Do You Believe? Really?

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

37 But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart, and be converted and I heal them.” 41 These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him.42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue;43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

44 And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. 46 I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. 49 For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. 50 I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.” (John 12:37-50, NASB)

REFLECTIONS:

I always marvel at the obstinacy of some people.  No matter how much you try to reason and plead with them, they will not hear whatever you have to say.  How much will it take for them to believe?  I have pondered this question over the years.  In this passage the Bible reveals a few answers.  Isaiah says that BOTH SEEING and HEARING are required for receiving Truth.  How many times have you told your kids to do something, they heard it and that’s the last of it.  They forgot.  It just went right past them.  It wasn’t until they perceived with their hearts, that the thing you said would be done or parts of their anatomy would be subjected to pain, that they finally got it.  They perceived.  The word got down into their heart and they realized it was going to impact their posterior world if the word was not received.  Simple analogy, but most of us do the same thing.  We hear it and go on our way and that is the last of it.  We don’t try to UNDERSTAND very much.  Understanding is hard work.  It takes a few minutes out of your day and usually a quieting of your mind for hearing to be transformed into seeing or perceiving.  It may even take a little investigation or study of the matter to bring us to true discernment.  In our busy world, it is easy to see that we run on overdrive all the time and never take a serious look at Truth and hence we do not really SEE.

The flip side is true as well. Due to how we were raised, what kind of childhood we grew up in and just the tendencies we have in our personalities, most of us tend to put Truth into our neat little box and when someone comes along and wants us to open the box to put something new in, we resist.  We hear but we immediately discern that it doesn’t fit into our box.  It is summarily dismissed.  The Pharisees were like this.  They had a strict set of rules and Jesus simply did not fit into those rules.  In fact, he didn’t fit anything that they believed, so he was viewed as someone who needed to be taken out of the equation.  It shook their box and they were holding on tight.  What was even worse is that their box was subjected to the people as law and they were able to control the people that were under their authority with their version of the Truth.  They kept THEM from receiving what God wanted to give as well.  No further discernment was allowed beyond their authority.  Questioning the belief system was simply not tolerated.  Therefore, understanding was non-existent.   That is why they did not discern who Jesus was.

All of these examples cause harm to ourselves and to others because it keeps us from getting a new, fresh word from God that would bring LIFE to us.  But Jesus does not stop there, it gets even worse.  In verse 48, Jesus says, “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”  God has given Jesus the words that make us accountable for what we believe.  We will be judged ultimately for what we have heard, perceived and the action we have taken because of it.

 Sobering thoughts… but Jesus does not leave us there… there is always a promise behind every commandment.  The one behind this one is HEALING!  Isaiah says this, “be converted and I heal them.”

The word converted here is the same word for REPENT or TURN AROUND.  We need to repent of our obstinacy and fitting God into what we want him to be instead of what and who he really is.  An admonition to all of us is to be like a Berean.  Paul says this about them in Acts 17:10-12:

The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.  Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.  Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.

They received the word then tested it against scripture and perceived it was right.  Paul says they were noble people because of this.  Here are a few definitions for noble:

• possessing outstanding qualities of high birth or exalted rank
• possessing very high or excellent qualities or properties
• characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals

This is an interesting word to me because it is a word having to do with rank and progression.  It shows we can improve our standing in the Kingdom and the sky is the limit if we will just SEE and HEAR.  I know this to be true.  I have sat with older saints and they are wiser way beyond their years of life.  They SEE the Kingdom and you can feel the Spirit just by sitting with them.  You walk away refreshed even without a word, because the Truth lives in them.

POINT OF ACTION:

What WORD is God trying to say to you today?  Did the word jump off the page onto you?  God is trying to get your attention.  Are you having dreams or visions?  God talks to some in this manner.  Ask someone about it.  Get a study partner.  You will be amazed how God will confirm things you are hearing with someone you are studying the word with.  Get hold of an older saint and have them pray for you…God wants to speak… and for heaven’s sake don’t turn it off just because you don’t understand.  You may have a piece that fits with someone else’s that will bring salvation to someone or a truth that could help all mankind.  Don’t limit God, he has Great Things in store for you to perceive.

PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see and our ears to hear the words of LIFE You want to speak into us today, into our situations, into our hearts.  Don’t let us miss any of them.  My Life and maybe someone else’s may be at stake.  Open our eyes to see that the angels are ascending and descending on us to give us words of life and impartations that will HEAL us.

