Jesus wept.

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. ... When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ... Jesus wept. -John 11:17,32-33,35 NRSV

Jesus delayed coming when Lazarus was sick. The man's sisters did not understand why. He previously had a somewhat theological discussion with sister Martha but dogma was set aside when he saw Mary and her friends grieving. Jesus was moved deeply at their suffering and wept with them. There is such vulnerability in this passage.

Reminds me of a scene in the movie Selma where Dr King is comforting a man who had just lost his son to police violence. Martin tells the man that "God was the first to cry". Sometimes we forget how God is "deeply moved" by our grief, our tears and our heartaches. The image of Jesus weeping reminds me of my need to pray.

You Lord are touched when I pray. Like Mary, I weep for my losses knowing that you understand and are deeply moved.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?

The Jews who heard these words were again divided. Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?” But others said, “These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” -John 10:19-21 NRSV

I think that we have always had a tendency to mock what we do not understand. Modern Pentecostals are sometimes derided for their belief in spiritual gifts. Folks who disagree with other believers sometimes call them heretics. And here some Jews called Jesus crazy and demonized. Yet standing before them was a man who only did good to people.

I think that we would do well to learn from this passage. Perhaps we could focus more on the spiritual fruit in a person's life rather than our theological differences? Instead of holding conferences that focus on our disagreements maybe we should find ways to inspire each other to love and good works? In the end, what we say about others is our choice.

Teach us Lord to see past our differences and find Jesus in each other.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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I know my sheep and my sheep know me ...

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me — just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. -John 10:14-16 NRSV

It would be hard to find a clearer passage to support the idea that true spirituality is actually knowing God. Yet even today, many years after I first came to know God, I find it surprising that Jesus speaks of our relationship with him in the same light as his with the Father. I know him more today than yesterday but feel that I have so much more to know.

I love how Jesus speaks of having "other sheep". In my thinking he is speaking of the gentiles, non-Jews who would hear his voice and follow him. Yet, in the end, the Lord Jesus speaks to us of belonging to one flock following one Shepherd. That thought reminds me that there will be a day when our theological differences will melt into the light of God.

Help those who know you, and hear your voice, to find paths of unity and blessing.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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The Good Shepherd.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. -John 10:10-12 NRSV

I wonder if folks hearing Jesus speak these words were reminded of the Shepherd of Psalm 23? Did they understand that David's divine shepherd, the restorer of souls, stood before them? Could they have imagined how he would lay down his life? When I think of Jesus as my shepherd, my mind flashes back to a vision I had in 1993. Here is my story.
At thirty-nine years old my first wife, Ellen, had heart and kidney failure. At the brink of her death I found myself begging God to not let her die. I could not accept her situation or the possibility of her death. Three and a half years later after praying almost daily for her healing I found myself again faced with the possibility of her dying. Driving to work one day, racked with the agony of thoughts of a world without Ellen, I began to pray. I saw a picture in my mind. In this vision I saw myself standing on a mountain looking down at a valley. Somehow I knew it was the valley of the shadow of Ellen's death. As I looked into the vision I saw Jesus come to my side, take my hand, and walk with me into the valley. It was a comforting picture. God was trying to tell me that he would be with me when Ellen died and that I would be okay.
Jesus is the good shepherd. He promises to be with us both in sunny green pastures and in dark valleys. The presence of this Good Shepherd comforts and encourages me yet today. I pray that you will sense his presence today.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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I am the gate for the sheep.

The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ... and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ... Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. -John 10:3-4,6-9 NRSV

I love the way that Jesus taught using stories of things familiar to his audiences. The stories drew them in and caused them to ask questions. And often his answers were as confusing as his stories. You have to wonder what they were thinking when he called himself "the gate for the sheep". Did they understand what he was teaching them?

A few things come to mind when I think about a gate or a door. Both convey the sense of separation. Each speaks of transition from one place to another. Jesus' life seems to embody that sense of separation and transition. He is the one who sees the heart and opens the portal to new life. Yet not all who hear his voice follow and are saved.

Help us Lord to hear your voice and follow you to loving pastures.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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Lord, I believe.

Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” -John 9:37-39 NRSV

This passage speaks to me about how religious pride causes spiritually blindness. The setting reeks of Pharisaic arrogance as Jewish leaders grill a man healed of blindness about the One who gave him sight. Instead of rejoicing with this one who has never seen a day of his life they choose to belittle him and doubt him. Heartbreaking.

In stark contrast to this religious arrogance is the humility of one who falls down in worship and says “Lord, I believe.” Such a testimony speaks to how this man had more than his outer eyes opened. His worship tells us about the opening of his inner eyes. And Jesus' acceptance of his worship teaches us that He knew that he was God.

Lord, I believe.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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Though I was blind, now I see.

Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” ... So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” -John 9:16-17,24-25

Religious people are sometimes freaked out by things that cannot be naturally explained. I was freaked out when God healed my first wife - like the man in this story she was blind and began to see. And I was totally freaked out when she passed her driver's exam. Like the Pharisees, this quazi-religious Episcopalian was clueless about such things.

I love the simplicity of the healed man's responses. No theological mumbo-jumbo. He called Jesus a prophet but you get the sense that he was not sure what that meant. He stuck to his own experience and testified only about what happened to him. It is an example of how we should act. Tell people what you know. Stick to the facts and let God do the rest.

Open our eyes Lord. Expand our vision. Sharpen our inner sight. That we might see Jesus in our midst.

... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
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