John 1
This seems heavy,
mystifying to me.
These first few verses through 18
make such powerful statements
I cannot even comprehend.
I read this chapter about two weeks ago
and the beginning just blew me away.
Then last week I sat down to write about it,
but when I re-read these verses,
it didn't have the same impact on me.
Now I read it for the third time,
and I am again amazed.
Why do I sometimes "get it",
and feel affected by it,
and other times
I don't get much meaning or impact at all?
I think part of the answer might be
that these proclaimations seem so different in tone
than the last three books I have read.
It almost seems like poetry,
(or is prose the better term?)
but if you BELIEVE the proclaimations,
or at least try to imagine what it means
if it is ALL TRUE,
then it is wildly bold.
mind blowing.
At least right now.
(next week might be a different reaction)
I could spend awhile
trying to wrap my mind around a statement like
the life was the light of men?
that is a cool thing to say,
but can you enlighten me a little more?
I'm beginning to understand what it means
to live an "enlightened" life.
Right now I'm generally at the point
where I realize
how much I don't have it
or at least I can't maintain it for long.
I seem to have brief periods of lucidity
and then droop back
into my typical "comfortably numb" existence
The problem is...
even when I realize how much better it is for me,
to spend
my time
and thoughts
and energy
on the things that bring joy to a life
like love
and service
Sometimes I suddenly wake up and realize
I haven't been doing it
It reminds me of when I was a heavy smoker.
All along (20 a day for 20 years)
I always knew
that it was better not to smoke.
that it was killing me
and actually had no benefit AT ALL
except some twisted kind of self-gratification
Being a smoker is not a happy thing
deep down inside
so why did I stay like that for so long?
That is what I want to be!
A child of God!
Yes, this is where I want to be
grace and truth
I can get behind THAT.
I really do believe these things.
I just can't figure out why I choose to drop away.
It just makes me miserable.
I guess if I was going to pray for anything
for myself,
it would be to keep me thinking clearly
in this way.
.
mystifying to me.
These first few verses through 18
make such powerful statements
I cannot even comprehend.
I read this chapter about two weeks ago
and the beginning just blew me away.
Then last week I sat down to write about it,
but when I re-read these verses,
it didn't have the same impact on me.
Now I read it for the third time,
and I am again amazed.
Why do I sometimes "get it",
and feel affected by it,
and other times
I don't get much meaning or impact at all?
I think part of the answer might be
that these proclaimations seem so different in tone
than the last three books I have read.
It almost seems like poetry,
(or is prose the better term?)
but if you BELIEVE the proclaimations,
or at least try to imagine what it means
if it is ALL TRUE,
then it is wildly bold.
mind blowing.
At least right now.
(next week might be a different reaction)
I could spend awhile
trying to wrap my mind around a statement like
Joh 1:4
In Him was life,
and the life was the light of men.
the life was the light of men?
that is a cool thing to say,
but can you enlighten me a little more?
Joh 1:9
He was the true Light;
He enlightens every man coming into the world.
I'm beginning to understand what it means
to live an "enlightened" life.
Right now I'm generally at the point
where I realize
how much I don't have it
or at least I can't maintain it for long.
I seem to have brief periods of lucidity
and then droop back
into my typical "comfortably numb" existence
The problem is...
even when I realize how much better it is for me,
to spend
my time
and thoughts
and energy
on the things that bring joy to a life
like love
and service
Sometimes I suddenly wake up and realize
I haven't been doing it
It reminds me of when I was a heavy smoker.
All along (20 a day for 20 years)
I always knew
that it was better not to smoke.
that it was killing me
and actually had no benefit AT ALL
except some twisted kind of self-gratification
Being a smoker is not a happy thing
deep down inside
so why did I stay like that for so long?
Joh 1:12
But as many as received Him,
He gave to them authority
to become the children of God,
to those who believe on His name,
That is what I want to be!
A child of God!
Yes, this is where I want to be
Joh 1:14
And the Word became flesh,
and tabernacled among us.
And we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father,
full of grace and of truth.
grace and truth
I can get behind THAT.
Joh 1:16
And out of His fullness
we all have received,
and grace for grace.
Joh 1:17
For the Law came through Moses,
but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
I really do believe these things.
I just can't figure out why I choose to drop away.
It just makes me miserable.
I guess if I was going to pray for anything
for myself,
it would be to keep me thinking clearly
in this way.
.