name the spouse and/or children and sometimes grand children of the person. We had folks from our Brainerd church, our Ooltewah church, our Blacksburg church, and, of course, from St. Simons. This lasted until lunch in Albany, and we had quite a few laughs as we tried to remember names and events associated with each one.
While at Cracker Barrel, I picked up a book on tape, Every Other Monday by John Kasich, the current governor of Ohio. It was not a biography, or history, or politics, but a sharing of a faith journey through the shared experiences of 8 to 10 men in Columbus, Ohio who had been meeting one day, every two weeks, for a time of Bible Study and just living life together. A diverse group of men, from all walks of life, from various denominations and some from none, meeting to share their lives, struggles and victories with each other for over 20 years.
The book rang a bell with me. While in Blacksburg, I had been involved in a small group such as this, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. There is just something about men doing life together. I still keep up with their activities and try to time my visits to Virginia to coincide with their meetings if I can.
So, it is on to Conway tomorrow, bright and early in time to pick up the kids from their schools. Have not been with them for some time, so it will be a good time. I will try to be a more serious student of spiritual things when the wheels stop rolling for a day or so.
Our day consisted of breakfast at home, Bible Study at church at 7:15, Starbucks at 8:15 for her free coffee, and on the road to Mississippi. For the first 3 hours or so, we got to playing "Can you remember these people?", a game we made up as Mayre Lou went through her birthday and anniversary book. As she called out a name, we attempted to name the spouse and/or children and sometimes grand children of the person. We had folks from our Brainerd church, our Ooltewah church, our Blacksburg church, and, of course, from St. Simons. This lasted until lunch in Albany, and we had quite a few laughs as we tried to remember names and events associated with each one.
While at Cracker Barrel, I picked up a book on tape, Every Other Monday by John Kasich, the current governor of Ohio. It was not a biography, or history, or politics, but a sharing of a faith journey through the shared experiences of 8 to 10 men in Columbus, Ohio who had been meeting one day, every two weeks, for a time of Bible Study and just living life together. A diverse group of men, from all walks of life, from various denominations and some from none, meeting to share their lives, struggles and victories with each other for over 20 years.
The book rang a bell with me. While in Blacksburg, I had been involved in a small group such as this, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. There is just something about men doing life together. I still keep up with their activities and try to time my visits to Virginia to coincide with their meetings if I can.
So, it is on to Conway tomorrow, bright and early in time to pick up the kids from their schools. Have not been with them for some time, so it will be a good time. I will try to be a more serious student of spiritual things when the wheels stop rolling for a day or so.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Faith and Football
In the world of professional football this year, no story has gotten more press than that of Tim Tebow. It seems that the former Florida Gator and now Denver Bronco has been the man that fans either love or hate, and all that emotion stems from his unabashed Christian testimony and the way he expresses his faith on and off the field.
When I read the Scripture for today, which was John 3:16-21, the first image that popped into my head was a shot of Tim Tebow with his game face on, and in his eye black was printed John 3:16. The verse is a familiar one and reads:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
The next thing that popped into my conscious thought was:
Rom 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
I would like for my life to be lived as a testimony to the truth of John 3:16, and when that time is over, that Romans 1:16 would be given as my epitaph.
I would like for Tim Tebow to be successful on the field and off. Not living success as defined by those in the football world, but defined by God in His world. Our stages are different, our circles of influence considerably different, but God is glorified by anyone living for Him, no matter where.
Oh, that I might be found faithful.
When I read the Scripture for today, which was John 3:16-21, the first image that popped into my head was a shot of Tim Tebow with his game face on, and in his eye black was printed John 3:16. The verse is a familiar one and reads:
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
The next thing that popped into my conscious thought was:
Rom 1:16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
I would like for my life to be lived as a testimony to the truth of John 3:16, and when that time is over, that Romans 1:16 would be given as my epitaph.
I would like for Tim Tebow to be successful on the field and off. Not living success as defined by those in the football world, but defined by God in His world. Our stages are different, our circles of influence considerably different, but God is glorified by anyone living for Him, no matter where.
Oh, that I might be found faithful.
Monday, January 16, 2012
An Old Story But A New Day
The Scripture for today is found in John 2:23-3:15.
The story of Nicodemus is well known to me, and I have probably heard it told and read its words many times over the course of my life, but focusing on it this morning, brings forth the question, why do this again? It is familiar, but God wants me to look at it with a new set of eyes, to see it again, but apply its truths to myself in a new time. Indeed, I can be too familiar with words and images, and the meaning that I get from it can be "I understand it because I have looked at it before", but a new, never considered before, meaning, one that applies to my life in my current situation is being put before me to consider. I have not been in this moment before, and, although it looks the same as before, is not, and I dare not treat this time lightly.
Sometimes Nicodemus is put down because of his coming to Jesus by night. Surely, he had been in council meetings where Jesus had been discussed. He was aware of most of the religious leaders' feelings toward this new teacher among them. But Nicodemus wanted to see for himself, speak to Jesus, weigh His words and look into His eyes. He wanted to make up his own mind about this man, not just rely on others to make up his mind for him. So he came at night, when he might be able to satisfy himself. Was it safer for him? Sure, but at least he came.
How could Jesus have responded to this visit? He could have berated Nicodemus for not coming in the daytime where others would have seen him. He could have sat him down and given him prophetic references from the Law and the Prophets as to His coming, so he could look them up and see that He was the One that was spoken of many years before. But He did not. He pointed him to the things that were going on around him right now and He gave him some new ideas to think about. He answered the questions with other questions and statements that Nicodemus would have to think about, and He related the Old Testament story of Moses and the serpent, so that, if he did not believe on Him right away, would have a memory to look back on when he saw Jesus on the cross.
My personal prayer after thinking on these verses:
Dear God, help me not to treat anything of Yours as old hat. Help me to read and see with new eyes even what I have read and thought about before. I pray for new insights each and every time I sit down with Your Word.