WHO AM I?

I am June Criner, and I have just returned from David Droman’s Celebration of Life.  I am sitting here trying to finish this devotional and I am reminded, as many attested at the memorial service, that David spoke life to many people over the course of his life.  He was a thinker of the highest degree, a perceiver, and you always felt like he was trying to understand you.  Now he is no longer discerning in a glass darkly, but face to face… mmm, wow, what power and substance is his today!!!  FULLY UNDERSTANDING AND BEING FULLY UNDERSTOOD!!!  Wow!!

The Hour Has Come

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,

“Hosanna!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Blessed is the king of Israel!”

14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:

15      “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;

    see, your king is coming,

    seated on a donkey’s colt.”

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”

Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.

30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.

34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”

35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. (John 12:12-36, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

Jesus has arrived in Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. At the end of this last great journey, he is welcomed by crowds singing his praises and acclaiming him as Messiah. People have come from all over the known world for the feast; not only Jews but also some Greeks, quite possibly "God-fearers"—non-Jews who wanted to worship Israel's God but who had not taken the steps of becoming actual proselytes. They come first to Philip, and tell him they want to see Jesus. Philip tells Andrew, and together they go and tell Jesus. And just when we expect Jesus to turn and address the Greeks, something quite different happens. Jesus sees that people from the wider world are coming to find him and wanting to speak to him, wanting to listen to him—and he receives this as part of the sign that the time has come for him to be glorified. He declares: "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified" (verse 23).

Throughout the New Testament, including this Gospel, the glorifying of the Son of Man is connected with the vindication of Israel over the nations. A time will come when God's purpose will be fulfilled for Israel and through Israel for the world. How can this come about? Jesus seizes upon an image similar to one that he used many times in his parables, the image of the sower scattering seed. The seed sleeps in the earth and then rises, but the people who have sown it do not understand exactly why. They simply work and wait for the time of harvest. Now, Jesus turns this image in a new direction.

In verse 24, he tells his listeners that unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, just a single grain; but when it dies, it bears much fruit. What is he talking about? I think he is talking at two levels: about himself, but also about Israel. Israel has longed to hug to herself the purposes of God, affirming that she and she alone should be the people of God. Jesus has seen other so-called messiahs, other would-be leaders of Israel, encouraging Israel to think in that way, that she is the sole focus of God's concern. But he says: No, the grain of wheat must fall into the earth and die, because only then can it bear much fruit. The city of Jerusalem is filled with Greeks, Romans, Syrians, Africans, Arabians—and they must all share in God's harvest. And not only them, but people across God's world are also waiting.

Jesus is not just talking at that level, of course; he is also talking about himself. He is Israel in person, he is the one who, like the grain of wheat, will fall into the earth and die. Otherwise, he would simply be filling the air with useless words about himself and his few hearers. Through his death, however, he will bear much fruit. In verses 25-26, then, he issues a challenge to all those who follow him, both in his own day and subsequently. Those who love their life will lose it; those who hate their life in this world will obtain eternal life. And this "eternal life" is to be understood in the Jewish sense of the age to come, not some timeless eternity in a distant heaven but the dawning of a new day.

In our culture today there is a great deal that is turned in on itself, focusing on the world inside our heads, whether through virtual-reality machines, avatars, gaming devices, iPods and iPhones, or whatever. People create a little world around themselves and then go about bumping into other people, literally and metaphorically.

As Christians we are called to a very different attitude. We are called to be a people whose lives reflect Jesus' life in being given to others, in being poured out for the world. I am not talking about hating life in a kind of self-destructive sense, but about the need to look at our lives in terms of the calling to serve. We are called to give ourselves gladly to our fellow men and women, to the world, to be the people who will find this way of living reaffirmed in the new world that God makes.

And this is not something we can do apart from Jesus and from God: "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be" (verse 26). This is the challenge that Jesus issued to Peter after the resurrection, when they met on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus said: Peter, follow me. I have trodden this way already. You must come after me and do what I have done, as my faithful servant. And where I am, there will you be also. Verse 26 indicates that this calling is for us all. "My Father will honor the one who serves me." God is glorified by being truly himself, namely the life-giver, the lover, the healer (as we saw in John 11), and so Jesus is glorified when he works as the means by which God gives new life.

