So I was reading in the book of John, a while back, an interesting scripture where Jesus is beginning to tell people he is God’s son. He begins to point out all the proofs of who he is. He says that John the Baptist points to his true identity. His works point to his true identity. The Father God points to his true identity. Moses points to his true identity. The word (scripture) points to his true identity.
Yet with all these proofs people still did not believe. But there is one verse that disturbed me. Jesus says, “You carefully study the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. They do in fact tell about me, but you refuse to come to me to have that life.” (He was saying this to the religious leaders of his day)
Here is what disturbs me. I am a minister. A lot of my time is spent studying scriptures. A lot of my time is spent reading. I love knowledge. I love learning, reading, studying. I know I’m sick!
But here is Jesus saying that I can get so wrapped up in my studying of scripture that I can lose sight of where life comes from. I can begin to think of scripture as the life bringer instead of seeing the scriptures as pointing and leading me to the life giver!
I have to admit there are many times that I spent more of my time speaking from knowledge then from letting my heart poor out from the grace & life Jesus has given me!
Now I am not saying one should not study or read their Bibles. What I am saying is there can come a point that it is unhealthy the way we read and study. All the knowledge in the world will not do us any good if we don’t live it out (which comes from wisdom).
But here is Jesus saying life only comes through me and your life should be an outpouring of what I have given you and instilled in you. Your life is my life. You are no longer yours. You belong to me.
So where do you find life? Are you looking to Jesus for life? Or are you filling yourself up with a false perception that life comes from somewhere else?
Jesus makes it pretty clear: Life is found in him & him alone!
But what a great life it is!
Justin Cherry 