Help me also to treat people with new eyes, with a view that respects their questions and their seeking spirit, and give me words to say and love to say them in the right way.
Show me the truth about my own life and give me the courage to make those changes that You point out.
Reading is one thing, meditating is another, and praying in response is another, but living it out is the real test.
The story of Nicodemus is well known to me, and I have probably heard it told and read its words many times over the course of my life, but focusing on it this morning, brings forth the question, why do this again? It is familiar, but God wants me to look at it with a new set of eyes, to see it again, but apply its truths to myself in a new time. Indeed, I can be too familiar with words and images, and the meaning that I get from it can be "I understand it because I have looked at it before", but a new, never considered before, meaning, one that applies to my life in my current situation is being put before me to consider. I have not been in this moment before, and, although it looks the same as before, is not, and I dare not treat this time lightly.
Sometimes Nicodemus is put down because of his coming to Jesus by night. Surely, he had been in council meetings where Jesus had been discussed. He was aware of most of the religious leaders' feelings toward this new teacher among them. But Nicodemus wanted to see for himself, speak to Jesus, weigh His words and look into His eyes. He wanted to make up his own mind about this man, not just rely on others to make up his mind for him. So he came at night, when he might be able to satisfy himself. Was it safer for him? Sure, but at least he came.
How could Jesus have responded to this visit? He could have berated Nicodemus for not coming in the daytime where others would have seen him. He could have sat him down and given him prophetic references from the Law and the Prophets as to His coming, so he could look them up and see that He was the One that was spoken of many years before. But He did not. He pointed him to the things that were going on around him right now and He gave him some new ideas to think about. He answered the questions with other questions and statements that Nicodemus would have to think about, and He related the Old Testament story of Moses and the serpent, so that, if he did not believe on Him right away, would have a memory to look back on when he saw Jesus on the cross.
My personal prayer after thinking on these verses:
Dear God, help me not to treat anything of Yours as old hat. Help me to read and see with new eyes even what I have read and thought about before. I pray for new insights each and every time I sit down with Your Word.
Help me also to treat people with new eyes, with a view that respects their questions and their seeking spirit, and give me words to say and love to say them in the right way.
Show me the truth about my own life and give me the courage to make those changes that You point out.
Reading is one thing, meditating is another, and praying in response is another, but living it out is the real test.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
A Casting Call For a Bit Part
A young lady visited with my wife yesterday. She had felt God's call to missions and even had some definite ideas about the kind of ministry and where she felt God calling her to go. She was passionate about doing what God wanted and ready to head off on this adventure.
As I read this morning, about the calling of the twelve disciples, I began to wonder if this is how they felt when Jesus singled them out to be with Him and work where He was working.
Jesus called, and they were the ones that He wanted. Their jobs were to go out and preach some message, and they were also to cast out demons from those afflicted.
Jesus calls those he wants to follow. Is His call also heard by those that do not choose to follow? What was the message they were to preach? How did they receive the power to cast out demons? Jesus knew how they would all work out in this job, so why Judas?
Speaking of Judas, did he preach? Did he cast out demons? What was he thinking all this time?
Jesus also knows how each of us will turn out after we hear the call and obey, coming to Him. I hear a call to follow, I respond by saying I will. My zeal may be high, my purpose fixed in my mind, but only God knows how it will all work out. I am only a bit player in a huge drama, here for a purpose, but not seeing the particulars of the overall storyline.
The twelve, when they followed, had no idea of what their lives would become. They had an idea that Jesus could be the Promised One of Israel, but it was not the same idea that God had. They were right to follow, but their lives had to undergo a transformation before they understood much of the story. There would be a lot of questions along the way, some disillusionment, some doubting, more questions, all of which dogged their lives all the way through the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. They knew not the path that each of them would travel, they only knew, at that point in time, that Jesus had called them and they wanted to follow.
My prayer of response to all of this:
Dear Jesus, I sense Your call on my life. I have always felt You had me in Your sights, that You knew me by name, and that You wanted me to be available to You for Your purpose.
Help me not to try to find my purpose in what I can do, but what You can do through me. Help me to continue to just be available and able to listen so that I hear Your call among the other calls of the world around me. Help me not to worry about how it will work out in the end, just that it will work out.
Help me not to try to continually see the end of the path You have put me on, but just to recognize what the Light shows in front of me, and follow where that Light leads.
Help me to play that part that You have written just for me.
As I read this morning, about the calling of the twelve disciples, I began to wonder if this is how they felt when Jesus singled them out to be with Him and work where He was working.
Jesus called, and they were the ones that He wanted. Their jobs were to go out and preach some message, and they were also to cast out demons from those afflicted.
Jesus calls those he wants to follow. Is His call also heard by those that do not choose to follow? What was the message they were to preach? How did they receive the power to cast out demons? Jesus knew how they would all work out in this job, so why Judas?
Speaking of Judas, did he preach? Did he cast out demons? What was he thinking all this time?
Jesus also knows how each of us will turn out after we hear the call and obey, coming to Him. I hear a call to follow, I respond by saying I will. My zeal may be high, my purpose fixed in my mind, but only God knows how it will all work out. I am only a bit player in a huge drama, here for a purpose, but not seeing the particulars of the overall storyline.
The twelve, when they followed, had no idea of what their lives would become. They had an idea that Jesus could be the Promised One of Israel, but it was not the same idea that God had. They were right to follow, but their lives had to undergo a transformation before they understood much of the story. There would be a lot of questions along the way, some disillusionment, some doubting, more questions, all of which dogged their lives all the way through the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit. They knew not the path that each of them would travel, they only knew, at that point in time, that Jesus had called them and they wanted to follow.
My prayer of response to all of this:
Dear Jesus, I sense Your call on my life. I have always felt You had me in Your sights, that You knew me by name, and that You wanted me to be available to You for Your purpose.
Help me not to try to find my purpose in what I can do, but what You can do through me. Help me to continue to just be available and able to listen so that I hear Your call among the other calls of the world around me. Help me not to worry about how it will work out in the end, just that it will work out.
