Our Scripture meditation is based on John 20:19-23, the start of the Gospel Reading for next week.
[19] On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” [20] When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. [21] Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” [22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. [23] If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (ESV)
What is your favorite Bible verse?
For a longtime my favorite verse with Revelation 21:3-4
[3] And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. [4] He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
I think this was my favorite passage because I had suffered losses, the deaths of family and friends. Some of those friends were not Christians. They were not baptized and gave no testimony to faith in Jesus. In fact, some believed in false gods. Those losses drove me to long for the day when God will wipe every tear from our eyes.
Today my favorite verse is this section of the Gospel reading. I find it humbling and amazing that God would choose to use us in seeing people come to faith in Jesus. Yet here Jesus makes it abundantly clear. As Jesus was sent by God the Father, so we are sent by God the Son. We in turn hand off to the next generation, sending that generation to bear witness of Christ. This will continue until Jesus returns.
Why the shift in favorite verses? I think God moved me from focusing on hope in eternity to focusing on hope for today. Hope today is found in people hearing and believing the message of Jesus death and resurrection. Those who are brought to faith have hope not only for today, but for eternity.
Until next week, the Lord bless and guide.
Kevin Wilson 360 