Friday, April 3, 2009

1 John 1

I really admire John. More than any of the other disciples, he seems to really grasp the enormity of Jesus, even from the beginning. In Peter, for example, we see such tremendous life change. The Peter we see in the gospels is such a totally different guy than the Acts Peter who is even pretty different from the 1&2 Peter Peter. But John? Chapter one of his gospel reads almost the same as this first chapter. He understood God's deep love for him and responded with a clear and simple love in return.

John opens this book proclaiming the Jesus he knew as an eyewitness. He lived and walked with him. He followed Him for his last years, leaned on Him in His last week, and stood beneath Him as he drew His last breath. This powerful first-hand account could not be refuted by anyone. And it's this same confident witness that we must share with the world too. Not that we walked with Him, but that we have seen Him and heard Him and know Him personally. No one can tell me what I have or haven't experienced. We can't argue about it or debate it because I know Him.

I often think of it as someone trying to tell me that ketchup doesn't exist. That's just not up for debate. I have some in my fridge right now. I've tasted it for myself a thousand times. I've seen it it many forms. I've wiped it from my kids' faces more times than I can count. I know first-hand that ketchup is real. That's the same way I can tell you about Jesus. Not as a historical figure that I believe to be real. He's with me right now. I've tasted His goodness a hundred times. I've felt Him in many forms. I've seen Him in my kids' faces more times than I can count.

The other thing I like about John are his clear and relevant analogies. God as light. Sin as darkness. So easy to understand and yet such a jarring and confrontational contrast. Sometimes I think I'm in His light and have walked out of darkness, but then over time, He allows my eyes to adjust and shows me something brighter still. I imagine I will continue to walk into His marvelous light for the rest of my life until I one day stand in the blinding whiteness of His presence.

1 comments:

Bea said...

You've got it, girl!!!!