Help me not to try to continually see the end of the path You have put me on, but just to recognize what the Light shows in front of me, and follow where that Light leads.
Help me to play that part that You have written just for me.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
The Temple in Jerusalem or Our Church on the Corner?
Today's Scripture verses come again from John chapter 2 and cover the section on Jesus cleaning out the business going on in the Temple. My St. Simons translation of these verses looks like this, starting in verse 13:
The main festival of the Jewish nation was at hand, the Passover, when the people went up to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice, according to the Law of Moses. Jesus went also and came into the Temple area. There He saw people selling oxen, sheep and pigeons, animals designated by God as sacrificial material, in the Temple area. There were also men changing the Roman and other foreign currency into the coins that were acceptable to the Jewish religious authorities so that the Temple tax could be paid with material that did not bear any image.
Jesus saw all of this and was disturbed, so He made a whip of cords and drove all the animals and merchants out along with the money-changers, telling those involved (as well as those who were there and were listening and watching) to "Take all this stuff out of here, do not turn God's house of worship into a common house of trade".
Why was Jesus so consumed with anger (righteous indignation) over the practices of the Jews in the Temple? Was it because the people were being taken advantage of by having to pay exorbitant prices for the sacrificial material or not getting a decent rate of exchange on their offering money? Surely God was not being honored and reverenced through these practices, but could it have been more than that?
Was the hubbub taking away from worship? Were the people coming into the Temple distracted by the buying and selling into forgetting the real reason they were there? Were the traders adding to worship or taking away? Was Jesus upset at the Jewish leaders for allowing all this to happen, indeed making money off the practice? Was He angry at the people, or the practice, or both?
It is easy to see how Jesus would be upset if the people were being cheated as they came, but was this the only reason. He said, "get all this stuff out of here, don't make a house of worship a house of trade". The Jewish leaders would have said, and rightly so, "we are just making these things available in this spot for the convenience of the people, so they could get what they needed to keep the Passover and thus to fulfill the Law".
Are we guilty of the same thing in our church today? How much of what we do is a distraction? Even if our motives are pure, and we want people to experience true and meaningful worship, are we helping or hurting?
What would Jesus say to us? I wonder....
The main festival of the Jewish nation was at hand, the Passover, when the people went up to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice, according to the Law of Moses. Jesus went also and came into the Temple area. There He saw people selling oxen, sheep and pigeons, animals designated by God as sacrificial material, in the Temple area. There were also men changing the Roman and other foreign currency into the coins that were acceptable to the Jewish religious authorities so that the Temple tax could be paid with material that did not bear any image.
Jesus saw all of this and was disturbed, so He made a whip of cords and drove all the animals and merchants out along with the money-changers, telling those involved (as well as those who were there and were listening and watching) to "Take all this stuff out of here, do not turn God's house of worship into a common house of trade".
Why was Jesus so consumed with anger (righteous indignation) over the practices of the Jews in the Temple? Was it because the people were being taken advantage of by having to pay exorbitant prices for the sacrificial material or not getting a decent rate of exchange on their offering money? Surely God was not being honored and reverenced through these practices, but could it have been more than that?
Was the hubbub taking away from worship? Were the people coming into the Temple distracted by the buying and selling into forgetting the real reason they were there? Were the traders adding to worship or taking away? Was Jesus upset at the Jewish leaders for allowing all this to happen, indeed making money off the practice? Was He angry at the people, or the practice, or both?
It is easy to see how Jesus would be upset if the people were being cheated as they came, but was this the only reason. He said, "get all this stuff out of here, don't make a house of worship a house of trade". The Jewish leaders would have said, and rightly so, "we are just making these things available in this spot for the convenience of the people, so they could get what they needed to keep the Passover and thus to fulfill the Law".
Are we guilty of the same thing in our church today? How much of what we do is a distraction? Even if our motives are pure, and we want people to experience true and meaningful worship, are we helping or hurting?
What would Jesus say to us? I wonder....
Friday, January 13, 2012
A Quick Nod in My Direction?
Now this could be touchy this morning. I read the Scripture passage, and then I tried to recreate the scene and give the words a little different translation. Tricky and a little dangerous, I know, and I do not want to pollute Scripture, but this is what I felt like it was saying to me.
In John chapter 2, there is the story of Jesus turning the water into wine at the wedding in Cana. There is also the discourse between Mary, His mother, and Jesus about the problem the bridegroom was facing as the wine ran out in the middle of the party. The ESV Bible translates these words like this:
"the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come."
On the surface, the translated words seem a little bit harsh as if He told her not to bother Him, it was not His thing to do to take care of any physical problem at the feast. It just was not His time to begin doing all of that kind of stuff.
But how would that stack up with the Jesus that we see in the rest of Scripture? Jesus would have treated His mother with respect and probably deferred to her in all of this, trying to please her and relieve a problem for the people there, especially those who would stand to be embarrassed by the outage.
So could these words be translated like this; "Mother, do you want me to really do something about all of this? Do you think that I should show these people who I am at this time?"
If that is a possibility, then I see Mary just giving Him a quick nod, and then telling the servants to do whatever he said.
Now Jesus knew all things, He knew what would happen and when it would happen, He knew the times and the seasons, so He was not taken by surprise when all of this happened. This situation was preordained, and He knew the part He was to play. He was there "for such a time as this". Could He have been hearing the voice of His Heavenly Father through His earthly mother?
As I struggle through some situation, some crisis or opportunity, do I want a bolt from heaven to let me know what to do (that would be nice sometimes, but a little scary too)? Or do I listen for God's instruction through the voice of someone else?
God is not limited and He can "speak" in many ways, but I can limit, on my own, how this can happen if I do not listen to what others tell me. Discernment is a big part of this, but God can use others in my life, just as He used Mordecai in the life of Queen Esther.
