verseoftheday

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am alone  and afflicted. The distresses of my heart increase;  bring me out of my sufferings. Consider my affliction and trouble,  and forgive all my sins.  Consider my enemies; they are numerous,  and they hate me violently. Guard me and rescue me; do not let me be disgraced, for I take refuge in you.  May integrity and what is right watch over me, for I wait for you. Psalms 25:16-21 CSB Maybe some part of this Psalm, this song written so long ago, resonates with you.  "Turn to me..." It feels that God has gone dark. He's facing the other way.  But at the same time he calls out to God. In his hurt, he doesn't turn it all inward, but cries out. It's OK not to be OK. It's OK to cry out. He is realistic about his own part (Consider my sins) in any suffering, and in the part that others (Consider my enemies) have or are playing in his distress. And comes back to seeking refuge in God. Waiting. I can overlay my ...

Friday! Proverbs! Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,  but the Lord  weighs the heart. Proverbs 21:2 ESV I not only do what I think is right, I can convince myself that what I want is right. I can find evidence to back myself up. (I only look in places that support my thinking) Let's try this:  Chocolate.  It doesn't take long to find the beneficial properties of chocolate, it comes from a plant so that makes it a vegetable & I can justify any quantity. Anytime. And I can do the same with any niggling desire... alcohol, drugs, sex, money, success, harm, follows, thanks, likes...power...  I can make anything right in my own eyes.  But the Lord weighs my heart.  He examines my heart. My motives. It's not the quality of my argument that he's interested in, but what's going on in my heart.  Is it "Thy Kingdom come" or my kingdom come. Who's ruling, who or what am I worshipping? That's what interests Him. The more I let him weigh, examine,...

Now many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of what the woman said when she testified,  "He told me everything I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.  Many more believed because of what he said. And they told the woman, "We no longer believe because of what you said,  since we have heard for ourselves  and know  that this really is the Savior of the world." John 4:39-42 CSB She didn't know it all, didn't have all the answers, but her faithful witness of what she did  know was all that was needed for others to find their way to Jesus. And it's the same with me. My story, no matter how small or halting it might be, the little bit of God's love and grace and forgiveness that I do know, that's enough. Just share your story of Jesus love. That's enough. And then others will find Jesus for themselves. (I wonder where Jesus stayed. In who's house? And how di...

"My food  is to do the will of him   who sent me and to finish his work," Jesus told them. John 4:34 CSB And to finish his work. This is Jesus fuel. To do the will of (our perfect heavenly) Father. And to finish His work. What an interesting thing to say.  What work did the Father start? Could this takes us all the way back through history, through God speaking through the prophets, through the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant, through the exodus and God rescuing his people, through the giving of the law, through the covenant with Abram, through the flood, and all the way back to the garden. To where Adam and Eve had chosen to listen to the lies of Satan,  and God made Himself small,  stooped down, and asked "where are you?" He pursued. He came looking. He knew. He came for us. And Jesus came to finish that work, so that, we can be finally and fully restored in nearness to God.  Jesus had just demonstrated it by going to Samaria. By meeting with ...

But he said,  "I have food to eat that you don't know about." The disciples said to one another,  "Could someone have brought him something to eat?" "My food is to do the will of him who sent me  and to finish his work," Jesus told them. John 4:32-34 CSB The disciples are looking for our friend now.  Did she feed Jesus?  We've been into town for food and someone else provided food anyway? Was Judas wondering if he could've saved some money? But Jesus has a completely different fuel that is powering his life on earth. Yes he has to eat, but he's not driven by success in the things of this world.  His fuel is to do the Father's will. (jump back to Ch3v16-17 to check out the Father's will) Jesus isn't fueled by the crowd, the response of the one person at the well, or the accolades from his team. It's doing the Father's will, and that's why he keeps checking in with Him, takes time out to be with Him, and keeps quoting ...

In the meantime the disciples kept urging him, "Rabbi, eat something." But he said,  "I have food to eat that you don't know about." The disciples said to one another,  "Could someone have brought him something to eat?" John 4:31-33 CSB Our friend came for water at the well. She didn't know who Jesus was, and he talked to her about living water. The disciples knew who Jesus was. But their eyes were still set on the wrong things. Those unspoken questions about why Jesus was even talking to her, he knew their hearts. They didn't ask her to stay and share some food. That didn't enter their minds. They just thought they'd got the wrong kai. So Jesus uses the food to get them thinking. Thinking about the Kingdom and Kingdom values.  To lift their heads and hearts out of what's temporary, to what is really important. And the really important thing to Jesus was that one person. That one person who was looked down on because of her gender, ...

