Thursday 20 April 2023

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Today is Thursday the 20th of April, in the second week of Easter.

Eliza King sings, ‘Christ Abides’. As you listen, can you begin to reflect on heavenly places and things of above today?

In the crowded thoughts, You are an open space

And I hear Your voice, calling me to come away

Where the eagles fly, You're raising me high with You

To heavenly places, heavenly places

I have the mind of Christ

My portion is His perfect peace

For Christ abides with me

I'll seek You, Lord, and here in Your shadow hide

I won't dread the day, nor fear the terror of the night

Though thousands fall, I've been seated all along

In heavenly places, in heavenly places

I'm with you in heavenly places, in heavenly places

I have the mind of Christ

My portion is His perfect peace

For Christ abides with me

He's closer than a friend

He takes the weary by the hand

And says, "Come abide with me"

"Come abide with me

For my yoke is easy and my burden light

I will raise you up like an eagle into flight

You will not grow weary nor will you be faint

In your every weakness, I will be your strength"

I have the mind of Christ

My portion is His perfect peace

For Christ abides with me

He's closer than a friend

He takes the weary by the hand

And says, "Come abide with me"

Heavenly places, heavenly places

Heavenly places, heavenly places

Heavenly places, heavenly places

I'm with you in heavenly places, heavenly places

Heavenly, heavenly, heavenly places

Heavenly, heavenly, heavenly places

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.

John 3:31-36

The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, yet no one accepts his testimony. Whoever has accepted his testimony has certified this, that God is true. He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life but must endure God’s wrath.

In this passage we listen to John the Baptist witnessing to Jesus in a somewhat abstract language that recognises Jesus as ‘the one who comes from heaven’.

How does this passage speak to your understanding of who Jesus is?

‘No one accepts his testimony’. Yes, some have accepted his testimony but that has meant moving away from their devotion to ‘earthly things’.

Can you relate to a risk of distraction? Are you aware of a tension between the teaching of Jesus and the influence of ‘earthly things’?

Through the Spirit, Jesus speaks the words of God into the ears of those who will listen. The invitation is there… will you listen? Is there anything that stands in your way?

‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life’. Has eternal life now, not in some imagined ‘one day’.

What is your response, in faith, to this assurance?

In a time of prayer, share your feelings with the Lord and ask for whatever you need to receive the Spirit, ‘without measure’.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.