Back a few blogs ago, as I struggled with a role that God was calling me to take on, I got a comment from one of my friends, who said, "So, continue to serve God, as He has, through men, chosen you to lead other men".
Was that "my quick nod"?
In John chapter 2, there is the story of Jesus turning the water into wine at the wedding in Cana. There is also the discourse between Mary, His mother, and Jesus about the problem the bridegroom was facing as the wine ran out in the middle of the party. The ESV Bible translates these words like this:
"the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." 4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come."
On the surface, the translated words seem a little bit harsh as if He told her not to bother Him, it was not His thing to do to take care of any physical problem at the feast. It just was not His time to begin doing all of that kind of stuff.
But how would that stack up with the Jesus that we see in the rest of Scripture? Jesus would have treated His mother with respect and probably deferred to her in all of this, trying to please her and relieve a problem for the people there, especially those who would stand to be embarrassed by the outage.
So could these words be translated like this; "Mother, do you want me to really do something about all of this? Do you think that I should show these people who I am at this time?"
If that is a possibility, then I see Mary just giving Him a quick nod, and then telling the servants to do whatever he said.
Now Jesus knew all things, He knew what would happen and when it would happen, He knew the times and the seasons, so He was not taken by surprise when all of this happened. This situation was preordained, and He knew the part He was to play. He was there "for such a time as this". Could He have been hearing the voice of His Heavenly Father through His earthly mother?
As I struggle through some situation, some crisis or opportunity, do I want a bolt from heaven to let me know what to do (that would be nice sometimes, but a little scary too)? Or do I listen for God's instruction through the voice of someone else?
God is not limited and He can "speak" in many ways, but I can limit, on my own, how this can happen if I do not listen to what others tell me. Discernment is a big part of this, but God can use others in my life, just as He used Mordecai in the life of Queen Esther.
Back a few blogs ago, as I struggled with a role that God was calling me to take on, I got a comment from one of my friends, who said, "So, continue to serve God, as He has, through men, chosen you to lead other men".
Was that "my quick nod"?
Thursday, January 12, 2012
A Little More Knowledge Perhaps..
This morning was a great time of study and learning, but also a time of realization concerning my goals in study, and their effect on how I live my life.
OK, I need to explain all of this. After yesterday's non-study, I got the opposite experience today.
The Scripture, still from John 1, concerns the calling of disciples. The most obvious words or phrases that come out of these verses are "Follow Me", spoken by Jesus to the two disciples of John the Baptist, Andrew and probably John, and the invitation by Phillip to Nathanael to "Come and see" about Jesus, but the part that drew my attention was the discourse of Jesus with Nathanael.
Before Nathanael gets to Jesus, Jesus speaks to the others around Him, perhaps Andrew and Simon Peter, the two who followed Him the day before, and He tells them that this man that is coming to see about Him is Nathanael and he is an Israelite that does not try to deceive. Jesus knows the man, he has seen him under the fig tree, as He tells Nathanael, and He not only recognizes him, He knows his inner character as well.
Nathanael is a man that does not try to make others believe that he is someone else. What you see is what you get with him. He seems to be a complex person, a man who is willing to come and check out what someone else has told him, but also a man with a normal prejudging attitude. Because of where Jesus comes from, Nazareth, he looks down on Him.
Nathanael then hears Jesus tell him that He saw him under the fig tree, and he is surprised. Jesus was nowhere near and could not have seen him with a normal eye. Nathanael had been under the fig tree, probably the day before, when Phillip came to him, but Jesus was not then in the vicinity. He changes his tune about Jesus, when he realizes this and goes from saying He can't be anyone special, to calling Him the Son of God. Quite a turnaround.
Jesus then tells him that this fact that He knew where he was the day before was nothing compared to what he would see as he followed Him. Just wait and you will see much more. Angels ascending and descending looks like a direct reference to the Old Testament story of Jacob and his dream of the ladder to God.
All of this reflecting on Nathanael and the maybes of his encounter with Jesus lead me to this prayer for today:
God, thank you for giving me the time and the "awakeness" to look at this passage with some new eyes this morning. Maybe I did chase a few rabbit trails, but I find it interesting to know or at least speculate about these men that knew Jesus firsthand, and to see how these may intersect with my life right now. There is so much more in the verses that I so glibly scan and read, and I want to know more about You through them and more about my interaction with Scripture and with You. Please continue to give me insights and help me not to take them just as facts to be known, but jewels to be incorporated into my life for Your glory.
I don't want to get puffed up with knowledge, because You know that is my bent, but I want to let my life reflect what You teach me out of all this.
It is not just the facts that I need, but a life change that results from the Truth.
OK, I need to explain all of this. After yesterday's non-study, I got the opposite experience today.
The Scripture, still from John 1, concerns the calling of disciples. The most obvious words or phrases that come out of these verses are "Follow Me", spoken by Jesus to the two disciples of John the Baptist, Andrew and probably John, and the invitation by Phillip to Nathanael to "Come and see" about Jesus, but the part that drew my attention was the discourse of Jesus with Nathanael.
Before Nathanael gets to Jesus, Jesus speaks to the others around Him, perhaps Andrew and Simon Peter, the two who followed Him the day before, and He tells them that this man that is coming to see about Him is Nathanael and he is an Israelite that does not try to deceive. Jesus knows the man, he has seen him under the fig tree, as He tells Nathanael, and He not only recognizes him, He knows his inner character as well.
Nathanael is a man that does not try to make others believe that he is someone else. What you see is what you get with him. He seems to be a complex person, a man who is willing to come and check out what someone else has told him, but also a man with a normal prejudging attitude. Because of where Jesus comes from, Nazareth, he looks down on Him.
Nathanael then hears Jesus tell him that He saw him under the fig tree, and he is surprised. Jesus was nowhere near and could not have seen him with a normal eye. Nathanael had been under the fig tree, probably the day before, when Phillip came to him, but Jesus was not then in the vicinity. He changes his tune about Jesus, when he realizes this and goes from saying He can't be anyone special, to calling Him the Son of God. Quite a turnaround.
