affirmation... for the journey...

This morning began the first reading... of the three year reading through for The Journey... the newly embarked on Sunday school class...

Beginning with the book of John... not a traditional reading through (Genesis to Revelation)... but one focused on Him... Jesus... the Good News Gospel... the One whom the Whole is about...

One sojourner in class... asked about curriculum... (just as the pastor had...) I had to say... There is none... or I could have said... There will be... when we're done...

Our only curriculum... His Word...
Our guide... His Spirit...

"... It is written in the Prophets,

'And they will be taught by God.' ..." ---Jesus

John 6:45 ESV

With one ear open to Him... each time we open to read... we will ask as Paul did... on that road to Damascus (Acts 22:1-10)...

Who are you, Lord?

What shall I do, Lord?

I suppose I should have been more clear... in the promoting... given a warning...

I don't really know what I'm doing...

This journey... is truly one for me... a spiritual discipline... apparently in writing curriculum... for a three year reading through...

So in today's first reading... John 1:1-42... I asked the questions...

Who are You, Lord?...
I listed... the many things He is... as revealed in this passage...
The Word... 
God... 
Timeless... 
Conduit of Creation...
Life... 
Light...
etc...

But the one that spoke... the last verse I came to...

Andrew then led (brought) Simon to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, You are Simon son of John.

You shall be called Cephas --- which translated is Peter [Stone].

John 1:42 Amp

He is... The One who gives us our identity...

He names... identifies... His disciples... by whom He calls them to be... who He created them to be...

The world does not identify us... determine who we are... only The Word... does that...

Then the Word that spoke to my spirit... regarding... What shall I do?... 

Prepare the way for the Lord...

John 1:23 Amp

Come and see.

John 1:39 Amp

And I dug into those words... prepare... come... and both... they have to do with travel... with journeying... and I feel the affirmation... sitting a little dumbstruck... by what I find...

The Enhanced Strong's Lexicon... says the Greek... prepare... actually means... to make straight, level, plain... to lead or guide straight...

Then Louw Nida... translates the verse... 'make a straight path for the Lord (to travel)'...

I hear two things... from prepare the way...

1)  A challenge to lead well... take seriously... be wary... careful... in teaching... leading... I'm steering others in their faith... on this journey...

2)  Make my way straight... continue to strive for holiness... make a straight path for the Lord... He is in me... He takes on my sin as His own... my sin makes His way more difficult... make a straight path for the Lord... Repent...

And... come... Webster's alone... tells me... to move or journey to a vicinity with a specified purpose...

This journey... not only the word for a year... but a call... an identifier...

So here I sit... humbled in His presence... at the call... the journey... affirmed...

Come and see...

[For those who want to read along... on the three year reading through... the passages will be posted at the bottom of Sunday's posts... (but here today... on Monday... since I didn't think of it til today)... Readings are M-F... five passages a week...]

This week's readings for The Journey...
Monday            John 1:1-42
Tuesday            John 1:42 - 2:25
Wednesday       John 3
Thursday           John 4
Friday               John 5

[And I wonder... at the audacity... of thinking I'll still be here... doing this... three years from now...?!]