come to me

Friday, March 13, 2009

Jer. 5:1-9; Rom. 2:25-3:18; John 5:30-47

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
(John 5:39-40)

How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? (v. 44)


All of our lenten devotion, indeed our disciple disciplines for every day of this journey following Jesus, are meant to provoke, to aid, to encourage and increase our longing for, as well as a sense of our urgent need for, an encounter with him.

Whether it is searching the Scriptures, praying the prayers, doing the liturgies, abstaining or fasting or giving... the point is that we might come to Jesus that we might have life, that we might know the glory that comes from the only God, that we might be conformed to his image, to the praise of the glory of God. That we might know him, yield to him, trust him, believe him.

In the language of AA, we could say that Lent, and our daily discipleship, is designed at least in part to provoke and bring us to and grace us to admit that we are powerless to help and change ourselves, to believe that God can restore us to sanity, and to make that decision (continually) to turn our will and lives over to God's care... (We heard a great talk on addiction and the 12 Steps by Paul Sheldon last night at the Men's Barn Ministry Dinner.)

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
(Matthew 11:28-29)

Peace be with you on this crucifixion day.
Remember Jesus Christ, crucified for us, risen from the dead...
If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him...
(2 Timothy 2:8, 11-12)

P.S. Check out "Memory and liturgy" at my dicristina site