“You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent me
is in charge. He draws people to me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come.
Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet,
ready for the End. This is what the prophets meant when they wrote, ‘And then
they will all be personally taught by God.’ Anyone who has spent any time at
all listening to the Father, really listening and therefore learning,
comes to me to be taught personally—to see it with his own eyes, hear it with
his own ears, from me, since I have it firsthand from the Father.” (John
6:43-46 MSG)
So many images swirl through my head when I read the
above verses:
-Jesus putting us together like furniture that needs
to be assembled—even when parts are missing or defective, it’s no big deal,
because HE is a Master Carpenter.
-Jesus teaching me personally—as I listen and learn
firsthand.
-Harriet Tubman, who escaped from slavery, and then
kept going back and showing others the way to freedom.
-Kierkegaard, who tried to share his wisdom—tried to
explain the mystery that is beyond
human rational thought.
I know that these seem like random disconnected
thoughts, but I listen and learn. I am still being put together, assembled, and
completed by Jesus. Although I try to show others what I have learned thus far,
Jesus reminds me that others far greater than I have attempted to draw their
family and friends closer to God. Secondhand faith does not lead to intimacy
with God. At the most, it may create followers of a particular religion.
Only God can draw people to Himself. Once we spend
time with the Father, really listening
and therefore learning, we experience firsthand, this unexplainable
mystery. This is the only pathway to enlightenment. Only then can we be put
together—made complete.
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