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| is Praise the Only Thing we Desire |
Verses: John 5 : 31 - 47
My thoughts about the verses:
I love photography and have for the majority of my life. There are so many times that I stopped what I loved because other things seemed more important. Then I realized when everything else was taken away from me that my view of the world hadn't changed. I have always had a little bit of a slant on the way things are.
I always doubted that people truly felt that my shots were worth anything. In fact, I have thought about entering contest before but my ego got in the way. Things changed this year because I had nothing else to lose. I lost my ability to drive. My head spins ninety percent of the time. The other ten percent I am asleep. My tummy revolts throughout the day. Yet, I still could take a shot while being driven from place to place for appointments.
The hardest thing that occurred in my transition is the ability to just get up and go. If you know me you will know that I release my stress behind the wheel of a car. Does that mean I drive carelessly or tail others? No, really what it means is that I choose someplace to drive to and allow God's peace to fill my spirit. It has been gradually coming over the last few years, but it finally snapped this year. Driving is a thing of the past. Not only is it not safe for me but I am so afraid I will hurt someone else.
So the thought came in my mind to start showing the world what I saw. Have you ever seen the beauty that occurs in nature. Are you so worried about getting from one place to the next that you miss what God has put right there in front of you? That is what photography forces us to do. It makes us forget what is going on around us and focus on what is happening right before our eyes. One of the state fair competitions this year was transportation. One that I really felt was something that hit hard in my own life. How would I catch something that would show transportation and even be good enough to enter?
Then this shot happened. I did not want to submit it. I like the concept but, thought this isn't what there are looking for. They are looking for something much different. Yet, through encouragement of a friend and more shots through car windows driving from appointment to appointment it was determined that I should submit this one. Who would ever think that God would let my love for being in nature riding in a car is the first contest I ever won a ribbon in. Furthermore, who would have considered that what God was giving me was a since of closure? A way of accepting what you can do now and do it for me. That is what this means for me.
Now you may be asking what does this have to do with the story at hand. Jesus was experiencing this but from a different side of the fence. He wasn't looking for praise. He didn't need it. He already knew that what he was doing was what was needed for all humankind.
Jesus was pointing out that we do not trust those close to us. We seek praise and proof from the outside world. Jesus further states that those that do not believe and trust those close in our life that we are actually rejecting them and our relationship. I know when I saw that I won that my heart leaped for Joy I had validation that my stuff was good. Yet, the people in my life had lost their validation because I didn't believe what they said because it was more important what an outsider said. For that I am sorry and realize that God corrected me through this scripture.
Jesus came to spread good news. People actually met the savior while he walked in human form but they did not accept Christ. Instead, they hunted for something more. They were looking for this great victorious King to come in and free them from the Roman occupation. When in reality what they needed was saving from them. The fact is that God sent people predicting Christ's birth and the salvation for everyone Yet, if we could not believe the predictions how could the people believe God in human form. Jesus felt that pain in that moment and was foretelling what would occur if we rejected Christ. We would face the final judgment. The fact that we would deny Christ and the proof that he presented would lead to our end.
Prayer:
Dear God thank you for giving us the proof of Christ in our life. We thank you Jesus for accepting the way of the cross to clear us of our faults. We thank you Holy Spirit for entering our lives and walking with us each day. Dear God right now we ask that you help us appreciate those around us. Help us accept the proof that you show us each day. We ask this in you Holy Name Amen
Questions:
Do you accept the proof that is right before your eye? Do you struggle with self-doubt? Do you question those close to you? Do you trust in the proof God has given you through the lives of others? Are you willing to put your trust in God and believe in the ultimate of all powers?
My thoughts about the verses:
I love photography and have for the majority of my life. There are so many times that I stopped what I loved because other things seemed more important. Then I realized when everything else was taken away from me that my view of the world hadn't changed. I have always had a little bit of a slant on the way things are.
I always doubted that people truly felt that my shots were worth anything. In fact, I have thought about entering contest before but my ego got in the way. Things changed this year because I had nothing else to lose. I lost my ability to drive. My head spins ninety percent of the time. The other ten percent I am asleep. My tummy revolts throughout the day. Yet, I still could take a shot while being driven from place to place for appointments.
The hardest thing that occurred in my transition is the ability to just get up and go. If you know me you will know that I release my stress behind the wheel of a car. Does that mean I drive carelessly or tail others? No, really what it means is that I choose someplace to drive to and allow God's peace to fill my spirit. It has been gradually coming over the last few years, but it finally snapped this year. Driving is a thing of the past. Not only is it not safe for me but I am so afraid I will hurt someone else.
So the thought came in my mind to start showing the world what I saw. Have you ever seen the beauty that occurs in nature. Are you so worried about getting from one place to the next that you miss what God has put right there in front of you? That is what photography forces us to do. It makes us forget what is going on around us and focus on what is happening right before our eyes. One of the state fair competitions this year was transportation. One that I really felt was something that hit hard in my own life. How would I catch something that would show transportation and even be good enough to enter?
Then this shot happened. I did not want to submit it. I like the concept but, thought this isn't what there are looking for. They are looking for something much different. Yet, through encouragement of a friend and more shots through car windows driving from appointment to appointment it was determined that I should submit this one. Who would ever think that God would let my love for being in nature riding in a car is the first contest I ever won a ribbon in. Furthermore, who would have considered that what God was giving me was a since of closure? A way of accepting what you can do now and do it for me. That is what this means for me.
Now you may be asking what does this have to do with the story at hand. Jesus was experiencing this but from a different side of the fence. He wasn't looking for praise. He didn't need it. He already knew that what he was doing was what was needed for all humankind.
Jesus was pointing out that we do not trust those close to us. We seek praise and proof from the outside world. Jesus further states that those that do not believe and trust those close in our life that we are actually rejecting them and our relationship. I know when I saw that I won that my heart leaped for Joy I had validation that my stuff was good. Yet, the people in my life had lost their validation because I didn't believe what they said because it was more important what an outsider said. For that I am sorry and realize that God corrected me through this scripture.
Jesus came to spread good news. People actually met the savior while he walked in human form but they did not accept Christ. Instead, they hunted for something more. They were looking for this great victorious King to come in and free them from the Roman occupation. When in reality what they needed was saving from them. The fact is that God sent people predicting Christ's birth and the salvation for everyone Yet, if we could not believe the predictions how could the people believe God in human form. Jesus felt that pain in that moment and was foretelling what would occur if we rejected Christ. We would face the final judgment. The fact that we would deny Christ and the proof that he presented would lead to our end.
Prayer:
Dear God thank you for giving us the proof of Christ in our life. We thank you Jesus for accepting the way of the cross to clear us of our faults. We thank you Holy Spirit for entering our lives and walking with us each day. Dear God right now we ask that you help us appreciate those around us. Help us accept the proof that you show us each day. We ask this in you Holy Name Amen
Questions:
Do you accept the proof that is right before your eye? Do you struggle with self-doubt? Do you question those close to you? Do you trust in the proof God has given you through the lives of others? Are you willing to put your trust in God and believe in the ultimate of all powers?
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