Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”
The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.”
Others said, “He is the Messiah.”
Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
Jesus said things that were hard to understand. Things that were confusing. Things that didn't make sense. Things that could be interpreted in several different ways - when listeners relied on what made sense to finite minds. Things that rocked people's boat and with which they disagreed.
And those who heard His words had some pretty typical responses. Jesus divided people... The word picture is a ripped or torn item of clothing.
1. Some recognized Him as a prophet.
2. Some discredited Him and looked for any reason that they could say He wasn't Who He said He was.
3. Some sought to silence Him.
4. Others took a leap... and recognized Him as Messiah.
He still divides today... His Words in the same way of course.
Lately, however, I've been shocked to see how much He shows me my divided heart and mind... Those things He's taught and areas in my life where:
1. I recognize valuable and convicting teaching... but leave it in the realm of wise, good ideas but not necessarily for me.
2. I don't like what I'm understanding Him to say so I stop trying to understand or I look for reasons to question what I'm hearing, ways to continue in my unbelief and disagreement.
3. Sometimes I just tuck my Bible away and refuse to read or study those hard passages that confront me with who I really am.
4. And sometimes, beautiful-growing-trusting-times, when by Holy Spirit grace, I understand, believe, take a leap and then act on that belief.
Like that one daddy in the Bible cried out... "Lord I believe. Now help all my unbelieving!"
this week's gratitude list
(#'s 4360 - 4386)
frosty sleigh rides
little boy tumbles followed by
little girl giggles
envelopes stuffed
challenging questions
hearing from an unexpected person that they heard the between the lines story - and it impacted them
ministering with my big girlies
well-child visits and corresponding lab tests behind us until birthdays start up again
our greater than great pediatrician, the office & nursing staff and the physician's assistant at the office we use - more than once I've wished I could pack them in a suitcase and take them to Africa with us
protection for a tiny one
a new desk
decluttering
new-to-me-dishes that weren't what I expected but for which I'm very thankful
snowy days
winter sunshine
cross-country skis
toasty electric blanket
checks on that to-do list
rearranging and removing
finally finding the leak
reaching a goal - setting a new one
enjoying some really good reads
funny conversations and giggles with my girlies about handsome phlebotomists
teenage daughters
sweatshirts and turtlenecks
snow shovels
snow boots
thermal socks
frosty sleigh rides
little boy tumbles followed by
little girl giggles
envelopes stuffed
challenging questions
hearing from an unexpected person that they heard the between the lines story - and it impacted them
ministering with my big girlies
well-child visits and corresponding lab tests behind us until birthdays start up again
our greater than great pediatrician, the office & nursing staff and the physician's assistant at the office we use - more than once I've wished I could pack them in a suitcase and take them to Africa with us
protection for a tiny one
a new desk
decluttering
new-to-me-dishes that weren't what I expected but for which I'm very thankful
snowy days
winter sunshine
cross-country skis
toasty electric blanket
checks on that to-do list
rearranging and removing
finally finding the leak
reaching a goal - setting a new one
enjoying some really good reads
funny conversations and giggles with my girlies about handsome phlebotomists
teenage daughters
sweatshirts and turtlenecks
snow shovels
snow boots
thermal socks
Ten most recent posts in this series:
- "gong-good'-zo" - Go ahead and say that, just like it looks like it sounds.
- "Stop grumbling among yourselves!"
- Not so much about filling tummies... but lives...
- To Whom Shall We Go?
- Incognito
- Learned? Schmearned!
- Instead judge correctly (part 1)
- Instead judge correctly (part 2)
- Instead judge correctly (part 3)
- Whisperers
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