Jesus then tells him that this fact that He knew where he was the day before was nothing compared to what he would see as he followed Him. Just wait and you will see much more. Angels ascending and descending looks like a direct reference to the Old Testament story of Jacob and his dream of the ladder to God.
All of this reflecting on Nathanael and the maybes of his encounter with Jesus lead me to this prayer for today:
God, thank you for giving me the time and the "awakeness" to look at this passage with some new eyes this morning. Maybe I did chase a few rabbit trails, but I find it interesting to know or at least speculate about these men that knew Jesus firsthand, and to see how these may intersect with my life right now. There is so much more in the verses that I so glibly scan and read, and I want to know more about You through them and more about my interaction with Scripture and with You. Please continue to give me insights and help me not to take them just as facts to be known, but jewels to be incorporated into my life for Your glory.
I don't want to get puffed up with knowledge, because You know that is my bent, but I want to let my life reflect what You teach me out of all this.
It is not just the facts that I need, but a life change that results from the Truth.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Sometimes You Just Have to Say "Uncle"
Here is my plan:
Get up early in the morning, read the Scriptures, write the journal, compose the blog, publish it and then get on with the day. My feeling is that God will get me while I am fresh, and I will be more open and receptive to what He may have to tell, or show me. My problem is that I do not want to rush any of the above and at my pace of study and writing, the whole study period takes a couple of hours. I do not begrudge the time, and I do not want to cut it short. I like to spend the time and feel the rest of my day goes better when I do.
So, what happens when the schedule does not allow all of this, especially early in the morning? On Wednesdays Mayre Lou and I have a Bible study at church at 7:15, so my wake up time, in order to do justice to the study and blog, would be in the order of 4 to 4:30. Now that is an option and maybe the right one.
Usually, after the Bible study, we come back home and then I have my time of prayer, study and writing and that seems to work pretty well. I have at least been into the Scriptures for 45 minutes or so in the study, so my mind is focused in the right direction.
But today we had to leave right after the church session, go to Brunswick to get the car looked at for a minor problem, then drive to Savannah, coming back home around 4PM. All the good part of the day was shot, and now the question comes; what do I do about my study?
Do I give God the leftover part of my day? Is that fair to Him or to the study itself? Can I miss a day without feeling guilty? Is it legalism to demand something, anything, just to say that I am really serious about this whole thing?
I like the discipline of writing and studying every day, but I want the time to so unhurried that I can leave adequate space in my day for this time of prayer, study, meditation, and just plain quiet. I do not want to look back when I finish and just be satisfied that I finished. I would like for God to be pleased with what I did, and I know I would like that feeling as well.
Is it "legal" to write a journal and blog and just say that I don't have the right kind of time to write a journal and blog?
"Uncle"
Get up early in the morning, read the Scriptures, write the journal, compose the blog, publish it and then get on with the day. My feeling is that God will get me while I am fresh, and I will be more open and receptive to what He may have to tell, or show me. My problem is that I do not want to rush any of the above and at my pace of study and writing, the whole study period takes a couple of hours. I do not begrudge the time, and I do not want to cut it short. I like to spend the time and feel the rest of my day goes better when I do.
So, what happens when the schedule does not allow all of this, especially early in the morning? On Wednesdays Mayre Lou and I have a Bible study at church at 7:15, so my wake up time, in order to do justice to the study and blog, would be in the order of 4 to 4:30. Now that is an option and maybe the right one.
Usually, after the Bible study, we come back home and then I have my time of prayer, study and writing and that seems to work pretty well. I have at least been into the Scriptures for 45 minutes or so in the study, so my mind is focused in the right direction.
But today we had to leave right after the church session, go to Brunswick to get the car looked at for a minor problem, then drive to Savannah, coming back home around 4PM. All the good part of the day was shot, and now the question comes; what do I do about my study?
Do I give God the leftover part of my day? Is that fair to Him or to the study itself? Can I miss a day without feeling guilty? Is it legalism to demand something, anything, just to say that I am really serious about this whole thing?
I like the discipline of writing and studying every day, but I want the time to so unhurried that I can leave adequate space in my day for this time of prayer, study, meditation, and just plain quiet. I do not want to look back when I finish and just be satisfied that I finished. I would like for God to be pleased with what I did, and I know I would like that feeling as well.
Is it "legal" to write a journal and blog and just say that I don't have the right kind of time to write a journal and blog?
"Uncle"
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Who Are You?
The Jewish religious leaders send men to John the Baptist, in John 1: 19, and they ask him this question, "Who are you?" Now this question could have been given in at least of couple of different ways.
"Who are you?" as in, who in the world are you, with no religious training, to be preaching and baptizing the people, people that we are responsible for, and who look up to us to lead them. "Who do you think you are, anyway?"
"Who are you?" as in, we realize there is something going on here, and the people do also, "so who do you claim to be?" The people expect us to know how God is working, or if it is from God or man.
It may be a stretch, but I feel God is using these verses to tell me something. Note the situation:
For about a year, the elders in our church have been spending a lot of time, according to their testimony, in the selection process for another two elders to be added to their number. In our church, elders are not voted in by the congregation, but are asked by the current board of elders to serve. So the whole process is done with a lot of prayer, to select the men they feel are the ones that God has pointed out.
OK, that is not bad until the selection process ends on yours truly. I know me and I know all my shortcomings, sins, deficiencies, foibles, etc, and I would doubt that I could possibly be that man. Surely they heard wrong, or they just got tired and said "let's go with this guy".
In my mind I can also hear the congregation saying, "Who are you to do this?" In my heart, too, I hear the question "Who are you?"
Then, as I think on these verses this morning, and try to answer the question, another Bible story comes to my mind. Mordecai speaks into Queen Esther's life with this: "perhaps you are here for such a time as this". In short, "who are you to not be called?"
Now I certainly do not equate my life or my situation with that of Queen Esther, but I would like to emulate her willingness to be used. When the question comes to my mind, "Why me"?, should I respond with another question, "Why not me?"
