Lent Day Two
“John 1:14-17 The Passion Translation ”
14 And so the Living Expression
became a man and lived among us!
And we gazed upon the splendour of his glory,
the glory of the One and Only
who came from the Father overflowing
with tender mercy and truth!
15 John taught the truth about him
when he announced to the people,
“He’s the One! Set your hearts on him!
I told you he would come after me,
even though he ranks far above me,
for he existed before I was even born.”
16 And now out of his fullness we are fulfilled!
And from him we receive grace heaped
upon more grace!
17 Moses gave us the Law, but Jesus, the Anointed One,
unveils truth wrapped in tender mercy.
I regularly meet people for the first time over a Zoom call. When I then meet them in person, I’m often surprised by their height. Having only seen them as head and shoulders on screen, I’ve not known how tall/short they are.
Until Jesus came as a man, people had met with God, and yet many of them missed aspects of him. They missed his heart for them. Time and again throughout the Old Testament, we read of God telling the people how much He loved them, and them not quite getting it.
And so the Living Expression – the essence of God - became a man and lived among us.
God said, I’ll show you.
So Jesus came.
John the Baptist had been promising that Jesus was coming.
He’d been urging the people to get ready for it.
“Jesus is coming!”
And, one day, Jesus was there.
God was there.
“He’s the One”, said John.
He’s the One you’ve been looking for and hoping for and preparing for.
He’s the One.
Maybe you’re struggling to see Jesus.
Lent can be a time when we catch hold again of John’s encouragement:
Keep looking. Don’t give up.
He’s the One.
He was the One when He calmed the storm (Mark 4).
He was the One when He healed a little girl (Mark 5).
He was the One when people tried to get rid of Him (Luke 4).
He was the One when He prayed in agony (Luke 22).
He was the One when He said, ‘it’s Me you want’ (John 18).
He was the One when He allowed people to mock Him and nail Him to a cross (John 19).
He was the One when He said, ‘I am the resurrection and the life’ (John 11).
He was the One when He said, ‘Mary’ (John 20).
In all situations, He is the One.
Or He can be.
‘Set your hearts on Him,’ said John.
Because He’s the One.
In John 6, when Jesus asks His disciples if they want to desert Him, Peter replies:
“But where else would we go?”
You’re the One.
Let’s take time to (re)set our hearts on Him this Lent.
Let’s gaze upon the splendour of His glory.
Seeing Him in every day.
And as we do, He showers us with grace.
Again and again.
Overflowing with tender mercy, He hugs us in kindness, whispering truth:
I love you. You’re why I came. I’m your One.
Lord Jesus,
You are the One.
But sometimes I forget that.
I look elsewhere.
Help me, during this time of preparation, to keep looking for You.
Because You are always the One.
I set my heart on You.
Amen
Emily Owen
Emily Owen grew up in Leicester. Aged 16, she was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition, neurofibromatosis type 2, which has led to numerous operations and left her deaf. Emily speaks at meetings and events, both Christian and secular, and enjoys sharing her life experiences. She is also a trustee of the Neuro Foundation which supports those living with neurofibromato