OzThoughts Tuesday 6th January 2009

OzThoughts Tuesday 6th January 2009


For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
... And he will be called
…Mighty God…
(Isaiah 9: 6 New International Version).

Jesus challenges us to check our picture of God. We so often look at God sitting on his throne high and lifted up. We see a God who strikes fear into us as we think of his power and our weakness. We see him as the creator and therefore possible destroyer of all things. We see his holiness and we see our own unworthiness.

Jesus however, gives us a very different picture. Just let our mind’s eye focus on a few scenes for a moment. We see Jesus with children. We see him with rough fishermen. We see him as he talks about building and farming. We see his strength as he argues with the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees, the influential religious men of the nation.

We see him gently dealing with lepers, the lame, and the blind. We see dealing gently with women who are thought to be less than the best by those around them. We see him sternly warning some people while warmly embracing others.

Jesus was young, fit and strong. Men and women, boys and girls were attracted to him.
In the country and the city, people flocked to him to hear him and to watch him heal their friends and acquaintances.

Let your mind’s eye continue to rove over the events in Jesus life. Then listen carefully as he says:

“To see me is to see the Father” (John 14:9 The Message) )and
“If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You've even seen him!" (John 14:7 The Message).

PRAYER:

Father , thank you that as we see Jesus we se you. Help us to live according to this vision and share it with others today. Amen.

[Look and Listen: http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly7AnIobgh0&feature=related ]

Who is he in yonder stall,
At whose feet the shepherds fall?

Chorus
'Tis the Lord! O wondrous story,
'Tis the Lord, the King of Glory!
At his feet we humbly fall,
Crown him, crown him Lord of all!

Who is he in deep distress,
Fasting in the wilderness?

Who is he to whom they bring
All the sick and sorrowing?

Who is he on yonder tree
Dies in grief and agony?

Who is he who from the grave
Comes to succor, help and save?

Who is he whom from his throne
Rules through all the worlds alone?
Author: Benjamin Russell Hanby (1833-97)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 104


John 14:6-15 (The Message)

6 Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me.
7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him. You've even seen him!"
8 Philip said, "Master, show us the Father; then we'll be content."
9 "You've been with me all this time, Philip, and you still don't understand? To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, "Where is the Father?'
10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you aren't mere words. I don't just make them up on my own. The Father who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act.
11 "Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can't believe that, believe what you see--these works.
12 The person who trusts me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I've been doing. You can count on it.
13 From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I'll do it. That's how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it.
14 Whatever you request in this way, I'll do.


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