Just then his disciples arrived, and they were amazed that he was talking with a woman. Yet no one said,  "What do you want?" or  "Why are you talking with her?" Then the woman left her water jar,  went into town,  and told the people, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.  Could this be the Messiah?" They left the town and made their way to him. John 4:27-30 CSB Her 1:1 with Jesus was interrupted when his team turned up. She left her water jar. Was that to be hospitable to Jesus disciples? Was it because she was in a hurry to tell her people about Jesus? Or was it because she could sense their judgement of her? See the look in their eyes,  the questions that the disciples wanted to ask came out in their body language...? Maybe it was all of the above. When she got to town our friend must have made a convincing case. This person of low credibility who was hiding herself at midday turns up and motivates the town to go and seek Jesus. They must...

Just then his disciples arrived, and they were amazed that he was talking with a woman. Yet no one said,  "What do you want?"  or  "Why are you talking with her?" John 4:27 CSB John's writing is hilarious, like he's narrating this scene, yet he is in the middle of it. These thoughts that the boys had were just as much his as anyone else's. They must've talked about it amongst themselves, but no one asked Jesus. For them, Jesus meeting with a woman was so outside their comfort zone no one could bring themselves to ask Jesus what was going on. The point for me is the gulf between the hearts of the disciples and Jesus. Jesus simply didn't care about their racism, sexism, their excluding, their looking down on groups, the judging of where people have come from, what their history is. The labels. For Jesus there is no them and us. There's only us. Jesus would (& does) find a way to show up the gulf between my heart and his.  There's only u...

Friday! Proverbs! A kingys heart  is like channeled water in the Lord's hand:  He directs it wherever he chooses. Proverbs 21:1 CSB It would be nice to see a bit more of this in leaders around the world,  because many of them don't seem to be doing things that I think God should be choosing to  direct them in. Maybe Solomon was thinking of the Assyrian king at the end of Ezra ch6. Or maybe he was considering his own heart. And asking me to consider mine. It's easy to see what some other king should be doing, but how well do I allow God to direct my path? Is it that I just want to be king? He's moving me to love and I'm opting for selfishness. He's moving me to patience, but I don't want to wait. He's moving me to kindness, but I don't want to. He's moving me to discard the record of wrongs, but I cling to it. He's moving me to give but I want my stuff. The water of my heart keeps wanting to break out of the channel God is making ahead of me. ...

Jesus replied,  "Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again.  It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." "Please, sir", the woman said, "give me this water! Then I'll never be thirsty again, and I wont have to come here to get water." John 4:13-15 NLT I wonder if Jesus was to find me, find me hiding, what picture would he use?  Would it be water?  Or something else? Our friend here wanted what I often want from God: my circumstances changed.  Just fix this. Please. Just fix someone else's circumstances.  Please  Then I won't have to keep ______. Praying. Working. Serving. Listening. _________. I so easily want to see God's Kingdom reign in my external world.  In my circumstances. But Jesus is talking about something different that in my rush to fix what is pressing in, I can so easily miss what he is really about.  He's af...

"But sir, you don't have a rope or a bucket", she said,  "and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?  And besides,  do you think youre greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?" John 4:11-12 NLT Gotta love this person :) She is telling Jesus he's got nothing here. Nothing that speaks into her world.  She's the one with the access to water, and this  water is as good as it gets. She seems to be really asking Jesus; who do you think you are? We've had 3 chapters of John unpacking who Jesus is, but this person knows none of that.  She sees a tired, thirsty guy who is somewhere he shouldn't be, talking about things he knows nothing about. Sometimes I'm the same.  Jesus what do you know about my life, about what I feel, what I'm wrestling with? What are you even talking about? I think this dialogue is in the Bible to remind us tha...

Jesus replied,  "If you only knew  the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to,  you would ask me,  and I would give you living water." John 4:10 NLT If you only knew... I have all the gospels, the rest of the New Testament, a community of Christians, books, resources, pastors, teachers, and the Spirit...and there's days when I don't get who Jesus is, or maybe I just don't live like I know. If only I knew the gift God has for me. If only I knew who I was speaking to, then I would know what my deepest need was, and I'd ask Jesus. It's so easy to forget, especially on Monday. Easy to forget who Jesus is. How does that question about Jesus rattle around in your head as he says "if only you knew". If only you knew the gift I have for you. If only you knew, really knew, who I am. There's no big drama or show or noise.  But he is personal. Quiet. Gentle. Tired, hungry, & thirsty, yet He is Life, sustenance,  and Living Water. #gospelof...

