October 20, 2010

"My Lord and My God!"

John 6:35-40

As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved … let the message of Christ dwell among you richly.
Colossians 3:12-16

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In order to live lives worthy of the Lord, we must allow the message of Jesus to take up permanent residence in us and among us.

We should start with what Jesus says about himself. In our reading today he says, “I am the bread of life.” Jesus also says, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12); “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14); “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25); “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6); “I am the true vine” (John 15:1); “I am the First and the Last; I am the Living One … I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17-18).

We should remember too what was written about Jesus: “He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made … In him was life, and that life was the light of all people” (John 1:2-4).

Paul adds this about Jesus: “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15).

And we can’t forget what Thomas said to the risen Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).

Choose one or two of these phrases and then, for an entire day, repeat them again and again, letting the truth about Jesus dwell in you richly. See what effect that truth has on your life today.

Jesus, today we meditate on who you are: the way, the truth, and the life; bread and light; the true vine; the Living One. May the truth about you dwell in us richly. Amen.

About the author — Harvey Stob

Rev. Harvey Stob and his wife, Audrey, served as missionaries in Argentina for eleven years. They then served churches in Cincinnati, Ohio; Ridgewood, New Jersey; and Ann Arbor, Michigan. Harvey retired from full-time pastoral work in 2009. He and Audrey have three children and seven grandchildren.

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