Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son.”
NL Daily Devotion for Wednesday, July 24, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
In other words, listen to what Jesus has to say. Lot’s of people have lots of things to tell us about who we should be and how we should be and, more troubling, how other people should be and how we should make them be the way we want them to be. It’s kind of important in discerning God’s voice in the world to take a close look at what Jesus actually said (and what Jesus glaringly did not say… as in a single thing about homosexuality or abortion, for example). Yes, there are places where Jesus says, essentially, if you don’t believe in him you’re going to hell. Kinda troubling (and makes me wonder if he really said that or if his followers used that to make themselves feel better for all the abuse they were suffering for believing in him—which, of course, I can’t say for sure). If you find yourself hung up on those couple of statements, maybe step back and look at the larger picture of what Jesus said. Love God and your neighbor as yourself. Blessed are the peacemakers and the merciful. The Spirit of the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, proclaim release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Stuff like that. Or listen to the loud volumes spoken by his actions. Healing on the Sabbath, crossing boundaries, touching lepers, talking to women, speaking truth to power.
We can receive human testimony about who Jesus is, but God’s testimony—God’s words out of Jesus’ mouth and actions—is greater.
How do I discern what is truth about what Jesus would have me be in relation to the world around me?