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water,  Jesus said to her,  "Will you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) John 4:7-8 NIV Jesus, the one who made the water, is asking for a drink. He has entered in to her world by bringing his vulnerability. He's hungry, tired, and thirsty.  As Diane Langberg in her new book "Redeeming Power" writes: "But the pursuing God went into territory that was considered polluted, to meet with a polluted woman he would have been expected to avoid, reject, and condemn...He crossed over every obstacle to get to her... custom, prejudice, belief, honour, or appearnces". Jesus entered into her world and drank from her cup.  Jesus calls us to follow him, to step over prejudice, belief, custom, to step towards, to become vulnerable, to enter in. If today you feel less than, polluted, outcast, Jesus pursues you too. He'll come to where you are today.  He makes himself small, vulnerable, asks to s...

Jesus answered, "If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, 'Give me a drink', you would ask him, and he would give you living water." "Sir," said the woman, "you don't even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this 'living water'?  You aren't greater than our father Jacob, are you?  He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock." John 4:10-12 CSB What great questions! She's asking what I ask sometimes. I don't get it. This is how the world is, this is what I know, what I've been told is true, and you're saying something different?  Something more? And who are you anyway? This convo is here to let us know that it's OK to ask Jesus questions.  It's OK not to get everything. It's OK that when Jesus is talking about a greater spiritual reality that we just can't see right now, it's OK to tell him that.  It's OK not to 'get' Je...

Friday! Proverbs! Blows and wounds scrub away evil,  and beatings purge the inmost being. Proverbs 20:30 NIV When you have a pot or a baking dish and there's some baked on food there, it takes scouring, scrubbing to remove it.  Sometimes to get to my heart, it's going to hurt. When the Holy Spirit points out that attitude, that choice, that "harmless" thing, that thing I so easily justify is sin, it's like a scouring pad is at work in my heart. It's baked on. This proverb can't be weaponised to justify a physical assault on someone. That just doesn't gel with who Jesus calls us to be. Jesus is all about the heart. When he met a wealthy young man (see Mark 10) Jesus words got in to his "inmost being".  And it hurt. Getting to our heart does that sometimes.  Just like that young man I like to justify my attitudes and actions, and being called to be holy can hurt.  God getting my attention can hurt. Ultimately this proverb points us to Jesus, wh...

"How is it that you,  a Jew,  ask for a drink  from me,  a Samaritan woman?" she asked him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. John 4:9 CSB We hear a lot about systematic abuse, systemic racism, and here we see an example. Jewish men prayed daily thankful that God hadn't made them a woman. To Jews, Samaritans were "them". Less than. She was from the hated group, was of the despised gender, and, while we don't know the story of how she ended up living with a sixth man, she would've been seen as immoral. A "them" among "thems". Jesus actions were a dissenting voice against the crushing religious & social systems.  And he dissented because he saw the person. And when I'm inclined to label someone, to put someone in a "them" category, or a "less than" category, I lose sight of the person, the person who is an image bearer of God. Be a dissident.  Be against the systems that make people "less than...

"How is it that you,  a Jew,  ask for a drink  from me,  a Samaritan woman?" she asked him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. John 4:9 CSB What's wrong with you? Don't you know Anything about how the world is? People like you don't come here and talk to people like me. Yet Jesus steps across all the barriers to connecting with this person. Someone who the Jesus's people would see as less than. Not worthy of even a conversation. Jesus calls us to follow him, to step over or around whatever the barriers are that seperate people. To step towards. To show people by our actions, our words, that people are worthy, each of us an image bearer in some way. That's what the gospel is all about...Jesus stepping towards us. What on earth are you doing here Son of God? Since when does heaven associate with earth? Holy with unholy? But he did. And he does. And that changes everything. He did. And he does step across all the barriers for one reason: Because he lo...

...Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her,  Please give me a drink. He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. John 4:6-8 NLT Jesus did big events.  He spoke in church a lot. But here he is alone, in the middle of nowhere, because he had to go to Samaria, and the implication is that this wasn't a random meeting.  It was Jesus intention. No crowds. No lights or music or even anywhere comfortable to sit. Just two people with a divine appointment. We sometimes have a saying "go large or go home", thinking that big is better, but Jesus seemed to love the small. Love the one. He's personal. Small. Not demanding. And he went to where she was.  Samaria. Her well. Her time. He calls us to follow Him  Small, personal, prepared to go. There. Jesus says I'll meet you where you are. As you are. #small #personal #loveinaction ...

