*I realized that I haven’t posted up the Lent Meditations … Rhema Here they are and then we’ll need to move on Sherman’s contributions ~ Sivin*
John 5:31-47
A few months ago, I attended a wedding. Both the bride and groom are friends of mine. At wedding dinners, I’m usually most interested to hear about the ‘testimonies’ of the bride and groom usually shared by the best man or bridesmaid. It gives me a deeper glimpse into their lives. To my utter disbelief, the emcee for the dinner that night got a bit carried away and to all our embarrassment, said some negative things about the groom, though I believe it was done in jest. Because I knew the groom personally, my perception of him did not change. Unfortunately, I wasn’t so sure of some people in that room especially the relatives of the bride!
The reason why the Pharisees found it difficult to accept Jesus is not because of the lack of evidence or testimony concerning Himself. There were sufficient evidence in the Scripture and in the work that Jesus did that pointed out to who He really is. The real problem was one concerning relationship (verse 42). Because they had no relationship with God the Father, God’s testimony concerning His Son was of no significance to them. In one sense our view of God’s Word would very much depend on the quality of our relationship with God. An intimate relationship with God would lead to honouring His Word in our lives.
Reflection: How do you view God’s Word? What does this tell you about your relationship with God?