When we follow Jesus as his servants, we become people in whom the love of God is shed abroad in the world, and so we too are glorified. These words of Jesus come to us as words of calling, which will mean different things to every person who hears them. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains a single grain, and ultimately it will be lonely and old, and have nothing to show for its life. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

After announcing a self-giving calling for Israel, for his followers, and—first and foremost—for himself, Jesus faces the painful reality of this calling and he says: "Now my soul is troubled" (verse 27). We see here an anticipation of the events in the Garden of Gethsemane, described in the other Gospels (see Matthew 26:36-46). Jesus reasons with himself: How can I possibly put my life totally at God's disposal? How can I go the way of the cross? What should I say—"Father, save me from this hour"? No, he says, it is precisely for this reason that I have come to this hour.

Whenever we are following in the way of the cross, a moment will come when we say: "If only there were some other way. If only God would stop the world, would make something happen so I didn't have to go through this painful process." Jesus, himself, prays in Gethsemane that the cup might pass from him… yet he still affirms God's will rather than his own. He has come to the climax of all he has been doing up to this point. And so he prays: "Father, glorify your name" (verse 28). In other words: God my Father, be God my Father, and be in and through me, so that the world may know and believe that you are God my Father.

Then a voice came from heaven. This happens very rarely in the Gospels. A voice spoke and said to him: "I have glorified (my name), and I will glorify it again." In other words, Jesus, as God's beloved Son, has brought glory to him. What Jesus is now going to do will bring even greater glory to God's name. God will be revealed in his full glory through this final work of Jesus.

As usual in John's Gospel, the crowd misunderstands what has happened. Some say that it was a thunderclap, some say that an angel has spoken to Jesus. And Jesus tells them that the voice has come for their sake, not for his. They need to know the significance of what is about to happen.

What they will see is a young would-be messiah led to his death at the hands of the pagans, a common enough sight in the first century. They have to realize, however, that this is the moment when Israel's destiny will be fulfilled, when God will pronounce judgment on the pagan world that is in rebellion against him, when he will vindicate his true people. This will be the moment when the forces of evil rage against God, but discover to their astonishment that even when they are doing what they characteristically do—killing people who get in their way—by that very means God will win the victory over them (see also Colossians 2:13-15).

In verse 32, Jesus concludes his long answer to the question of verses 20-21, the question of the Greeks who have come to the feast and who want to see Jesus. He talks about being lifted up, being glorified, which John's readers know by now means being lifted up on the cross in the sight of all people. When Jesus is thus lifted up, Jews, Greeks, Romans, slaves—in fact, everybody—will be drawn to the love of God. In other words, they will be drawn away from their allegiance to the rulers of this world who think they have it all in their grip, who think that by killing Jesus they are merely increasing their hold on God's creation. Jesus says: No, when they do that, they will ironically become the means by which the love of God is revealed. I will be lifted up, and I will draw all people to myself.

Again, the crowd admits that they don't understand. In their minds, if Jesus is the Messiah, he should reign in this world forever. The Messiah ought to go on from glory to glory, leading his people in a victorious military revolution against the Romans. How can the Son of Man be lifted up? Who is the Son of Man? This is a question that New Testament scholars have argued about for many years, because Jesus does not provide a direct answer. He speaks about the light and the darkness. The light is with you a little longer, he says. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness won't overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, turning away from me, from my embodiment of the saving, loving purposes of your one true God, then you will find yourself in outer darkness indeed. So while you have the chance, while you have the light, believe in it, so that you may become children of light.

In other words, while you have the true Israel, the Messiah, with you, believe in him so that you yourselves may be the true Israel, God's people for the world. While you have among you, the One who is shining God's light, believe in him so that you may in turn become the people of God through whom God will glorify his name. This calling comes back to us again and again, every day in every generation. We must believe in the light of the love of God and Jesus, so that we, in turn, may become children of light. Then, through us, God can complete his purpose to draw all people to himself through Jesus.

PRAYER:

Most gracious Lord, sow in our hearts the seed of your own life and love so that we, in turn, may give our lives as seeds that will bear fruit in your kingdom. By your grace, grant that we may walk in the light while we have it, and may reflect it to those around us.

