| Today's Reading John 5:31-47 Jesus said to the Jews: "If I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is not true. But there is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that the testimony he gives on my behalf is true. You sent emissaries to John, and he testified to the truth. I do not accept human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and for a while you were content to rejoice in his light. But I have testimony greater than John's. The works that the Father gave me to accomplish, these works that I perform testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. Moreover, the Father who sent me has testified on my behalf. But you have never heard his voice nor seen his form, and you do not have his word remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures, because you think you have eternal life through them; even they testify on my behalf. But you do not want to come to me to have life. "I do not accept human praise; moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you. |  I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe, when you accept praise from one another and do not seek the praise that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father: the one who will accuse you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. For if you had believed Moses, you would have believed me, because he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?" |
Reflection
Jesus is confident in His mission and lays everything out there for the Jews to either accept or discard. “I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me." Jesus explains over and over again that He is the one about whom the prophets wrote, the one for whom John the Baptist was preparing the way, all of scripture has prepared the Israelites for this moment but in their pride, they refuse to accept it. We find ourselves in this same boat at times.
Too often we fall back on our knowledge of scripture, our degrees, our good works, and how much we know about the faith. This is not what Christ wants from us. Jesus wants a relationship. He wants us to believe in Him. He is the truth. He is the way. He is the life. Everything points to Him. We focus too much on the things we do, the books we read and the charitable causes to which we are dedicated. While these are great things to have in our life, it is not the most important. How is our personal relationship with the resurrected and living Christ? How often are we just sitting and speaking with Him? This is what Lent is all about.
Let us take some time to bring into focus our priorities; why are we doing the things we are doing in our life? Let us read the scripture understanding that it is speaking of the person of Christ. Let us do our good works recognizing we are serving the person of Christ. Let us give, love and serve knowing that it is Christ who loved and served first. Today, spend 10 minutes in silence, at the end of those 10 minutes, speak to Jesus from your heart asking Him to once again become the center of your life and the motivation for all that you do.
Jesus is confident in His mission and lays everything out there for the Jews to either accept or discard. “I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me." Jesus explains over and over again that He is the one about whom the prophets wrote, the one for whom John the Baptist was preparing the way, all of scripture has prepared the Israelites for this moment but in their pride, they refuse to accept it. We find ourselves in this same boat at times.
Too often we fall back on our knowledge of scripture, our degrees, our good works, and how much we know about the faith. This is not what Christ wants from us. Jesus wants a relationship. He wants us to believe in Him. He is the truth. He is the way. He is the life. Everything points to Him. We focus too much on the things we do, the books we read and the charitable causes to which we are dedicated. While these are great things to have in our life, it is not the most important. How is our personal relationship with the resurrected and living Christ? How often are we just sitting and speaking with Him? This is what Lent is all about.
Let us take some time to bring into focus our priorities; why are we doing the things we are doing in our life? Let us read the scripture understanding that it is speaking of the person of Christ. Let us do our good works recognizing we are serving the person of Christ. Let us give, love and serve knowing that it is Christ who loved and served first. Today, spend 10 minutes in silence, at the end of those 10 minutes, speak to Jesus from your heart asking Him to once again become the center of your life and the motivation for all that you do.
All content is created by "Array of Hope". If you would like to directly receive all of the content created by this ministry you can sign up at www.arrayofhope.net
RSS Feed
