Take My Word for It

Scripture: John 8:13-20

The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”  Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.  You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one.  But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.  In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.  I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”  Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”  “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”  He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

Observations:
This passage from today's Bible Reading Plan just reminded me so much of many of the conversations my group had last night.  First of all, the whole series was originally branded as a series that would help us feel more confident as we share the truths of Christ with others.  However, it has turned into trying to prove the validity of what we believe to ourselves.  Some of us had never questioned before.  And many of us, such as myself, had.  But as we have wrestled through these conversations over the past few weeks, most of us have gone away, not with a renewed confidence but with a list of new questions that we want answers to.

Matt said something last night at the beginning of his sermon that was profound.  He said, "I'm about to give you three pieces of hard evidence that Jesus died and rose from the grave, but I don't need evidence.  I believe because Jesus said he did."  That right there is where our true Godfidence is going to come from.  I understand the need for proof.  I have that same desire… for everything to make sense… or everything to be backed up with evidence… for my mind to be able to wrap around it all.  But in this verse, Jesus says, "Just take my word for."  And the harder we lean into his word, the more Godfident we are going to feel.

Application:
Last night, one of my girls in particular was asking so many questions.  They were great questions and she truly wanted to understand.  She was seeking the Lord hard in that moment.  Eventually she said, "I think I just need to read the Bible for myself more.  I think I would understand better."  Bingo!  This passage says, "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."  So instead of continuing to focus on looking for hard evidence to try to prove Jesus's testimony, let's get to know Jesus.  The more we know him the more we will trust in him.  Because he is trustworthy.

In the next week, if you don't already have one, get a plan together for your quiet times during the summer.  If you don't plan for it, it won't happen.

• What are you going to study?  (Go ahead and identify enough material to get you through the summer and decide how you're going to break it up.)
• A devotional book?
• A U Version plan?
• A certain book of the Bible?
• How much time are you going to spend in prayer?
• Where and when are you going to have your quiet time each day?

Some else mentioned last night that they wouldn't have to worry about studying the Word because she's going to camp this summer and would be in daily small groups.  My response was, "I'm constantly being taught by Pastor Chris, and Pastor Matt, and Jayson, and my adult small group, but still I get up each morning and spend time with the Lord for myself."  If we're really, truly going to get to know Jesus, we have to pursue that relationship for ourselves.  That's kind of like saying, "Yeah, I don't ever spend time with my bestie but we have a lot of mutual friends that we both see a lot so I get to hear what's going on in her life."  Wouldn't you respond with, "Are you really best friends if you never spend time together?"

Get to know Him for yourself.  He's so awesome!

Prayer:
Lord, I praise you for who you are!  You are so awesome and your ways are so great that I can barely begin to understand them.  But God, I trust that what you say is true.  Thank you for bringing me into a relationship with you.  Thank you for all that you've shown me about yourself over the past few years.  Lord, I pray that my girls would start pursuing you too.  I pray that they would just really make a plan and stick to it.  I pray that you would be their highest priority this summer.  In Jesus' name!  Amen!

Confident in this…
Miranda