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and I am still reflecting on our little getaway to Matinicus Island in Maine. The fresh, cool, ocean air. The waves crashing upon the rocky beach. The screeching of the seagulls. The hum of the lobster boats checking their traps. The towering Spruce and Pine trees. The fresh-picked blueberries and raspberries. The taste of fresh lobster. The stunning sunsets, beautiful beyond description. Maine is a lovely place, especially during the summer months. I highly recommend visiting this beautiful state. If you ever do want to visit, my in-laws have a couple of lovely rental properties on Matinicus Island and in Freeport.

Anointing His Feet

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.”6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”

9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him. (John 12:1-11, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

I have read this story many times in my life, and although I don’t remember exactly the first time I heard it (I was probably fairly young), I do remember having an immediate opinion of the two sisters.  My very first reaction was to feel badly for Martha, working so hard in the kitchen to serve all of those people by herself!  I remember thinking how frustrated she must have been that her sister was just sitting with Jesus, washing his feet with her hair, while she tried to make sure all the food was prepared and served.

Of course, once you understand what is truly going on in this story you realize that Mary is performing an incredible act of worship for Jesus’ sake.  She let down her hair—which was scandalous for a woman to do—she took a jar of perfume that was easily worth a year’s wages and used her scandalous hair to wash his feet with it.  The men in the room were speechless, except for Judas (who no one yet knew was a betrayer).

Everyone at the party was stunned by Mary's actions. Martha, no doubt, must have felt that Mary had gone over the top this time. The other disciples and attendees looked on, most likely, with embarrassment at Mary's display. But Judas couldn't stand for it—he just had to say something.

But I love what Jesus does for Mary. He stands up for Mary: "Leave her alone!" He understood Mary's heart, and he declared her work to be beautiful. He goes on to say that her loving display of affection had a special prophetic sense about it. Just as we read yesterday about Caiaphas's prophetic declaration, so Mary's actions are prophetically testifying to the fact that Jesus is going to be buried—and buried so hastily that there might not be time for a proper anointing.

I would like to think that if I were in that situation that I would have been like Mary—unashamed… uninhibited… freely worshipping.  But once I get honest with myself, I probably would have been more like Martha.  I mean, JESUS is at THEIR house.  AGAIN! The most important person who could ever show up is there.  He raised their brother from the dead.  Martha wants to make sure her hospitality to Jesus and his disciples is impeccable.  She doesn’t want them to wish for anything.  She wants to feed them and make them feel comfortable.  She is the responsible big sister.  The one who makes everything happen.  While Mary is the free spirit, not concerned at all with the fact that food may not be served. 

Jesus has never shown up at my house, at least not in bodily form.  I have never had to worry about feeding him dinner.  But I have held many a party in my day.  I love being surrounded by many good friends and family members.  And if you know me, you know I am not gifted in a detailed beautiful food presentation, I am not gifted in noticing when someone needs a new drink or needs their plate refilled, but I do like to make sure everyone feels at home.  I want to make sure everything is easy to find—cups, food, coffee, etc.  I want people to feel comfortable finding their own way around my house, serving themselves.  I want them to know that I am so glad they have come, and therefore I try to spend time with each person who has come.  I want them to know they hold an important place in my life.  And I do not like to still be setting up food as people arrive at my house, because it cuts into social time, and I feel as though I can’t give them the attention I’d like to!  So maybe I have a good mix of both Mary and Martha in me after all.  I would like to think that if Jesus showed up tonight, I’d be ready with my most expensive perfume and my scandalous hair to wash his feet with it. 

POINT OF PONDER:

Where do you see yourself in this story? 

Are you like Mary?  Shamelessly worshipping Jesus with everything she’s got?  Not worried at all about what anyone else in the house is thinking—risking the wrath of her sister who is doing all the hard work, the anger the men who perhaps don't quite understand why a woman lets down her hair in public, and the sneer of the money man who doesn't understand her motives?

Are you more like Judas? Appearing to be cautious, prudent and reliable?  Worried about how Mary might have better used the money spent on that perfume to care for the poor and needy or even to provide for the needs of Jesus and his band of followers. 

Or are you more like Martha?  Working hard to make sure everything is perfect.  Not able to stop yourself long enough to visit with those who are there because you’re too worried that the kitchen might blow up without you in it?  And if you are more like Martha, how do you feel about both Mary and Judas?

WHO AM I?

