20a. Describe a time you mistook someone for the wrong person.
20b. What doubts or questions about God do you struggle with?
* * * * *
What's happening in John 20?
vv 1-10 The resurrection
vv 11-18 Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene
vv 19-23 Jesus appears to his disciples
vv 24-29 Jesus appears to Thomas
vv 30-31 The purpose of this book
5 comments:
20a.
I thought another man was my husband; let’s just say he was not. :-) I don’t know who was more surprised—me or him. (I posted it here a few months ago.)
20b.
Probably the biggest thing I still wrestle with is just not understanding “why” God works (and doesn’t work) in the way he does. But thankfully I don’t have to understand to trust him anyway.
I can be blessed in belief without sight:
John 20:29-31
"Jesus said, 'So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.'
Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it."
20a. What a boring life for me in this area. I have no remembrance of mistaking someone for someone else. I may have a momentary "thinking" that someone looks like a friend but then they move and that thought is gone.
20b. I still struggle with the "man was not meant to be alone I will make for him a helpmate" and my years solo go on and on. I am not obsessed by it as I have loved my life. It is just that when I hear or read of Christians that say they are "in love" with Jesus and he meets all their needs, I don't experience him with his arms around me or sharing his love in the ways that are so humanly wonderful for our well being. His plan for my life is bigger than the desires of my heart. I am still working on accepting that means "the desires of his heart for me".
Lynn,
Your comment made me think of a book I just finished by Dee Brestin and Kathy Trocolli, "Falling in Love with Jesus: Abandoning yourself to the greatest romance of your life."
Dee is married; Kathy is not married. She addresses thoughts like you have about singleness and Jesus. You would probably either love the book, or absolutely hate it, so I won't recommend it since I don't know which! :-) I'll put some excerpts up in a day or so...
20a. Can't think of a time. But I do often see people and can’t remember what their names are.
20b. I struggle with understanding what influence prayer truly has on changing God’s mind or his decisions.
Lisa,
I am a huge Kathy Troccoli fan and have the books. I simply do not experience Jesus the way that she - Kathy, expresses her life with him.
Her music ministers to me so much and at least she is single which gives her some credibility to speak on this level. I know many married women - even a man - who are really lonely in their marriages so it is not that "marriage" is an answer. Jesus always is to be our first love and should be.
I miss the joy of relationship and it is more prevalent being as homebound as I have to be or in having long time friends distance themselves as I am not able to be as active as I once was.
Gary Chapman did his 5 Languages of Love which is so great and then he did the same book only with God's Love language to us! I know God loves me. I know I am in a relationship with Him. People are quick to talk about the God void in us that needs to be filled up. They seldom address that He created us with a human void that only others can fill up!
Thanks for your comments, though. I do appreciate them and your heart.
L.
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