For 38 years, an invalid waited for the healing waters of the Bethesda Pool to stir. Jesus comes along one day and asks one of the 100 expectantly waiting: "Do you want to get well? (John 5:6)" It's an odd question to me. What's the cost of getting well? What's the cost of following Jesus? Pick up your mat and follow Me. 38 years is a long time to think about going nowhere. John 5:14 says that later Jesus found the invalid in the Temple and said to him: "Don't return to a sinning life." When Jesus touches my life, does He find me in His Temple worshipping Him?
The Pharisees accused Jesus of not playing by the rules because He healed on a Sabbath. Jesus response in John 5:39-40 are verses that come across my mind consistently. "ou have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you'll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren't willing to receive from me the life you say you want."
In John 6:35, Jesus crossed to the Sea of Galilee. In just one week, I'll be right there and remember these words He spoke scores of years ago for me this day: "I am the Bread of Life. The person who aligns with me hungers no more and thirsts no more, ever." Every person the Father brings in eventually comes running back to God. God holds on and doesn't let go of us.
"The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don't make anything happen. Every word I've spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. A lot of the disciples left after this teaching. Jesus asked His disciples: "What about you? Do you want to leave? Master, to whom would we go (John 6:66)? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We've already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.
Bread and fish for all...
ReplyDeleteJohn 6:
10 Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." There was a nice carpet of green grass in this place.
14 The people realized that God was at work among them in what Jesus had just done.
Here is Hope. John had called them to repent, the Kingdom of God was at hand. Now what?
People came to hear, to see, at the Sea of Galilee...
Galilee...this word means wheel...Revolution...
Revolution...this word means...
a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.
This Holy Wheel of Revolution bid them to come sit...in a place already prepared for them with a carpet of soft, green grass on a barren hillside.
***God prepares.***
They came seeking a miracle. He looked at them, this crowd of Hope seekers...and challenged His disciples to think beyond their reality and depend on God for food to feed each and every one.
***God provides.***
He broke and blessed a small basket of food and shared a meal that multiplied into baskets of leftovers. More than enough.
***God completes.***
"...so the one who makes a meal of me lives because of me. This is the Bread from heaven."
Living Bread.
"He (God) draws people to me—that's the only way you'll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End."
Hope.
Living Bread.
From the Father.
Through the Son.
By the Spirit.
A Wheel...A Revolution...
"It had grown quite dark (we are in turbulent times) and Jesus had not yet returned. A huge wind blew up, churning the sea. They were maybe three or four miles out when they saw Jesus walking on the sea, quite near the boat. They were scared senseless, but he reassured them, "It's me. It's all right. Don't be afraid." So they took him on board. In no time they reached land—the exact spot they were headed to."
Our Hope in Turbulent Times. He alone is The Wind of Change blowing into our darkness.
Oh, Deborah you have such a beautiful way with words...truly blessed my heart. I could see them feeding all of the people after He blessed the food and then divided it up and I could see them in the boat and the water getting really rough and Him walking on the water...and as long as Peter kept his eyes on the Saviour he stayed on top of the water, but when he took his eyes off of Him and put them on his circumstances he began to sink. We do the same thing...have to keep our eyes on Him and not our circumstances. He will guide us to the exact destination that we He has planned for us. Didn't know that was going to be so long...just started coming when I springboarded from what you wrote...Blessings...
ReplyDelete