My name is Kate Sansom and as you know we just got back from a wonderful time in Maine with my family.  It is always too short.  I have always wished that Maine and Texas were a driveable distance from each other, close enough for a weekend trip.  Every day since we’ve been home our son Benjamin (who spent an entire month there!) has said “Mom, what are we doing tomorrow?” and regardless of my answer to that question he always says “I want to go back to Maine tomorrow” or “I know! We can go back to Maine tomorrow!”.  All I can think is “Welcome to my world, kid”.  I wish it were that easy.  I think he’s starting to realize we’re not going back “tomorrow” so now he’s starting to add that “Grammie and Grampie” should come and visit next week instead.  I love this kid!!!

This picture is from our trip.  From left to right we've got my cousin Aidan, Abby (who you can tell is super happy), my Mom, Benjamin (who couldn't be any cuter) and my Dad (just chillin') all sitting on the porch of our cottage on Matinicus Island.  It was a good day for sure, and I miss it.  :) 

A Fork in the Road

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him. (John 11:45-57, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

There are really two main ideas I’d like to present.  First, let’s set the scene:  Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead.  OK, got it?  Now we can move on.  There are two responses to Jesus’ miracle here; some saw what He’d done and believed in Him, and others went and “tattle-tailed” to the Pharisees.  Isn’t it just like that today?  Sometimes “no good deed goes unpunished,” as the saying goes.  Everyone since that time, and right through until today, has to face a fork in the road; “What do I do about Jesus”?  In this passage, there were two responses, belief or unbelief.  We face the same thing today; what are you going to do about Jesus?  Believe on Him with all your heart, soul and mind… or not?

The second idea I’d like to address is the fact that God used someone who was opposed to Him to get His message out.  WHAT?  Why in the world would God choose to use Caiaphas, the high priest who wanted to kill Jesus, to announce prophetically that Jesus was going to die for the entire nation?  I’m sure that there are lots of serious theologians who have pontificated on this concept, so I’ll join their ranks (sort of) and give my opinion.  It’s because God can use anything to glorify His name.  Wasn’t one of the prophets chastised by a donkey?  Being used by God is a tremendous thing; but it doesn’t mean you’re right!  It just means that God is bigger than us and can use whomever or whatever He chooses to get His message across. 

POINT TO PONDER:

We are all faced with decisions about following Jesus every day.   And no matter what we chose, Jesus can still use us to glorify His name.  The choice is ours; but do we want to be remembered in God’s Kingdom as someone who saw Jesus and believed on Him and followed Him, or someone who was used by God despite our rebellion?  An interesting point to ponder…’ya think?

WHO AM I?

I’m Alan Wassel.  Here’s a picture of me looking in the mirror wondering, “Where did all my hair go???”

The Resurrection and the Life

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (John 11:1-44, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

“If you had been here,” was Martha and Mary’s cry. “If you had been here, Lazarus would be alive… If you had been here, I would not be in the anguish of mourning… If you had been here, I would not be confused… If you had been here, my hope for him to live, would not have died… If you had been here…”

Have you ever struggled, and heard something like this resonate in your cry, “If You would only do ‘this’ Lord…” I can imagine it’s a common thing, the plea lasting hours, days, months or years. The results varying from fulfilled desires, to unmet expectations; and from allowing those circumstances to draw us nearer to God or allowing them to pull us away. It’s hard to not comprehend all the things we see and experience in this life, whether relationally or observationally. It’s even harder try to rationalize, digest, and be at peace within our finite minds with it all.

Martha and Mary sent word, in hopes that Jesus would come and heal Lazarus, yet her hope in this died when Lazarus did. When Jesus finally came, by their own estimation it was too late for their hearts cry to be fulfilled. Yet Jesus had a plan for hope in this death, a purpose in it all, despite their inability to understand it along the way. “This sickness will not end in death.” I cannot limit this to just physical sickness, as there is sickness of the soul, sickness of the mind, sickness of the self, there is sickness all around us. So one of the things I am reminded of in Jesus raising Lazarus from death to life that day, is sometimes the struggle, the pain, the mourning, the confusion, the unmet desires will come, and most of the time I probably won’t understand, yet if I can just trust Him, and lean in, He will turn my mourning into dancing. Sometimes death of whatever or whoever it may be, is just the thing required to allow us to truly have a greater revelation of God. Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

PRAYER:

Thank you, Lord, for your unfathomable goodness, and the depth of your love that so wants to consume us. Help us to keep our eyes, our hope, our purposes steadfast on You. Change our heart through greater revelations of who You are, and let us be seeking in the midst of our imperfections and seasons to be a blessing to You as you work in and through our weaknesses. Thank You that You turn our mourning into dancing, and let us be willing to die to everything in order that we may live.

