John 7:31-36
Find a place and time free of distractions for the next 7-10 minutes. Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a few seconds before you begin. If you haven’t read the Introduction to John’s Gospel, read it here.
Note that today’s passage is the continuation of Jesus’ interaction with the crowds and the religious leaders while he is in Jerusalem for the Festival of Shelters. Read John 7:31-36 noting the two distinct responses to Jesus.
The poet Ralph Hodgson wrote that, “some things must be believed to be seen.” The people in the crowd who realize that Jesus is the Messiah observed the same miracles as the others, but these people saw through the eyes of faith and the signs led them to Jesus.
Stop to think about your own journey with faith. Was there evidence along the way that led you to place your faith in Jesus? Stay with this question for a moment and then share your thoughts with Jesus.
Read John 7:31-36 again noting the response of the religious leaders.
Surely the Jewish leaders saw something of Jesus’ miraculous power. We know they heard about the miracles because John tells us they did, but their response is not one of faith. They are so focused on their fear that they bring the temple guards with them to arrest Jesus, but once again they have no power to carry out their plans apart from God’s timing.
Jesus again speaks of his divine origins, this time explaining that his time on earth is limited and he will soon return to God. But without the eyes of faith, the religious leaders are both blind and deaf to the reality of the presence of the Kingdom of God standing right in front of them.
How would you describe your awareness of the presence of Jesus over the course of a day? What percentage of each day would you say you are fully aware of Jesus?
How do you think you might experience and react to the events of any given day differently if you were fully aware of Jesus’ presence when they occurred? Talk to Jesus about this.
Prayer and meditation are among many different spiritual practices we can use to open ourselves to the transforming power of Jesus. They are not meant to be tasks to check off a list, but they can be very helpful tools for increasing our awareness of Jesus.
Get creative for a moment and think of ways you could stop and be reminded of the presence of Jesus during the day. Share these with Jesus and then make a plan for putting a few of these ideas, or spiritual practices, into place.
As you end this time of reflection, consider asking Jesus to increase your faith and your awareness of his presence so you can see and hear him more.
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