The Journey Ahead
Father, I come before You in humble need. I realize You enable me to express what You want my small corner of the world to hear. Use my mind and heart as You see fit. Amen.
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Well for someone with obsessive-compulsive tendencies, where I find myself at this point in journaling is a little out of whack. When I first started writing, almost 6 years ago, I picked up right about where I was in reading through the New Testament at the time, and that was the Book of Ephesians. Since then, I have written in conjunction with those passages from that point to the end of the New Testament (I began Revelation but soon skipped back to the Gospels).
As of yesterday, we have tracked through the first three Gospels – i.e., Mathew, Mark, and Luke, and that alone has taken a little over three years! But today we begin the Gospel of the Apostle John.
First of all, a quick explanation of the word Gospel. The word gospel is derived from the Anglo-Saxon term god-spell – god meaning “good” and spell meaning “news, a story”, hence “good news”. And that good news is the proclamation of Jesus and all He said and did while living here amongst us.
Mathew, Mark, and Luke are referred to as the synoptic Gospels. The word “synoptic” comes from the Greek word meaning “able to be seen together.”
This is from an online news article: The synoptics cover many of the same miracles, parables and events of Jesus’ life and ministry. There is a lot of overlap, repetition and even some parallel passages that are nearly identical. Generally speaking, the synoptics tell us what Jesus said and did; John tells us who Jesus is. The synoptics focus on the signs and sayings of Christ; John emphasizes the identity of Christ. (emphasis mine)
They all are the inspired Word of God, dispensed to the writers of each, which accounts for each of their perspectives. While the synoptics are similar the Gospel of John is unique, again telling us who Jesus is and emphasizing His identity.
There is definitely something special about John and what He had to say about Jesus, and I have been looking forward to diving into what the Lord has for us over the up-and-coming weeks!
Let me close with an excerpt from my study Bible’s introduction to John.
The mighty Creator became a part of the creation, limited by time and space and susceptible to aging, sickness, and death. But love propelled him, and so he came to rescue and save those who were lost and to give them the gift of eternity. He is the Word, he is Jesus, the Messiah.
John’s Gospel is not a life of Christ, it is a powerful argument for the incarnation, a conclusive demonstration that Jesus was, and is the very heaven-sent Son of God and the only source of eternal life.
Pray that this journey we are about to undertake will change and challenge us as only God can do!
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Jan 28th, 2021, Thurs, 1:15 pm
Find Yourself
Dear Father, there has been a lot on today and it’s beginning or catch up with me. The day is almost done with just a bit more to wrap up. Guide my heart and thoughts toward You. Amen.
Luke 24:44-53 (<<click here to read the passage)
When I was younger it was a “hip” thing to leave what you had known for the better part of your life to go “find yourself”. I would think that would still be a viable life-goal, though I’m not sure that I’ve heard anyone label it that way recently.
Yourdictionary.com defines it this way: To learn, or attempt to learn, what kind of person one is and what one wants in life.
Some people know from an early age what they want to do with their lives and their lives just seem to go that way. And in the end, all is well and good.
Others pursue the same path but eventually discover that the end result wasn’t all that they thought it was going to be. Then they feel sort of stuck, not knowing what to do or where to go.
And yet others, have no clear direction at all but flit from one thing to another never really getting anywhere. A job here, a project there but when all is said and done, they had nothing to show for all their efforts.
The study Bible* note on verse 53, the last verse of Luke’s Gospel, sums up Jesus’ life and goals pretty well.
Luke’s Gospel portrays Jesus as a perfect life lived according to God’s plan. As a child, he was obedient to his parents and amazed the religious leaders in the Temple. As an adult, he served God and others through preaching and healing, and finally, as a condemned man, he suffered without complaint. This portrayal of Jesus was well suited to Luke’s Greek audience, who placed high value on being an example and improving oneself, and who often discussed the meaning of perfection. The Greeks, however, had a difficult time understanding the spiritual importance of the physical world. To them, the spiritual was always more important than the physical. To help them understand the God-man who united the spiritual and the physical, Luke emphasized that Jesus was not a phantom but a real human being who healed people and fed them because he was concerned with their physical health as well as the state of their souls.
As believers living according to God’s plan, we, too should obey our Lord in every detail as we seek to bring wholeness to people’s bodies and souls. If others want to know how to live a perfect life, we can point them to Jesus.
Jesus’ life and goals were pretty well laid out. He knew what needed to be done. He knew how to do it, but it didn’t make it any less grueling for Him. He was determined but…well, honestly, it still hurt. It hurt physically. It hurt emotionally. It hurt spiritually. I cannot begin to comprehend how the One who created every single thing in the universe took everything that was literally thrown back in His face. But He did…no hate, just love. Not rejection, just forgiveness.
Yes, we are most definitely not God, but we are called to be like Him. The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:1-2 states,
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. NLT
You may know exactly where you are going, you found yourself long ago. You may have no clue where you’re going – you may not even know where you’re at! Either way, you can only truly find yourself in Christ. Ans regardless of where you are, He is the only Way.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Jan 27th, 2021, Wed, 7:27 pm
Open Your Mind
An unexpectedly productive day in that there was no school due to icy roads. Thank You Father for guiding my thoughts and actions in preparation for our service Sunday.