WHO AM I?

I'm Nicole Robinson, and it’s hard to know what to say, or what people really want to know about me so I’ll keep it simple. I have good days and I have bad days. Sometimes I soar high, and sometimes I feel beaten up with internal struggle. Sometimes I succeed in focusing on the Lord, other days my eyes get fixed on circumstances. I would say I’m just like everyone else, except of course I’m me, and just like those who have placed their faith in Christ, He manages, despite all that, to place His reflection in me. I am so thankful for Him.

The Good Shepherd

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1 “Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” 6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but the Pharisees did not understand what he was telling them.

7 Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

19 The Jews who heard these words were again divided. 20 Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”

21 But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”

22 Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? 35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

40 Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, 41 and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” 42 And in that place many believed in Jesus. (John 10:1-42, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

I loved watching Planet Earth, the nature/wildlife mini-series that aired on the Discovery Channel a few years ago. I was mesmerized by the astonishing sights and sounds of the created world, stunned by the level of beauty and complexity and diversity of God's handiwork. During one particular episode, I recall watching mother birds deliver food to their young. As the mothers swooped in with mouthfuls of fish, below them gathered thousands (or tens of thousands) of young birds, all eagerly waiting for their breakfast. They were all screaming at the top of their lungs, jostling and pushing, falling over and scrambling about in a giant mass of bodies. Somehow, unerringly, the mothers picked out the single voice of their own chick from the teeming, noisy crowd. I remember watching in silence, amazed by the near miraculous scene.

Perhaps, to a bird, all human voices sound alike. Yet, now that I'm a father, I know that I can recognize my own child's voice in a crowded room. Those of us who don't have much to do with animals on a daily basis are often startled at just how much animals can distinguish between different people as well as between other members of their own species. (I know this to be true of my Border Collie, particularly if I say the magic word: "Frisbee.")

Supposedly, even today, a shepherd in the Middle East will go into a crowded sheepfold and call out his own sheep by name, one by one. The sheep recognize his voice and come to him. I suppose we shouldn't be too surprised by this. After all, the shepherd spends most hours of most days in the company of his sheep. He knows their individual characters, markings, likes and dislikes. What's more, they know him. They know his voice. Someone else can come to the sheepfold and they won't go near him, even if he calls the right names. The sheep are listening for the one voice that matters, the voice they trust. When they hear it, he won't need a sheep dog to keep them in order. He won't walk behind them, driving them forward. He will walk ahead, calling them, and they will follow him.

…………

I take it that this chapter is simply a continuation of the conversation that began in the previous chapter, surrounding Jesus' healing of the man born blind. The first paragraph of today's reading (verses 1-5) is a parable, as John tells us in verse 6. And, as typically seemed to be the case, Jesus' hearers didn't understand the parable's message. In fact, the confusion is so great that Jesus has to give a three-layered explanation to his audience: one in verses 7-10, another in verses 11-18, and the last in verses 25-30. We need to examine each layer of explanation in order to fully understand what Jesus is saying to us in this opening parable.

As I mentioned above, we should keep in mind that this is a continuation of the conversation between Jesus, the former blind man, and some Pharisees (9:35-41). And, the question that dominated the whole of chapter 9 was this: Is Jesus from God or not? Is he a prophet or not? Is he the Messiah or not? And now here, in today's passage, we have Jesus issuing a parable about shepherds and sheep. What's that have to do with anything?

Well… In the Bible, the picture of the shepherd is frequently used to refer to Israel's leaders, particularly Israel's king. In our modern way of thinking, we don't typically think of leaders in quite that way. When asked to picture leaders, we typically think of such things as: brilliant and hard driving CEOs of big companies, of politicians with forceful arguments and political skills, or of athletes who come through in the clutch. Often such people sacrifice relationships, possess a "take no prisoners" attitude, and do whatever it takes to fulfill their ambitions. But in the Bible, the ideal king is pictured as a shepherd (Ezekiel 34), perhaps modeled on the shepherd-boy David, who became the king after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22). In a world where they knew about the intimate contact and trust between a shepherd and his sheep, this was Israel's preferred way of talking about kingship.