Jacob's well was there, and Jesus,  worn out from his journey,  sat down at the well.  It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water.  John 4:6-7 CSB Mmm so what's so unusual about being in Samaria, at a well in Samaria, and a woman of Samaria is coming to draw water? Because it's midday.  And she's on her own. And as the story unfolds we find that this woman's history is a source of shame. She's not at the well when others would gather, she's come in the heat of the day to avoid people.  But Jesus is there to meet her.  He had to go to Samaria. He isn't in a church waiting for her to turn up, hasn't waited for her to sort her life out, Jesus met her where she was at. No matter our story,  our history, our shame,  what we do to hide away, to keep ourselves safe, Jesus is OK to meet us there.  And if we're to follow Jesus example, we need to be prepared to meet people where they are.  As they are. Just like Jacob received ...

He had to travel through Samaria; so he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, worn out from his journey, sat down at the well. It was about noon. John 4:4-6 CSB Jacob's well goes back to Genesis 31-33... There's a lot going on in these chapters, but one thing that stands out is that Jacob was heading to meet his brother Esau and was afraid for his own life and everyone with him. Esau was coming in power. Jacob was afraid.  But Jacob was met with grace.  As this account in John's gospel unfolds that's a good thing to hold on to.  When we come to God, we may well be afraid. Afraid that our sin is too big, too bad, too much. Afraid that we are too bad. Afraid that we'll be met with anger, with accusation. Afraid that we are not enough. But God meets us with grace.  His grace is (more than) enough. His grace is (more than) enough. His grace is (more than) enough. #sunday #wor...

He had to travel through Samaria; so he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, worn out from his journey, sat down at the well. It was about noon. John 4:4-6 CSB After 3 chapters of being introduced to Jesus as the Son of God, the Creator, the Word, the "logos" who gives meaning to everything, the one who has power to create wine from water without any effort, who is the Messiah the people had been looking for for generations to save them...got tired by lunchtime and needed to sit down. Jesus was worn out. And needed a rest. If it's OK for Jesus not to be OK, it's definitely OK for us.  Take a breather.  It's OK. This is a very human condition to be tired by lunchtime.  The Son of God is also a person just like us.  He knows what it's like to be embodied just like us.  He knows what it's like to need a nap. He knows. He entered the story as one of us. God with us...

Friday! Proverbs! The glory of young men is their strength,  and the splendor of old men is gray hair. Proverbs 20:29 CSB I guess this is a realistic take on how life is...but is it really warning us? #1 Placing too much value in something that's going to fade. Thinking that the attributes we have when young are the most important #2  Wisdom is something to be sought. Don't just wait for it to accrue with old age. What a wasted life.  #3 It's not real.  Not everyone who is young is strong  Not everyone who is old is wise. If we overlay the gospel on this proverb it's a warning that we're placing value on the external, what is seen, and we miss the heart.  We miss what's really important. We're missing God's heart for us. And his call for us to love others... #friday #proverbs #wisdom #somethingtochewon

So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. John 4:3-4 NIV Jesus didn't have to go through Samaria, as the Jews and Samaritans were not mates Jews would go around Samaria rather than through it. The word here for had to is "dei". It means it's necessary, inevitable.  Jesus "had to" go through Samaria. As the story unfolds this "had to" involves meeting one person.  In enemy territory. Jesus "had to" takes him somewhere uncomfortable, small, maybe dangerous, for a meeting with one person. In a way this is a picture of who he is and what he's about. Must've been really uncomfortable to be the Son of God and being squeezed into a collection of cells in Mary's womb. To come somewhere dangerous, to become small, because he "had to" meet one person. Jesus "had to" was me. Jesus "had to" was you. #heispersonal #gospelofjohn #jesushadto

Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John - although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. John 4:1-3 NIV Fake news is nothing new apparently! How often do I ascribe something to Jesus that he didn't say or do, or more likely, water down or ignore something that he did do, or say. Keep coming back to the record :) This passage also shows us the heart of the Pharisees. They were concerned about anything that eroded their power. Numbers, popularity. These were their measures. How easy to get caught in that thinking that my friends list, my likes, my worth is tied up in all that. That when someone else's popularity grows, that somehow that's a threat to me. Yes I recognise all of those bits of the Pharisee heart in me.  And just like them, it leads me to make stuff up about Jesus.  Lord help me to cut through my own bias, my own culture, the lens of my life and experience, and simply be open to...