Perhaps I should answer as Eli cautioned Samuel to say, when he sensed God's call, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening".
Who am I, anyway?
"Who are you?" as in, who in the world are you, with no religious training, to be preaching and baptizing the people, people that we are responsible for, and who look up to us to lead them. "Who do you think you are, anyway?"
"Who are you?" as in, we realize there is something going on here, and the people do also, "so who do you claim to be?" The people expect us to know how God is working, or if it is from God or man.
It may be a stretch, but I feel God is using these verses to tell me something. Note the situation:
For about a year, the elders in our church have been spending a lot of time, according to their testimony, in the selection process for another two elders to be added to their number. In our church, elders are not voted in by the congregation, but are asked by the current board of elders to serve. So the whole process is done with a lot of prayer, to select the men they feel are the ones that God has pointed out.
OK, that is not bad until the selection process ends on yours truly. I know me and I know all my shortcomings, sins, deficiencies, foibles, etc, and I would doubt that I could possibly be that man. Surely they heard wrong, or they just got tired and said "let's go with this guy".
In my mind I can also hear the congregation saying, "Who are you to do this?" In my heart, too, I hear the question "Who are you?"
Then, as I think on these verses this morning, and try to answer the question, another Bible story comes to my mind. Mordecai speaks into Queen Esther's life with this: "perhaps you are here for such a time as this". In short, "who are you to not be called?"
Now I certainly do not equate my life or my situation with that of Queen Esther, but I would like to emulate her willingness to be used. When the question comes to my mind, "Why me"?, should I respond with another question, "Why not me?"
Perhaps I should answer as Eli cautioned Samuel to say, when he sensed God's call, "Speak Lord, your servant is listening".
Who am I, anyway?
Monday, January 9, 2012
Looking For LIGHT
This morning was a pretty hard go for me. The Scripture, John 1, seems pretty straightforward, but when I begin to look for the meaning in my life, especially as it relates to this coming day, the way gets foggy.
The whole passage seems to revolve around Light. In Genesis 1, where the earth is created, the first words that God utters is "Let there be Light". I have always thought this referred to that physical light that helps me to see what is around me, but perhaps it is more than just that. There is that light that illuminates my mind as to the how and whys of things. There is also that spiritual light that gives me insight into things of that realm.
Light has all of these qualities, physical, mental and spiritual and they are all embodied in one Person, Jesus Christ.
John, the writer of the Gospel, wrote his book so that the Light would be made known. He had lived with that Light for 3 years, he had touched that Light, listened to that Light, saw what He had done, saw Him die, and saw Him alive again. John knew that Light intimately, and yet still struggled to understand. Only after the Holy Spirit enlightened him, was he able to make sense of Jesus' earthly life. As to the greater ramifications of that Light, those that stretch from before creation to after time ceases, if that ever comes, John probably won't see all that until God makes it known to him in heaven.
My struggle is captured in my prayer and final thoughts. I know it is mine, but it may be others also.
Dear God, I do not know what all I have captured from this text today. I can mentally understand what light is, because I can tell the difference between light and dark, but all of the greater implications for my life seem nebulous and far away. I can make the mental judgment that Jesus is that Light that penetrates the darkness, physical, mental and spiritual, but I confess that I do not understand how it all plays out. Perhaps I take it all on faith and wait to see how it works out, but I would like to be a better witness of that Light. I believe that You have put the desire in me to want to know more, but I want to know more in my heart than in my mind. Perhaps one leads to the other, but for right now, I don't know that either.
I do not want my life on earth to be wasted, or my words to be of no effect. I want to be significant, not for men's eyes, but for Yours. Help me to see what that means and please give me more of You so that I can see that Light.
The whole passage seems to revolve around Light. In Genesis 1, where the earth is created, the first words that God utters is "Let there be Light". I have always thought this referred to that physical light that helps me to see what is around me, but perhaps it is more than just that. There is that light that illuminates my mind as to the how and whys of things. There is also that spiritual light that gives me insight into things of that realm.
Light has all of these qualities, physical, mental and spiritual and they are all embodied in one Person, Jesus Christ.
John, the writer of the Gospel, wrote his book so that the Light would be made known. He had lived with that Light for 3 years, he had touched that Light, listened to that Light, saw what He had done, saw Him die, and saw Him alive again. John knew that Light intimately, and yet still struggled to understand. Only after the Holy Spirit enlightened him, was he able to make sense of Jesus' earthly life. As to the greater ramifications of that Light, those that stretch from before creation to after time ceases, if that ever comes, John probably won't see all that until God makes it known to him in heaven.
My struggle is captured in my prayer and final thoughts. I know it is mine, but it may be others also.
Dear God, I do not know what all I have captured from this text today. I can mentally understand what light is, because I can tell the difference between light and dark, but all of the greater implications for my life seem nebulous and far away. I can make the mental judgment that Jesus is that Light that penetrates the darkness, physical, mental and spiritual, but I confess that I do not understand how it all plays out. Perhaps I take it all on faith and wait to see how it works out, but I would like to be a better witness of that Light. I believe that You have put the desire in me to want to know more, but I want to know more in my heart than in my mind. Perhaps one leads to the other, but for right now, I don't know that either.
I do not want my life on earth to be wasted, or my words to be of no effect. I want to be significant, not for men's eyes, but for Yours. Help me to see what that means and please give me more of You so that I can see that Light.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
What Does It Take?
My daughter and her husband are big baseball fans. They lived for some time around the Atlanta area, and so became Braves fans. Now they live in central Arkansas and so they follow the St. Louis Cardinals.
Now what would it take for me to convince them that I had, this morning, a nice conversation with the Cardinals ace pitcher, Adam Wainwright? Now they know me well, so they probably would not think I was pulling their collective legs, but if there was a reasonable doubt, could I convince them? Could I relate how tall he was, how nice he was, how cute his three girls were, or did I need a signed picture of the two of us together?