This is the image that Jesus chooses to explain his own claim to be the true king of Israel. Before focusing on Jesus' claim to be "the good shepherd" (verses 11 and 14), we should notice that in verses 1-5 he doesn't mention himself directly. In these verses, Jesus is talking (abstractly) about the difference between true shepherds and false ones. Who are these false ones, these "thieves and robbers," these "strangers"?

Most people interpret the thief who "comes only to steal and kill and destroy" (verse 10) to be Satan. But, I'd like to offer a different interpretation. I, personally, believe that when Jesus mentioned "thieves and robbers" he had in his mind the religious and secular leaders of his day—the Pharisees and Sadducees and priesthood, the Zealots, and the Herod family. Each of these "leadership groups" were looking out for their own interests, and always at the expense of others. As we see over and over again throughout Jesus' ministry, these leaders tended to despise the poor and lowly, the outcasts and sick, women and children, and anyone "outside" of Israel. And, as we see over and over again throughout Jesus' ministry, he loved to embrace, heal, teach, and give hope to those who were hurting and searching and looking for God's salvation. So, in his discussion about true and false shepherds, Jesus is essentially posing the question: How will you tell God's true, appointed king when he comes?

And the answer he gives is that you can tell the true king the same way you can tell the true shepherd. The one who comes by the way God has appointed has the right to do so. Anyone can stand up, yell real loud, and rally together a group of followers. But the sign of the real king is the response that comes from the heart—when people hear his voice and, in love and trust, follow him. Jesus doesn't have to use coercive force to influence people; instead, he simply calls. He speaks and his sheep hear his voice and they follow him.

So, Jesus' parable of the first five verses is meant to say essentially this: "The fact that people are hearing me and following me—notably the man born blind—demonstrates that I am the one God has sent. I call people by name. They hear my voice and follow me. This demonstrates that I am sent by God as Israel's true king."

As you might imagine, this wasn't enough evidence for the religious leaders Jesus was addressing. So, in verses 7-10, he highlights another part of the shepherd's role—the gate or door. Supposedly, in many Eastern sheepfolds the shepherd will literally lay down at night in the gateway, to stop the sheep from getting out and to stop predators from getting in. In calling himself "the gate" Jesus seems to indicate the way in which he keeps his "sheep" safe, and watches over their comings and goings (Psalm 121). The emphasis is on the safety and the fulfilled life of the sheep. The shepherd has no business looking after his own interests. His priority is the sheep. Find a king like that, and you've found the Lord's anointed.

The promise of full life—abundant life, life full to overflowing—is as relevant for us today as it was 2000 years ago. Those of us who live in modern-day America have discovered how unsatisfying materialism really is, and we are looking for something more, something beyond. Many thieves have told lies and had deceived the sheep, stolen them and let them for dead. Today, Jesus' call is for his sheep to listen for his voice, and to find in him and him alone the life which is overflowing life indeed.

Lastly, Jesus explains that he is the true shepherd by emphasizing his willingness to sacrifice it all on behalf of his sheep. The definition of the true shepherd is that he isn't in it for his own profit. In fact, the supreme test of what he's in it for will come when a predator appears—a lion, a wolf, or a bear. You can tell the difference between the true shepherd and a false one by what they do. The false shepherd saves his life at the cost of his reputation. The true shepherd shows who he is by being prepared to die for the sheep.

Throughout the last several chapters of John's Gospel, we have seen Jesus facing death threats. Now he declares that violent death is not just a dangerous possibility; it's his vocation. And the best explanation of why is found not in abstract theological arguments, but in this very parable, this very down-to-earth picture of the shepherd and his sheep. The sheep are facing danger; the shepherd will go to meet it, and, if necessary, he will take upon himself the fate that would otherwise befall the sheep. In Jesus' case, it was necessary… and he did.

…………

Behind this entire chapter is the ancient prophecy in Ezekiel 34. There's a strange thing in that chapter. Sometimes the prophet speaks of God becoming the true shepherd of Israel. But then, later in the prophecy, he speaks of David—in other words, the Messiah—as the true shepherd, with God being God over shepherd and sheep alike. "Well, which is it?" we want to ask Ezekiel. "Is God the shepherd, or is the Messiah the shepherd?" He doesn't answer. He just points to the future. Only in this, the 10th chapter of John's Gospel, do we see how it all fits together. As Jesus finally says in verse 30: "I and the Father are one." God is the shepherd; the king is the shepherd. It makes sense in Jesus, and Jesus alone.

