PASS IT ON
DAY 120: I have some girlfriends that I have known since my first year in college. We were inseparable back then and we have made a point of making time for each other through the seasons of life since. At least once a year we carve out a three day weekend and meet somewhere. It takes three days for the four of us to have time to share everything happening in our lives. We talk kids, husbands, careers, heartaches, and joys. We pray together, encourage one another, console when needed and laugh ALOT.
There is one more thing that we do. We share our best new discoveries with one another. It might be a great mascara brand, a cool vacation spot, a miraculous wrinkle cream, or a life changing book. Last time we met, I gave everyone a Magic Eraser sponge because it seriously works like magic. I'm not kidding. I can use it to get stains out of my carpet, clean my purse, get the scummy stuff off my shower floor or scour the burned mac and cheese from my skillet. I love them so much I couldn't wait to tell my friends about them so they could love them, too.
It seems silly, but truly there is something so satisfying with sharing something great with someone you care about. I love my friends. I love my magic cleaning sponges. What is more natural than introducing them? Some things are just too good to keep to ourselves.
As our daily reading begins the journey through the book of John the first thing I noticed is how quickly those who encounter Jesus are to share Him with others. John the Baptist had been drawing crowds with his passionate message to repent and be baptized. Then, in God's perfect timing, John realized that Jesus was the One God had promised - the Messiah. And while everyone was still looking to him, John pointed to Jesus - and so others were pointing to him, too.
35 . . . John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[g]).
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote —Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
As each person discovered Jesus for himself, he immediately shared the Truth with someone else. John the Baptist told the crowds and his closest companions. Andrew told his brother Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him. From this point on, they won't ever be able to keep it to themselves. John, the author of this book, even says the whole reason for recording his gospel is to share this great find with the world.
John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
That is an incredible message to share! Who, knowing the truth, could keep it quiet. Sadly, somewhere along the way, it got easier to share the good news about a Magic Eraser than the good news about the Lamb of God who erases the sins of the world. Yet, if we care about others, how do we keep it to ourselves?
Today's reading has encouraged me to share the discovery that I have made about Jesus. I will start by asking God to give me such a passion that I cannot resist pointing people to him like John, bringing people to him like Andrew and telling people about him like Philip.
Day 113 of 365
Judges 13
Judges 14
John 1:29-51
Psalm 102:1-28
Proverbs 14:15-16
There is one more thing that we do. We share our best new discoveries with one another. It might be a great mascara brand, a cool vacation spot, a miraculous wrinkle cream, or a life changing book. Last time we met, I gave everyone a Magic Eraser sponge because it seriously works like magic. I'm not kidding. I can use it to get stains out of my carpet, clean my purse, get the scummy stuff off my shower floor or scour the burned mac and cheese from my skillet. I love them so much I couldn't wait to tell my friends about them so they could love them, too.
As our daily reading begins the journey through the book of John the first thing I noticed is how quickly those who encounter Jesus are to share Him with others. John the Baptist had been drawing crowds with his passionate message to repent and be baptized. Then, in God's perfect timing, John realized that Jesus was the One God had promised - the Messiah. And while everyone was still looking to him, John pointed to Jesus - and so others were pointing to him, too.
35 . . . John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”
They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”
39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.
40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[g]).
43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.”
44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote —Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”
As each person discovered Jesus for himself, he immediately shared the Truth with someone else. John the Baptist told the crowds and his closest companions. Andrew told his brother Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him. From this point on, they won't ever be able to keep it to themselves. John, the author of this book, even says the whole reason for recording his gospel is to share this great find with the world.
John 20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
That is an incredible message to share! Who, knowing the truth, could keep it quiet. Sadly, somewhere along the way, it got easier to share the good news about a Magic Eraser than the good news about the Lamb of God who erases the sins of the world. Yet, if we care about others, how do we keep it to ourselves?
Today's reading has encouraged me to share the discovery that I have made about Jesus. I will start by asking God to give me such a passion that I cannot resist pointing people to him like John, bringing people to him like Andrew and telling people about him like Philip.
Day 113 of 365
Judges 13
Judges 14
John 1:29-51
Psalm 102:1-28
Proverbs 14:15-16
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