Welcome to Day 18. Today’s devotional is going to be brought to you by a dear friend of mine J.J. Martinez. He is currently studying at the Boston University School of Theology, working on his Master’s of Divinity. May our hearts be open to His voice in the next 10-15 minutes. Here are some helpful tips to best utilize your time.
- Choose an ordinary place to become a sacred-ordinary holy ground. This could be your favorite chair, the back porch steps, or a coffee shop.
- Set aside anything that could distract you for the next 10-15 minutes. If you are using your phone or laptop for these devotionals put it on due not disturb. If you are using a printout, set aside your phone or smartwatch. This time is intentionally meant to be with The King.
- I suggest picking up a journal so that you can jot down some ideas that stick out to you from your time with Jesus. As you continue to meditate on it throughout your day, write it down.
- Pick a consistent time. For you, it may be the final moments in your day, early in the morning before anyone wakes up, or your daily office lunch break. When doesn’t matter as much as being consistent.
I pray that during this time of meditation, reflection, and prayer God will reveal himself to us so we can draw near to him. Shall we begin?
August 21 John 5:19-29
- Let’s Begin with Prayer. Pick a posture whether kneeling, sitting, or sitting up straight with the palms of your hands facing upward.
- In this season of prayer, play a song that you can sing that reminds you of His presence. This is the song that I have been playing all week if you like to join me. “I Trust In God” by Elevation Worship.
- Read John 5:19-29
Write some of your thoughts down. Here are some questions to consider to help navigate your time studying scripture.- Where did I feel resistance? Where did I feel delight? What portion of scripture did I experience God’s nearness?
Some Thoughts I Like To Share,
For some — certainly for me — these verses might be confusing and their meaning uncertain, even after two, five, or ten reads. My advice: don’t get caught up trying to “solve” the big questions of faith like the Trinity or the cosmic nature of Jesus Christ. In other words, don’t be discouraged when you’re unsure about something in Scripture! Don’t ask God for certainty; rather, ask God to be with you as you sit with these mysteries.
When I read these verses, I try to answer this question after every verse: what’s the good news — the gospel — of Jesus Christ in this? Take the first sentence Jesus speaks: “‘Truly I tell you, the Son is not able to do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing’” (CSB). Jesus did nothing without the Father, and likewise, the Father showed Jesus what he ought to do. What’s the good news? That we are not alone. The Father is active in our lives and helps us live as Jesus lived: completely in-step with the Father and the Father’s will.
Take verse 27: “And he has granted him the right to pass judgment because he is the Son of Man” (CSB). What’s the good news? That we are not judge and jury over humankind; that the reconciliation of all things to God is ultimately not left up to us. Imagine if one person, picked out entirely at random from the population of the earth — 8.1 billion people, was suddenly responsible for deciding if you spent eternity with God or not. Or if you were responsible for deciding someone else’s fate. No! Only Jesus is the Son of Man, only Jesus!
Finding the good news — the gospel — in all things reminds us to keep at it, even in uncertainty.
[By faith Abraham] went out, even though he did not know where he was going.”
Hebrews 11:8, CSB
- Let’s Begin with Prayer. Pick a posture whether kneeling, sitting, or sitting up straight with the palms of your hands facing upward.