All this should make it clear why Jesus refers to himself as the "good" shepherd (verses 11 and 14). But our English word for "good" doesn't quite catch the full meaning of the word John has written here. For us, "good" can sound a bit cold or hard, merely moralistic. The word John uses can also mean "beautiful." This doesn't refer to what Jesus looks like. It's about the sheer attractiveness of what, as the shepherd, he was doing. When he calls, people want to come. When they realize he has died for them, they want to even more. The point of calling Jesus "the good shepherd" is to emphasize the strange, compelling power of his self-giving love.

PRAYER:

The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
    He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever. (Psalm 23, NLT)

WHO AM I?

I am Tres Sansom, and my family and I just returned from a wonderful vacation in Maine. As you may recall, we sent the kids ahead of us in order to allow them to spend time with their grandparents. Then, Kate and I flew up to rendezvous with them. We spent the first nine days on Matinicus Island, lounging around and enjoying the cooler weather. Getting out to the island is always an adventure, and this time was no exception. Due to adverse ocean conditions, we were forced to take a small Cessna flight to the island. Unfortunately, the only available airplane was rather small, so we were stuffed like sardines in the plane. On top of that, almost all of our luggage was in the rear of the plane, which made it "tail heavy." Translation: the plane was going to be hard to steer. It's never a good thing when the pilot expresses trepidation about the flight, which our pilot did. However, Kate told him to go ahead and chance it. She was ready to see her babies! So, we said our prayers and took off. The flight went perfectly, but the landing was quite scary. We hit the runway and literally bounced sideways. Since I was sitting in a rear-facing seat, I could not see what was going on. It took every ounce of my courage and self-control to not scream like a scared schoolgirl. Thankfully, we survived and enjoyed a beautiful reunion with our kiddos and family.

The Light

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided.

17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”

18 They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”

25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. (John 9:1-41, NIV)

REFLECTIONS:

This isn’t going to come as a surprise to anyone, but I’m a church girl. I grew up going to church. I was in the preschool, children’s, jr high and high school departments of the same church. When I moved away to college, I found a new church, and I was in the college department, followed by the “young married” department and then when Greg started working at churches I bumped back to jr high and high school again, this time as a teacher. The way I figure it, I’ve spent about 42 years of Sundays in church, allowing for vacations, sick days and stubborn days. But if you add back in Sunday nights, Wednesday nights and ol’ fashioned revival weeks, plus summer camps and retreats, I’ve more than likely been in church over half of my 44 years. I say all that because it still surprises me when simple truth rings true once again. You’d think I’d catch on by now.

If you’re like me you’ve heard some version of this a whole lot. It’s always easier to be the one saying it than the one who needs to hear it, isn’t it? It’s hard when you’re struggling again with the question of “why me?” Why can’t I get past this unbecoming part of myself that keeps me from joining the ranks of “normal”? In John 9, we meet a man who is literally named by his struggle: the man blind from birth; and we read a vivid example of how Jesus’ power was on display BECAUSE of the man’s struggle, and not IN SPITE OF it.

Apparently the question had been asked before, “Why was this man born blind? Was it because of his sin or his parents’?” His parents, when asked were quick to disavow: “He’s a grown up, ask him!” Imagine living in a culture where you were condemned for your weakness and need. Oh yeah, we do. Often you and I put on our Sunday smiles and hide our binge-eating, lonely, angry, insecure, needy, anxious, addicted selves because… well, why do we do it?

When Jesus enters a story, He uses even the worst struggle for good. How fitting that Jesus used a man who had never once seen light to introduce Himself as The Light. When He delivered the man from a lifetime of darkness He symbolically showed that where He is, there is no darkness at all, and that some who think they see clearly are blind.

Let’s take a lesson from “Man Blind from Birth.” His affliction was obvious. What do you hide that you could bring to The Light to use as He will? Jesus attended to a lot of people but it seems like the most desperate of situations were of special note… a woman who bled for years, a beloved child, lepers, a woman caught in adultery… not all were healed physically, some had more pressing spiritual needs, but they were all changed and used to show God’s power.

WHO AM I?

I am Leigh Anne Bland and today I am thinking deeply about the loss of a friend, David Droman. Though David’s body failed, he determined to let his heart become more and more whole throughout his illness. Tomorrow is David’s memorial service, and though certainly I will miss him, my loss is nothing compared to that of his family. Please pray for Steph, John Eliot and Jonah.