The Scripture in John 1 today tells how John the Baptist revealed Jesus to the people who came to him, seeking repentance. He could tell them that one day God told him that one of the persons he baptized would have a dove descend on him and remain there. This is how he would recognize the Son of God, the Messiah.
Did the people believe John's testimony? Probably some did because they trusted his words, but perhaps many did not. All they saw was a man dressed funny, with a strange diet, telling them things he had supposedly seen and heard.
Would people believe me if I told them about a major league pitcher and our unhurried conversation this morning. They surely would if I told them this same Cardinal pitcher goes to our church when he is home in the off season? That might seal the deal, because we would be in the same place at the same time.
But the important question to ask is whether or not people would believe me when I say that I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus. What would it take? I can say it and I can write it down, but where is the real proof? I'm afraid that words are cheap sometimes, and I know that they really are if there is not a life to back them up.
So, does my life act as a confirmation to what I say I believe? I surely hope so, because that is the only way the words can be worth anything at all.
Now what would it take for me to convince them that I had, this morning, a nice conversation with the Cardinals ace pitcher, Adam Wainwright? Now they know me well, so they probably would not think I was pulling their collective legs, but if there was a reasonable doubt, could I convince them? Could I relate how tall he was, how nice he was, how cute his three girls were, or did I need a signed picture of the two of us together?
The Scripture in John 1 today tells how John the Baptist revealed Jesus to the people who came to him, seeking repentance. He could tell them that one day God told him that one of the persons he baptized would have a dove descend on him and remain there. This is how he would recognize the Son of God, the Messiah.
Did the people believe John's testimony? Probably some did because they trusted his words, but perhaps many did not. All they saw was a man dressed funny, with a strange diet, telling them things he had supposedly seen and heard.
Would people believe me if I told them about a major league pitcher and our unhurried conversation this morning. They surely would if I told them this same Cardinal pitcher goes to our church when he is home in the off season? That might seal the deal, because we would be in the same place at the same time.
But the important question to ask is whether or not people would believe me when I say that I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus. What would it take? I can say it and I can write it down, but where is the real proof? I'm afraid that words are cheap sometimes, and I know that they really are if there is not a life to back them up.
So, does my life act as a confirmation to what I say I believe? I surely hope so, because that is the only way the words can be worth anything at all.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
It Don't Matter at All If.......
The Scripture reading for today is John 8: 12-19: Read it here:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208&version=ESV
Three phrases jump out at me from this passage:
1. I am the Light of the world, what all does this entail and what does it mean in my life?
2. I judge no man (or woman). God is the ultimate judge, but does Jesus take Himself out of this role?
3. You know neither me or my Father, because if you knew one you would know the other also. Do I know either one? Do I know God?
When I walk into my future or in some place that I have never been, I can have His light, the light of Scripture or the light of His presence to guide me. I do not need to see the whole way or the eventual outcome of any situation, or indeed of my entire life, just the part that He chooses to illuminate for me. I need to do what I know to be right then continue to do so. If I carry the light with me, I will always be able to walk forward into it, and be assured where the path heads, not seeing the end of the path, but seeing for sure the part that I am on at that time.
Each year, month, week, day, hour, minute or second is new because I have never lived in it before. I may have been in a place or a situation before that looked like it, but it is not truly the same. Change is constant, and, although, in my mind, I can relate to something or someone because I have done so in the past, I need to get rid of the attitude that I can take care of it again.
I think of the Larry Gatlin song "All the gold in California" where it says " It don't matter at all where you played before, California is a brand new game"
Each moment in time is a "brand new game", and, while it is true that I can act and react in that time frame or situation, only with the LIght of the World lighting my way, can I do it right.
Dear God, help me today or this next moment, to depend on You to light the way and make known to me the path to take. Help me to realize that even though I have been in something that looks like this, that deal has all changed in some way. That someone, or that place, or that opportunity, or that decision is not the same and I need a fresh light to see it correctly.
Thank you for bringing this thought to me, and help me live it out as I contemplate it today.
Amen
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%208&version=ESV
Three phrases jump out at me from this passage:
1. I am the Light of the world, what all does this entail and what does it mean in my life?
2. I judge no man (or woman). God is the ultimate judge, but does Jesus take Himself out of this role?
3. You know neither me or my Father, because if you knew one you would know the other also. Do I know either one? Do I know God?
When I walk into my future or in some place that I have never been, I can have His light, the light of Scripture or the light of His presence to guide me. I do not need to see the whole way or the eventual outcome of any situation, or indeed of my entire life, just the part that He chooses to illuminate for me. I need to do what I know to be right then continue to do so. If I carry the light with me, I will always be able to walk forward into it, and be assured where the path heads, not seeing the end of the path, but seeing for sure the part that I am on at that time.
Each year, month, week, day, hour, minute or second is new because I have never lived in it before. I may have been in a place or a situation before that looked like it, but it is not truly the same. Change is constant, and, although, in my mind, I can relate to something or someone because I have done so in the past, I need to get rid of the attitude that I can take care of it again.
I think of the Larry Gatlin song "All the gold in California" where it says " It don't matter at all where you played before, California is a brand new game"
Each moment in time is a "brand new game", and, while it is true that I can act and react in that time frame or situation, only with the LIght of the World lighting my way, can I do it right.
Dear God, help me today or this next moment, to depend on You to light the way and make known to me the path to take. Help me to realize that even though I have been in something that looks like this, that deal has all changed in some way. That someone, or that place, or that opportunity, or that decision is not the same and I need a fresh light to see it correctly.
Thank you for bringing this thought to me, and help me live it out as I contemplate it today.
Amen
Friday, January 6, 2012
Where Is That Water?
The Scripture lesson for this morning contained this statement of Jesus from John 9:
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink...."
It set me to thinking about what I am really in truly thirsty for. Is it truly for God and His stamp on my life, or something else? Is my search for Him realistic or just something to make me look pious?
