The Father Revealed vi

•April 11, 2014 • 2 Comments

Ian Paterson [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

John 8:21-30 (CEV)

You Cannot Go Where I Am Going

21 Jesus also told them, “I am going away, and you will look for me. But you cannot go where I am going, and you will die with your sins unforgiven.”

22 The Jewish leaders asked, “Does he intend to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying we cannot go where he is going?”

23 Jesus answered, “You are from below, but I am from above. You belong to this world, but I don’t. 24 That is why I said you will die with your sins unforgiven. If you don’t have faith in me for who I am, you will die, and your sins will not be forgiven.”

25 “Who are you?” they asked Jesus.

Jesus answered, “I am exactly who I told you at the beginning. 26 There is a lot more I could say to condemn you. But the one who sent me is truthful, and I tell the people of this world only what I have heard from him.”

27 No one understood that Jesus was talking to them about the Father.

28 Jesus went on to say, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, you will know who I am. You will also know that I don’t do anything on my own. I say only what my Father taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me. I always do what pleases him, and he will never leave me.”

30 After Jesus said this, many of the people put their faith in him.

I can’t go
where you are going?
But that is what you promised,
it’s what I want,
what I need…
I need
your presence,
your support,
your strength,
your guiding
in my life.

Oh,
but you’re talking about them,
the ones
who seek only to make trouble,
do all they can
to turn others from you,
refuse to hear your word,
and try to stop others doing so too.

Is that me?
Am I one of them?
Thinking I am secure
in my cosy God-world,
when it is anything but?

Or
can I actually go with you?
Will I go
where you are going?
The way of sacrifice
or pouring out your all,
for those
who need your offering
of love
and forgiveness?

Can I walk that way?
Give up my securities,
my certainties,
that hold me back;
and live
the way
that pleases you?

Where am I going?
Lord,
let it be with you.
May I follow
in faith
day by day

By My Side

Posted in bible, calling, faith, God, Jesus, Lectionary, lent, Religion, theology
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The Father Revealed v

•April 10, 2014 • Leave a Comment

John 8:12-20 (CEV)

Jesus Is the Light for the World

12 Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”

13 The Pharisees objected, “You are the only one speaking for yourself, and what you say isn’t true!”

14 Jesus replied:

Even if I do speak for myself, what I say is true! I know where I came from and where I am going. But you don’t know where I am from or where I am going. 15 You judge in the same way that everyone else does, but I don’t judge anyone. 16 If I did judge, I would judge fairly, because I would not be doing it alone. The Father who sent me is here with me. 17 Your Law requires two witnesses to prove that something is true. 18 I am one of my witnesses, and the Father who sent me is the other one.

19 “Where is your Father?” they asked.

“You don’t know me or my Father!” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would know my Father.”

20 Jesus said this while he was still teaching in the place where the temple treasures were stored. But no one arrested him, because his time had not yet come.

Stumbling,
bumping,
wandering,
lost,
unable to see
what is right in front of me,
not able to find the way
forwards
or backwards.

Darkness.

A match struck,
a switch flicked,
a flame burning brightly,
a glimmer of light,
a ray of hope.

Light,
your light.

Illuming my path,
filling my life,
showing your way,
you are the one
who knows the way to go.

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I will guide you,
follow me,
step by my light,
this is not the way of darkness,
of shadows,
of fear;
but of brightness,
life
and love.

Walk with me
into all my future,
into your life.

Light of the World

Posted in bible, faith, follow, God, hope, Jesus, Lectionary, lent, Religion, theology
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The Father Revealed iv

•April 9, 2014 • Leave a Comment

Genesis 17:1-9 (CEV)

God’s Promise to Abraham

17 Abram was ninety-nine years old when the Lord appeared to him again and said, “I am God All-Powerful. If you obey me and always do right, 2 I will keep my solemn promise to you and give you more descendants than can be counted.” 3 Abram bowed with his face to the ground, and God said:

4-5 I promise that you will be the father of many nations. That’s why I now change your name from Abram to Abraham. 6 I will give you a lot of descendants, and in the future they will become great nations. Some of them will even be kings.

7 I will always keep the promise I have made to you and your descendants, because I am your God and their God. 8 I will give you and them the land in which you are now a foreigner. I will give the whole land of Canaan to your family forever, and I will be their God.

9 Abraham, you and all future members of your family must promise to obey me.

I make these promises to you
because I am your God,
I care for you,
I am watching out for you.

You worry
and fret;
you try to force my hand
and make things happen your way
and in your time;
you cannot see the abundance
of your future,
but I can.
You will be blessed
beyond your wildest imaginings,
bigger than you could ever dream.

I am your God
and I will continue to be your God.

Lord I hear your promise,
your word,
your love,
revealing yourself to me.
As you are faithful to me,
may I be faithful
to you,
walk in your ways,
and know your strength
to do so.

The God of Abraham Praise

Posted in bible, calling, faith, God, hope, Lectionary, lent, Religion, theology
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