...The one who comes from heaven is above all.   ...The one who has accepted his testimony has affirmed that God is true... ...The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hands.  The one who believes in the Son has eternal life... but the one who rejects the Son will not see life... John 3:31-36 CSB This passage, and the whole of the first 3 chapters give us no wriggle room about who Jesus is. He is God. The Son. This guy you see wandering around just like me, doing ordinary things, baptising people in the river, he's a different category to the rest of us.  He's God.  The Son. And He's here with us. And we get to choose life, which is found in Him, or not. Accept Jesus, believe in him, or reject him. It doesn't get any simpler than that.  #gospelofjohn #ibelieveinjesus

He who has the bride is the groom.  But the groom's friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom's voice. So this joy of mine is complete. He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:29-30 CSB John's disciples had an argument with a guy, and they came to John and complained that less people were heading John's way for baptism, and more were heading to Jesus. So John gives this "best man at the wedding" analogy. He's telling his team it's not about me, not about this ministry, it's all about Jesus.  My popularity is dropping, and that's OK, because Jesus is the real deal.  My authority is waning, and that's OK, look to Jesus. I'm happy to fade into the background, to be unknown, unseen, as Jesus enters. My power is dropping, my influence, my followers reducing?  Good. If they're going to follow Jesus that's what I'm all about. Is that what I'm about?  Becoming less.  So that Jesus becomes mor...

You prepare a table before me  in the presence of my enemies;  you anoint my head with oil;  my cup overflows. Psalms 23:5 CSB Who does that? Anoints me? This is a priestly function, where a priest is anointed with oil as a mark of his priestly position.  Set apart. Set apart to represent God to the world. We have: a victorious king a gracious host a humble servant a great high priest And the last line, my cup overflows...this speaks of generous abundance, of blessing beyond what I deserve or need.  Who does that?  Gives lavishly? It's more than just a friend - it's someone who loves you. Wants to bless you. This little collection of 21 words points us to some of the many facets of who our God is... #sunday #worship #thisisourGod #psalms #psalm23 #dearlyloved

Steadfast love and faithfulness  preserve the king,  and by steadfast love  his throne is upheld. Proverbs 20:28 ESV There seems to be the preservation of the king, the person, and the preservation of his throne, his position. Both are upheld by steadfast love. Not only can we see Jesus in this, but also us. We are preserved by steadfast love, and so is our position as dearly loved children. The same steadfast love. It's not my fickle, fluctuating love. The love that sometimes is on target and often misses the mark, or to use a rugby analogy, love that just drops the ball.  But. My position as child of the King is upheld by God's steadfast love. And. I am preserved by God's steadfast love + faithfulness.  Neither of these things rely on me. PTL! Rest in that today. And This is how God calls us to love...steadfast, faithful, towards God and towards people...  Yes there's a long way for me to go (or maybe grow is a better word), that's OK.  Because. No m...

Friday! Proverbs! Steadfast love and faithfulness  preserve the king,  and by steadfast love  his throne is upheld. Proverbs 20:28 ESV With elections looming here and in the US this proverb seems to be the opposite of what those who would be king say. Often for those in power it's one set of rules for them, and another for the people over whom they have power. Bosses, pastors, parents, managers, teachers, police, employers. They're the obvious ones with power, but we all have it somewhere, over something or someone.  In God's economy, it's steadfast love that is the dominant feature. Steadfast love + faithfulness. We have a referendum coming up. What do steadfast love + faithfulness say about how I should vote? About who I give power to. We're attracted to the power of the king. Yet the one with ultimate power parked it in heaven, and came to join us in a small, unattractive, poor, powerless package, because his steadfast love + faithfulness was directed towards us....

You prepare a table before me  in the presence of my enemies;  you anoint my head with oil;  my cup overflows. Psalms 23:5 CSB Who does that? Who prepares a meal? Who sets it before me? A gracious host prepares a meal for me. A gracious host says come in, let me fix you dinner.  You're a guest. You're welcome. You belong. And a humble servant lays out a table and serves food. Maybe you've worked in hospitality, or just fed a people at your place. And cleaned up. And done the dishes, while your guests eat and talk. Who is the gracious host and the humble servant here? Our God. Welcoming. And serving. How does it feel to be welcomed in, to be blessed with food or coffee or tea. To be served.  This is our God, who welcomes us in, and serves.  This is crazy love. When we're loved like that something shifts inside, as the message that you're important, that you're loved rests inside. #psalms #psalm23 #dearlyloved #childoftheKing