FollowingJesus.me

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” – John 5:39-40

Jesus is confronting the teachers of the law; strange because they were more versed in the Scriptures and what God’s Word said than almost anyone. They were the ones with large passages of Scripture memorized. They were the ones who spent the time studying the Scriptures so that they could teach others. Yet, Jesus reprimands them. Jesus is reprimanding the guys who were studying Scripture like no one else. I have to be careful here because I know they were not being reprimanded for spending so much time in Scripture. Jesus is not telling them to study the Scriptures less. The problem is, in their study of the Scriptures, they missed Jesus – the point of the Scriptures, the living embodiment of the Scripture, and the Word made flesh. In Jesus’ words, they sought life in the Scriptures and neglected the actual source of Life, Jesus.

Sadly, this still happens today. We can all point to sermons, preachers, churches that seem to have missed the point, people who push the words of Christ, but not the love of Christ. And, if we are honest, that has been us too.

Sometimes it seems easier to quote a Scripture than show love. More to today’s focus, sometimes it is easier to spend “devotional time” reading the Bible than reading and sitting in the Father’s lap and listening to what He has to say. Relationship with God is work, just like any other relationship. However, it is way more important than ANY other relationship.

Jesus doesn’t just reprimand, he also invites. The same Jesus says, “Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-29).

The question is, will we accept Jesus’ invitation? Not just the invitation to rest; we all want that. The invitation is to take on Jesus’ yoke and learn from Him. Finding that soul rest takes more than sitting and reading the Bible. Reading is IMPORTANT but is incomplete. We need to be still, read the Bible, AND listen and learn from Jesus. Then, and only then, do we “find rest” for your soul.

Prayer:

Jesus, here I am again today in need of you. I need you- the source of my life and breath. I need your presence- my help, my guide, my peace, my strength. And, Jesus, I need your Word- the strong, secure foundation for my life. You know my hearts’ desire to be with you. You see the struggle within me to make that happen. In the words of the Apostle Paul, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25)

Jesus thank you for your reprimand and thank you even more for your invitation. Help me to respond well to your reprimand when it comes and help me to respond well to your invitation to a life-giving, life-changing relationship with you.