In referring to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” was John saying that Jesus loved him more than the others? He certainly held a special place among the disciples. He was the one reclining next to Jesus at what we know as the Last Supper. As he was dying on the cross, Jesus entrusted his mother into John’s care. After the resurrection, John was the first apostle to look into the empty tomb. Then he was the first disciple on the fishing boat to recognize the risen Lord on the shore. At the end of his gospel, John identified himself not only as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” but as the one “who testifies to these things and wrote them down.” (John 13.23; 19.26, 27; 20.2; 21.7; 21.20, 24)

As I read the gospel of John, I don’t believe John saw himself as a favorite of Jesus. I believe John saw himself as special not because Jesus loved him best, but because Jesus loved him at all. He had been one of the “Sons of Thunder” who asked Jesus to destroy an unresponsive village. He and his brother James had had the audacity to ask for a special place in Jesus’ kingdom. But through his faith in Jesus, he later became “the elder” writing to his own disciples and the one who was chosen to pen Jesus’ last words in the book of Revelation. (Mark 3.17; Luke 9.54; 3 John 1; Revelation 1.1)

When John wrote that he was loved, he was expressing a gratitude for the special love that Jesus has for every one of his disciples, a tender spot in his heart for each one of his children. I am that disciple “whom Jesus loves.” And if you follow Jesus, then you can say with the same eternal gratitude and joy that John had that you are also that disciple “whom Jesus loves.”

Jesus had just told his disciples that he would soon have to leave them to go back to his Father. He was going ahead to prepare rooms for them in his Father’s house. He told them there was only one way to that house — Jesus himself.

“No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Then Philip makes a request: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.”

You can almost hear the frustration in Jesus’ voice in his reply,

“Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:8, 9)

Philip was like so many of us at times — we would really like to see God for ourselves — up close. We want him to show himself. But God has shown himself — in the person of His only Son. If we want to see the Father in the flesh, all we have to do is open our Bibles to the first four books of the New Testament.

There you see God’s compassion as he heals the sick, gathers the children to him and mourns for the city that will soon crucify him. You see his power as he calms a raging storm, opens the eyes of the blind and raises a young girl from her deathbed. You see his wisdom as he instructs the simple and confounds the scholar. You see him face temptation without sin, cruelty without revenge and rejection without depression.

You see him wrongfully accused, humiliated, tortured, and crucified. You see him rise from the dead and ascend back to heaven.

You realize you have seen God in the flesh.

And that is sufficient.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5.16-18

The terms are pretty demanding, aren’t they? Always — without ceasing — everything. How could anyone rejoice, pray, and give thanks in every circumstance, every minute of the day?

Yet that seems to be what God through the apostle Paul is requiring of believers. And in context, these exhortations are among other verses that also use absolute terms: “be patient with all…always pursue what is good…test all things…abstain from every form of evil.”

From what we read in Acts 17 about their early history, this young church in Thessalonica was undergoing some heavy persecution because of their faith. Yet Paul praised them at the beginning of his letter for their “work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.”

In light of their situation, we might understand why they were told to rejoice, pray, and give thanks. They needed to be reminded that no matter what their circumstances, 1) they could rejoice because they had salvation through Jesus; 2) they had constant access to their heavenly Father through prayer; and 3) they could be thankful even during hardships, knowing that trials produce patience, and patience leads to perfection (James 1:2-5).

What does that mean for Christians today? It means that in all circumstances,  God asks us to rejoice, pray, and give thanks. It means we replace our complaining with rejoicing. It means we overcome anxiety and despair through prayer. It means that in our prayers we not only ask God to bless and help us, but we remember to thank him for all things physical and spiritual with which we have been so richly blessed.

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119.11

If you grew up going to Bible classes every Sunday morning, it’s likely you were expected to learn memory verses each week. We called it knowing verses “by heart” — remember? According to the dictionary, that means to “learn something so well it can be written or recited without thinking.”

Somehow we leave memorization behind as we grow into adulthood. But Psalm 119:11 indicates that adult believers may need those memory verses more than ever — to help us remember who we are and to whom we belong and to keep us from offending the God we serve.

Jesus was able to use scripture to defend himself against sin when he was tempted in the wilderness. With every temptation, Jesus answered, “It is written” (Matthew 4.1-11). Likewise with our every temptation, God has promised a “way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10.13).

Could it be that memorizing Bible verses is one of those ways?

Bible verses we can recall at a moment’s notice can be used not only to keep us from sinning but to give us spiritual courage: “If God is for us, who can be against us?”

“Love your neighbor as yourself” will help us live at peace with one another; “Cast all your cares on him” comforts us; “In everything give thanks” reminds us to view the world with gratitude.*

Whatever your situation, hide some appropriate Bible verses in your heart. Remember those you learned as a child, or even better, memorize new ones that will help you handle life’s unexpected turns and temptations. Write them down on a 3 x 5 card and put it in your pocket or tack it to the front of your fridge.

Make them such a part of you you don’t have to even think about them. Then, like having God standing beside you, they’ll be there when you need them.

