John 6:60-71, 1 Peter 4:1-11, Song 6, Lamentation 1

Recall:
Lamentation 1:12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.

John 6:65 And he [Jesus] said, "For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father."
Reflect:
I wasn't particularly looking forward to spending time in Lamentations until I read William Wilimon's introduction to the book. "Perpetually joyful believers who never need Lamentations are self-centered, self-consumed believers who feel none of the pain of the rest of the world." Powerful words. This is the second word I have heard in the past couple of weeks about the necessity of making space for the negative. The challenge, I suppose, is to integrate that understanding with the importance of staying "up" and staying positive--making room for the negative, the shadow, without crossing the line into wallowing and spiraling downward.

The passage from John seems to point toward predestination, that the only ones that can come to Jesus are those who God grants. But I cannot imagine that God would NOT grant that anyone could come to Jesus. But it is a great reminder that God must be involved in the process.

1 Peter 4:1-11, and especially 7-11 is chock-full of information about relationships, life together.
Respond:
Great encouragement today from these passages. Thank you God! It is good counsel for me as a pastor. From Peter, great reminders about what it means to relate to others in love. From Lamentations, the counsel to make room for those who are grieving, even in the midst of keeping my own attitude up and positive. And from John, to always be looking for signs of interest in the Divine.