When we think we might understand God’s Word, we don’t.  Have you ever felt that way?  We read the Bible only to find out that the more we read, the more we do not know or understand, but does that stop us from questioning God as we read? 

I have discovered that God loves our questions!  He wants us to think about His Word to us, ponder and meditate on it, while committing the precious words to memory.  Jesus, God’s Son, loves great questions that lead to more learning.  Like a letter from someone we love, the words are cherished because from whom the words were written! 

Just look how he helped his disciples, most of whom were poor fishermen, trying to understand what the Son of God was trying to explain to the Teachers of The Law.  Imagine these disciples standing behind Jesus, watching Him debate the Teachers about who He is, who God is and what God wants in deep spiritual terminology that is a bit beyond their thinking.  (And I would be one of them!)  I can imagine the quizzical looks with a bit of fear and awkwardness thrown in while watching Jesus make the Teachers a bit perturbed.  They were wondering themselves what all this means.  Imagine the looks they give each other while murmuring, “Are you getting this?  Do you understand?  “Should we stay, run or hide?” “Did they teach us this in school?”

It doesn’t matter how educated or learned we are, Jesus takes time to explain with compassion to those who have a hard time understanding.  But, the Word says we will never understand all the mysteries of God…yet.

To those who throw up their hands because Jesus’ teaching offends, challenges or changes what they have been previously taught He cannot help because those who think they know all they need to know are unteachable and unwilling to believe the Son of God, the Messiah, standing right in front of them.

Ah, but we cannot judge.  Friends, at times we are unteachable, unwilling to understand what is hard to follow because of wanting to stay comfortable in where we reside in our thinking.  Some days we don’t want to be challenged to seek God in a deeper relationship and discover His best for us when we are just trying to survive the day’s activities.  On those days we are unteachable, missing out on what God wants to give us.  The teaching is “hard to swallow” when we refuse to pick up a fork to take a bite, to “taste and see” as the Psalmist penned, to take in all that God has to offer those who really believe.

I repent of those days.  In Jesus Name.

John—God’s Love

John 6:60-71, The Message

⁶⁰ Many among his disciples heard this and said, “This is tough teaching, too tough to swallow.”

^61-65 Jesus sensed that his disciples were having a hard time with this and said, “Does this rattle you completely? What would happen if you saw the Son of Man ascending to where he came from? The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making. But some of you are resisting, refusing to have any part in this.” (Jesus knew from the start that some weren’t going to risk themselves with him. He knew also who would betray him.) He went on to say, “This is why I told you earlier that no one is capable of coming to me on his own. You get to me only as a gift from the Father.”

^66-67 After this, many of his disciples left. They no longer wanted to be associated with him. Then Jesus gave the Twelve their chance: “Do you also want to leave?”

^68-69 Peter replied, “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.”

^70-71 Jesus responded, “Haven’t I handpicked you, the Twelve? Still, one of you is a devil!” He was referring to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. This man—one from the Twelve!—was even then getting ready to betray him.

HERE’S A THOUGHT…

Among the called, infamous, motely crew called The Twelve, one will betray Him.  And Jesus still loves Judas, allowed him to stay in the group, taught him, fed him and on the night Jesus before He was arrested, Jesus washed his feet—just like He did all the others.  Wow.  The love of God, expressed through His Son, Jesus Christ is pure Love, relentless and extremely counter to the way the world loves.

Too hard to swallow? Then chew on this–Peter responded perfectly (this time), “Master, to whom would we go? You have the words of real life, eternal life. We’ve already committed ourselves, confident that you are the Holy One of God.”

Lord,

I commit myself to you with all I am because you first loved me and sacrificed your life for mine.  Where else would I go but to you?  You are life.  I believe.  THIS is what I understand and knowing this saves my soul for eternity.

In Jesus Name, Amen