*Romans 8.31; Luke 10.27; 1 Peter 5.7; 1 Thessalonians 5.18

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church…Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her….” Ephesians 5:22, 23

Like all His gifts, God gave us marriage for our happiness and for our good. It’s a more sacred relationship than any of us can comprehend — so sacred God compares it to the relationship Christ has with His own church, which is also referred to as His body. That’s how close the relationship can be. From the beginning marriage was meant to be a “leaving,” “cleaving,” and becoming one flesh. (Genesis 2:24)

In the passage above where marriage is compared to the relationship between Christ and His church, it mentions that “Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her…that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)

Is there any more beautiful picture of a virgin bride? Is there any woman who wouldn’t like to see herself as that bride, presented to her husband as “glorious, holy, without blemish?” Isn’t that why wedding dresses are traditionally white, indicating purity?

Men and women who wait until marriage to engage in sexual activity give each other a marvelous gift. If they are blessed enough to be married a long time, their bond will be stronger knowing that sexual intimacy is a part of their relationship they’ve never shared with anyone else. He’ll respect her for keeping herself pure for him. She’ll honor him because he disciplined himself in anticipation of their marriage. In our promiscuous society, such a gift is even more valuable because of its rarity.

God’s laws regarding His gifts to us are not arbitrary. May we encourage our single friends and family members to live within the boundaries God has set and therefore reap the benefits of His wisdom.

As I grew up, I experienced new situations alone: walking “by myself”; entering kindergarten “by myself”; driving for the first time “by myself”; marrying “by myself,” leaving the only family I had known. In a certain sense, I am alone. No other human being can know me or understand me wholly.

But am I lonely? No.

There is One who has been there from before my birth – One who has seen what I’ve seen, been where I’ve been, known all the people I’ve ever known, One who can remember personal experiences I’ve forgotten that have formed my personality and character. He understands me. He loves me. He wants the best for me. He is anxious for me to know, understand and love Him. And He wants me to live with Him for eternity.

The only way it’s possible for me to be with Him is to become like Him – pure and free from sin. He sacrificed part of Himself to make that possible. He gave His only Son.

I would pray the prayer of David, King of Israel:

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

You discern my going out and my lying down;

You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

If I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

If I settle on the far side of the sea,

Even there your hand will guide me,

Your right hand will hold me fast.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

from Psalm 139

The Bible also speaks of a mystery, one that started even before the world was created. According to the apostle Paul, it was a “hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages….” (1 Corinthians 2:7-8). For a long time, according to “His good pleasure,” God kept His people in suspense about the mystery. He was waiting for what He called “the fullness of time” (Ephesians 1:9, 10).

For several generations, God dealt mostly with his chosen people, the descendants of Abraham. He directed them and worked with them, fed and fathered them, punished and rewarded them. They were His special children. Hebrews 11 lists some of the most faithful: the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; judges Gideon and Samson; King David; the prophet Samuel. Although they were obedient to God, they couldn’t comprehend the end of the story, because it hadn’t been revealed. Their prophets would speak of something better to come, of a descendant through whom the whole world would be blessed (Genesis 12) and of a new covenant that would be written on hearts instead of stone (Jeremiah 31:31). But God didn’t reveal the mystery even to the prophets (1 Peter 1:10-12).

By the time Paul was on the scene, hundreds of years later, the mystery “kept secret since the world began” had been made manifest, even to all nations (Romans 16:25-27). Part of the mystery had to do with allowing Gentiles into the kingdom of God. They were to be “fellow heirs” and “partakers of His promise” (Ephesians 3:3-6). Paul was an instrument by which that mystery was to be revealed to the world.

And what was that mystery? Succinctly stated in 1 Timothy 3:16: “Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.” Jesus Christ is the revelation of the mystery of God. In Him we will receive “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,” which are hidden in both God the Father and God the Son. (Colossians 2:2-3).

Another part of the mystery is yet to be revealed. “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

Yet, great satisfaction comes from knowing the end of a mystery — especially if it’s an outcome even better than you had hoped for.

Of course, you can guess or you can assume what they’re thinking by the things they do, but you can’t really know what they’re thinking unless they tell you.

In his first letter to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul uses that concept to illustrate the mind of God. “For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:11

In context, Paul is comparing the so-called wisdom of the world with the much superior wisdom of God. He speaks of God’s “secret wisdom” which has been hidden from men. He announces that “we have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.” 2:12

Isn’t that wonderful news? The Creator of the Universe has opened His mind to us. Paul says that God commissioned him to present His Word “in its fullness – the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.” Colossians 1:25-26

We can know this mystery because the Spirit of God revealed it to the apostles and prophets, who wrote it down for us to know today. Opening our Bibles is like opening the mind of God. Reading our Bibles is like reading the mind of God. Of course, since His ways are so much higher than our ways, and his thoughts are so much higher than our thoughts, we can’t always fully understand even what He has revealed to us. Isaiah 55:8-9

But it’s there for us to explore, to discover, to understand God’s thoughts, motives, and expectations, and to reap the “riches of the glory of this mystery…which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27.

Let each of us resolve daily to know the mind of God. He wants us to know what He’s thinking.

I need the discipline of writing in my life  –  the same kind of deadline I had for about three years when I provided a “Moment’s Meditation” column in the small paper entitled “The Delta Point” in Greenville, Mississippi.

So, in an effort to keep my creative writing juices going, not to mention my contemplative and introspective mind, and also to give me some personal experience in blogging using a blog enabler that is at least a step up from blogspot, I determined to incorporate new Moment’s Meditations articles into a new blog.

My intention is to give myself a weekly assignment, publishing a new article each Tuesday. I am excited about the prospect of creating for myself a forum for the notes I’m constantly writing to myself for some “future” purpose. Why not make the future now?