I read the gospel of John over the last two days. I am so use to reading scripture by the chapters, usually a chapter or two per day. But this week's assigned reading for a class I'm taking was The Gospel of John - all of it. Thought I would share some of my reflections on the big picture reading of John.
Jesus spends a lot of time in John explaining who He is. He is the Word, the Light, the Way. He is one with the Father and I Am. John emphasizes that Jesus and God are One. To know Jesus is to know God.
I have been
many of the people John wrote about.
I’ve been the woman at the well trying to hide her shameful past, a life
gone wrong with no idea of how to fix things.
And then I too met Jesus. I’ve
been the blind beggar living in darkness, reaching out the best I could, hoping
that someone would help me. And then I
too met Jesus. And Jesus changed
everything.
He who comes from above is above all (John
3:31). There is nothing outside the
sovereignty of Jesus. There is no
problem, no situation, no thought, no struggle that He cannot walk into. If I will trust Him, He will walk with me and
will be a light in the darkness. He
gives me life.
The fields are white for harvest (John
4:35). Jesus gives us a job. He gives me purpose. There is work to be done. He sets an example by talking with the
Samaritan women. A good Jewish male would never have spoken to an unmarried Samaritan women who was living in sin. Jesus broke several cultural rules by sitting down alone with her and engaging her in a conversation which led to her spreading the news that the Messiah had arrived. One thing I love about recovery ministry is the opportunity to speak into the lives of those who don't fit it and those who continue to live with the mistakes of their past.
Who am I? I am alive. I am loved. I am fed by the living bread and refreshed by the living water. I have been set free indeed by the One who is the Light of the world.
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