There is an intriguing passage in the first chapter of John...
He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.How could people not recognize Jesus? Seriously? Even His own people?
Think about this one. Was it because they had a preconceived idea of who and what Jesus would be? Did Jesus not fit their expectations? Wait, there's more. Not only did they NOT recognize Him, they REJECTED him! It went from a passive indifference to an outright thumbs-down, a pushing away.
Hmm. Have you ever done that? Have you ever considered that your expectations of Jesus might be very different than the real deal?
Ask God to introduce Jesus to you through the book of John. Not the Jesus of your expectations, but the Jesus who is. As the pages of John unfold, choose to believe - even if you discover that you're meeting Jesus for the very first time. Only God can do that...and He is eager to do so!
Starter Prayer...
Lord Jesus, I am quite sure that I have believed things to be true about You that aren't really true at all. I need You to help me. I need to know You as You truly are. I know that I am incapable of figuring You out on my own - I've proven that! So please change my mind, my heart, my soul. I'm eager to know the real You!
Amen.
Posts
I used to assume that I would love Jesus if I met Him because I "knew" I never would.
ReplyDeleteThen He introduced Himself to me.
He showed me more than I wanted to know about myself.
He has and is continuing to reveal Himself to be more than I ever imagined.
God,
Give me the courage to follow you and the humility to receive You as you are. Protect me from the desire to make even You an idol by forming You into an image of something I prefer.
Amen.