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Trusting the Wisdom of Our Bodies
When wars rage and earthquakes destroy and the persistent news cycle is painful, our trust can Read More
Tanya Marlow | Read John 14:7-14
If the first verses of John 14 are about going, the next part is about knowing. We may miss how shocking it is that Jesus asserts that the disciples have seen God because they have seen him. This was God the unseeable, whose face no one could see and live....
Lord of the lost, be with my downcast heart today; let me know the certainty of your goodness. Amen.
All of the readings this week include people facing hostility or suffering. In Acts, Stephen is stoned to death for his belief in Christ. In John’s Gospel, the disciples in the upper room are anticipating Jesus’ death. Peter tells the scattered believers not to fear despite the hatred in society, and the psalmist cries to the Lord for rescue from his persecutors. Another aspect the readings have in common is the solution to their suffering. For the psalmist, this means recalling God’s character. In the New Testament passages, it’s remembering Christ. God is a rock and fortress in Psalm 31, and Christ is the cornerstone, our firm foundation, in 1 Peter. Focusing on Christ shapes our response to suffering.
Read Acts 7:55-60. Recall a time when you have seen God’s power in action. How was God’s power different than you might have expected?Read Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16. Contemplate your answers to the author’s questions. How do the psalmist’s hope and experiences reflect your own?Read 1 Peter 2:2-10. When have you experienced God as a loving Mother? When has Christ been your cornerstone?Read John 14:1-14. How do you experience God’s presence through the life or actions of others?
Respond by posting a prayer.