Luke 24:44-53 (<<click here to read the passage)
Several years ago, I remember hearing a family member’s son say that he had started blogging. (I think he was in high school then; he’s now married with three beautiful little girls!) I had no earthly idea what he was talking about! I am amazed that a little over five and a half years ago I was challenged by my son to begin blogging, using entries from my journal. And now here we are!
I truly have to give the Lord credit for it all. He has gifted me with the ability to articulate what comes to mind each day. But most amazing of all is that even when I sit and read each day’s passage of Scripture, something always seems to come to mind! I have lost count of how many times after reading through the verses I think, “What in the world can I say about that?!” Often my mind latches onto a phrase but equally as often, I have absolutely no idea what I’m going to write.
But I must say the Lord is faithful! Even when I go off on my own, writing about something beyond the passages of His Word that He grants me the privilege to expound about, He takes some mundane thing in my life and inspires me with a link to the wonderful life found only in a relationship with Him.
In verse 45 of today’s passage, it is said that Jesus “opened their minds to [help them] understand the Scriptures.” Through the Holy Spirit, He does the same for us today and I am here to testify to that truth.
I would challenge you to not hold back from doing the same yourself. Many sell themselves short thinking they could never understand if they began regularly reading the Bible. My study Bible says,
Have you ever wondered how to understand a difficult Bible passage? Besides reading surrounding passages, asking other people, and consulting reference works, pray that the Holy Spirit will open your mind to understand, giving you the needed insight to put God’s Word into action in your life.
He can and He does! Yes, some verses are much harder than others to understand but He will be with you all the way and can open your mind, as well! Don’t hold back, jump right in and see what the greatest Teacher ever has for you to learn!
Jan 26th, 2021, Tues, 7:23 pm
The Proof’s Not in the Pudding but the Broiled Fish
Photographer Ted Cavanaugh, Shoot date 03/22/2018, Publish Date 06/01/2018, Embargo Expiration Date 01/01/2019
A good first day back as we get back to a full 5 days in school for all kids. Father, I would ask for patience for all adults involved and cooperation from all our kiddos. Amen.
Luke 24:35-43 (<<click here to read the passage)
I recently read an informative online article from NPR (National Public Radio).
We’ve heard the colloquialism “The proof is in the pudding.” But did you know that that version of it is actually a new twist on a very old proverb? The original version is the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And what it meant was that you had to try out food in order to know whether it was good. … the word pudding itself has changed. In Britain, dating back centuries, pudding meant more than a sweet dessert. Back then, pudding referred to a kind of sausage, filling the intestines of some animal with minced meat and other things – something you probably want to try out carefully since that kind of food could be rather treacherous.
Upon their return from Emmaus the two followers of Jesus were sharing of their interaction with the risen Christ when without warning, Jesus stood amongst them! Though He proclaimed, “Peace be with you,” it says the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!
The passage goes on to say,
“Why are you frightened?” [Jesus] asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.
Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he ate it as they watched.
Their emotions were all over the place. Yes, He had shared about all these things but just because they had heard what He said doesn’t mean they had understood it. Even standing in His presence at that moment, it still wasn’t sinking in. But the proof of the pudding – Jesus being who He said He was and doing what He did – is in the eating. In other words, seeing Him, touching Him, watching Him eat a bite of broiled fish was the proof they needed. It gave them something solid and tangible to get ahold of. The meaning of the colloquialism meant that they had to try to do that to know that what seemed too good to be true, was true!
And Jesus, glorious Jesus, was patient as always. He understood the humanity of their anxiety. It was a shock, but He helped them out in the transition, helping them to take it all in…one bite at a time.
Lord Jesus, hindsight is most definitely of great benefit. We know who You are, but there are still times when we just aren’t sure. We question the reality of where we find ourselves and how You fit into that reality. We would ask that You enable us to believe…even if we have to do it in bite-size pieces. Amen.
Jan 25th, 2021, Mon, 6:11 pm
Shelter in the Barren Branches
Father, true contentment is found only in You. Thank You for that assurance. All praise to You, Holy Father!
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We have a beautiful burning bush on the leeward side of our home. It happens to sit right outside our bedroom window. I mention where it is located in that, especially this time of year, small birds congregate in the shelter of its barren branches. It will get snow-covered but for the most part, it is shielded from the bitter winter winds.
I took the above picture this past Christmas day (not too, too bad, even with the screen) but I thought of it again yesterday seeing birds once more in its branches. Most of the time there are yellow and purple finches, juncos, and pretty regularly we will see cardinals hunkered down. But it got me to thinking…when the world is howling all around us, where do we go?
Interestingly enough, I go to the One who once called out from another burning bush (Exodus 3:1-6). Yes, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”
Though Moses would come to know Him intimately in the last 80 years of his life (40 had already passed), at this time he did not know who spoke to him. So, after telling him to keep his distance, for Moses stood on holy ground, God said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”
Their God was Moses’ God and Moses’ God is my God. The God who created all of creation…all that we know and all we do not know. That God knows me and most wonderfully of all, He loves me! 1 John 4:9-10 affirms to us this great truth!
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. NLT
So, as I looked out my window to see the birds – common everyday birds – provided shelter by their loving Creator, it reminded me of His love for me – common everyday me – and you – as well!
Jan 24th, 2021, Sun, 7:13 pm