Spiritual Cud

2.16.12

The Son of man.

Jesus. The one and only to ever come down to earth from his dwellings in Heaven.

Continuing the journey through John today, I read the famous verse, 3:16. I read it a bit differently however...

“for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, for whoever believes in him... (goodness).. Whoever does not believe in him... (perish).”

The subscript in my bible for the verse “one & only son” reads “only begotten son...” This makes more sense. For Jesus was speaking of heavenly things which he’d seen... if then when he speaks of earthly things & we do not believe, how will we believe when he speaks of Heavenly things(3:12)?

Thus began his ministry of bringing the power of Heaven by means of the Spirit (3:5) to the eyes & hearts of those dwelling all across the earth. Jesus was the begotten Son. Sent from Heaven, to “begot” an ailing humanity in need of salvation... hope, purpose, comfort...

This fresh understanding has helped me to see different truth in our being ‘sons & daughters’, for Jesus is the only begotten “Son”. And sure, Jesus was able to do such great things with this Spirit because he was the man most certain of his everlasting citizenship in Heaven that ever walked the earth... He came from there. We - although we’re given the gift of access to this same Spirit through His death & resurrection - struggle... I’m believing more and more that growing these eyes for eternity is the most powerful way to be effective today...

So ya... Verses like “you will do even greater things than I...”, I wonder if he is speaking in a timeless dimension where yes, one day when we finally find ourself in that most Heavenly dwelling, our spirit is for the first time in perfect unity with the Love source, it’s creator... if it is then that we will do ‘even greater things...’ for at that time, our connection to the Spiritual would be similar to Jesus’ when he left to come to earth.. even greater things.. one day.

Our earth journey then is one of bringing more & more ‘Spirit’ to those who are thirsty for goodness... freedom... healing... hope

In the 3:16 section it also makes the distinction between what awaits those who ‘believe’ or do ‘not believe’ in Jesus, Son of man. I’m glad the distinction was between ‘do not believe’, & not just simply ‘the rest of you...’. This is good for me to read because it doesn’t touch on what awaits those who do not hear of Jesus in their lifetime... And verses like ‘I am the way, the truth & the light, no one gets to the father except through me(jesus)...”

These tooootally work together, how I see it. Jesus meets us when we die, I wholly believe this. A handful of accounts of near death experiences I’ve come across this last year (one in particular) have all attested to experiencing a ‘jesus’ figure who welcomed them upon their passing over.

There to welcome us, with warmth & love like we cannot possibly imagine...

So yes, ‘no one gets to the Father except through him.' Either on earth, we meet Jesus & upon encountering the gift of his grace, we either believe, or we don’t, & our lives reflecting these beliefs, we know from 3:16 what awaits both... Glory vs. perishing.

Or on earth, bretheren strewn across the globe living well loving God, the earth & others, having never heard of Jesus, this man will one day feel that warmth, that love... I must believe this. Scriptures such as these, as well as one of my favorites in Romans 2, these and many others touching on the same idea... they help confirm what my spirit knows as truth, as pure grace, perfect love.

Later in Chapter three, John the baptist acknowledges the great things Jesus is able to do by saying ‘the one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen & heard.”

Beautiful.

Jesus gets his powerful testimony, because of ‘what he has seen & heard’, heaven. The same place which awaits us.

Accepted today, the spirit gives freedom from the sting of death... it gives a hope of things to come, and is a source of comfort in the many moments where life presents itself unfavorably... in pain, suffering, loneliness, fear.. in so many ways, it comforts.

For those who never encountered the Son or feel the power of the spirit here on earth... Jesus will meet them too... one day. And their life’s account will either ‘accuse or excuse’(rom2) them on this day.

“What did you do for your fellow man...”

Jesus... the way, the truth, the light... meeting them on their way to the Father.

It really is too bad - beautiful also - but love doesn’t always win. It must be chosen, when presented with Jesus’ perfect love & the cost of following... chosen.

When floating through life unaware of the powerful Spirit offered by his death... love must still be chosen. Living well, for others, the straight & narrow... 'mercy shall triumph over judgement' for those such as these. And a 'land of milk & honey' awaits...

Chosen. Choose Love...

And like the servant boy in 2 Kings chapter 6, the boy who fearing the enemies chariots surrounding them had Elisha pray that he might be given - but for a moment - eyes to see the powerful angels, “the hills full of horses & chariots of fire all around Elisha”. He was given eyes to see God’s glory all around them... comforting.

Eyes to see the glory all around, the glory which awaits those who choose love.

God. Is. Love.

Love your God. Love Love, love others.