When a man is out in the desert, the search for water is a matter of life or death. Is my search like this?
Someone said that man was in a continual search for significance, and I sense that that is a true statement. I realize that I don't want to just live, but I want to have some significance, so that my limited years on this earth have meant something to someone.
But who is the someone that I am trying to impress? My golfing partners? My wife and family? The people in my church? Sure I can do some things that will enable me to gather praise from any or all of these, but is that praise the end?
I know my heart, and I know that the praise of men is highly stimulating, but I also know that if that praise does not match what I am deep down in my heart, it is a fleeting shadow in a dead end street. Now that was a great phrase, right?
Knowing me as I do, I realize that even though I know all of this and I can humbly say that what I do is not all that important, the praise is gladly received. I've said it before, "I know how to be proud to be humble".
My prayer this morning as I finished my Examen.me study into those verses in John 9 was:
"Dear God, let my thirst for You be like that man who is in the desert and if he does not soon find water, he will die. Don't let my search be out of idle curiosity, or to fill some minor intellectual need, but let it be one of life or death, because it really is just that.
Please speak to me through my times in Your Word, so that I might become the man You want me to be. That I would not just appear to be good, but actually be that way. Don't let me become a Pharisee, afraid of a challenge to my beliefs and any authority that I might think I have, but one that seeks You always and listens to Your true words.
I pray that any words that come out of my mouth will be those that bring life to others, not confusion and death. Help me to be a blessing to others and not a curse. Guard my tongue, and use it for Your Glory and not mine.
Amen
"If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink...."
It set me to thinking about what I am really in truly thirsty for. Is it truly for God and His stamp on my life, or something else? Is my search for Him realistic or just something to make me look pious?
When a man is out in the desert, the search for water is a matter of life or death. Is my search like this?
Someone said that man was in a continual search for significance, and I sense that that is a true statement. I realize that I don't want to just live, but I want to have some significance, so that my limited years on this earth have meant something to someone.
But who is the someone that I am trying to impress? My golfing partners? My wife and family? The people in my church? Sure I can do some things that will enable me to gather praise from any or all of these, but is that praise the end?
I know my heart, and I know that the praise of men is highly stimulating, but I also know that if that praise does not match what I am deep down in my heart, it is a fleeting shadow in a dead end street. Now that was a great phrase, right?
Knowing me as I do, I realize that even though I know all of this and I can humbly say that what I do is not all that important, the praise is gladly received. I've said it before, "I know how to be proud to be humble".
My prayer this morning as I finished my Examen.me study into those verses in John 9 was:
"Dear God, let my thirst for You be like that man who is in the desert and if he does not soon find water, he will die. Don't let my search be out of idle curiosity, or to fill some minor intellectual need, but let it be one of life or death, because it really is just that.
Please speak to me through my times in Your Word, so that I might become the man You want me to be. That I would not just appear to be good, but actually be that way. Don't let me become a Pharisee, afraid of a challenge to my beliefs and any authority that I might think I have, but one that seeks You always and listens to Your true words.
I pray that any words that come out of my mouth will be those that bring life to others, not confusion and death. Help me to be a blessing to others and not a curse. Guard my tongue, and use it for Your Glory and not mine.
Amen
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Faces in the Crowd
My prayer this morning as I sat down to study:
Dear God, even as I type these few words, I am humbled by the fact that you care about me I want to show my gratitude to You by trying to live the life that would honor You. I pray that you would show me in Your Word what that should look like.
The Scripture from Matthew 6, in my own words:
(These scriptures follow the incident of the feeding of the 5,000, and Jesus retreat to a different locale with the people following.)
The people came to Jesus and asked him for some sign so that they might believe, although He had just performed the miracle of their feeding. They brought up the feeding Moses had given their forefathers in the wilderness with the manna, maybe with its continued happening for 40 years, but Jesus used that to say that it was God who had given the manna and now the True Bread is given to you. The bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
Jesus goes on to say that "I am the bread of life, this bread would not be like the manna which only sustained the children of Israel for the 40 years in the wilderness, because they died anyway."
Jesus continued by saying; "I am the living bread that came down to earth directly from heaven and if anyone eats of this bread, he would live forever". He then clarifies this symbolism with the words, "the bread that I give for this life that God offers you, is my flesh"
Things that jumped out to me this morning:
Jesus wants the people who have followed him to that place to look for more than just physical sustenance. They wanted a sign that He was the one that could meet their needs. They might have wanted to hear the truth, but they wanted to hear it with bellies full, at least many did. Do I care more about living well, than living right?
Jesus says the He is the true bread that God gives, the bread that brings life that continues even after death, and the bread that people should want more than that which only fills the stomach. His flesh, that he willingly gives up, is the way to eternal life.
What is my prayer after this meditation on the Scripture?
God, I confess that I want the true bread that You gave in your Son Jesus, and that You continue to give each day to those who believe. So much of my belief consists of head knowledge only, so help me to make it real in my heart as well.
I am grateful for that sacrifice for me, and that you care that much about little old me. Help me to not only acknowledge this, but believe it and live it each day, beginning with today.
How does all of this affect my life today?
I can see myself in the crowd that followed Jesus after the feeding of all those men and women. I can see at least three different groupings within that multitude and I can identify with each group in some way.
First of all were the people that saw Jesus as the key to an easy life. If He would feed them, like He had done already, on a continual basis, they could forget the daily scramble for the material things that kept them alive. They would be glad to listen to His words forever, if only they were not hungry any more.
Then there were those folks who would be happy to sit as His feet and take in all that He had to say, filling their minds with all sorts of good things, but not truly believing in a life changing way. Jesus would be a good teacher, even a righteous one, but not the Son of God who comes to take away the sin of the world.
But there would be some that took it all in and saw the true meaning of His words. They might be few, but they would put His words into their hearts and would use them as a springboard into His service. They would not only accept His benefits, but share in His sufferings as well. They would become the true church.
I know what portion of the crowd I want to be identified with, but am I willing to go that far?
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