Author: Dave Dishman (Page 228 of 458)

If John lived today, he could not pen a more challenging statement during this season—do not love the world or the things in this world.

Advertisements bombard us year-round, but holiday to holiday brings increased fire. We’re told to love something of this world, anything really, and hopefully buy it. Even better, buy two or three! Just swipe your card and keep the wheels of commerce spinning.

Of course, we need to buy and sell, and it’s nice to give gifts others appreciate. But while fine things in life warrant our appreciation, nothing we possess deserves our love.

Rather, the Lord and those around us deserve love. Things are to be used, people are to be loved. Our pride and our bellies entice us to flip this idea.

Material goods wear out, even the coolest clothes and niftiest gadgets. But the Lord and his words and the souls of people remain forever.

This holiday season launched by a day dedicated to thankfulness and culminated by a day celebrating the Savior merits more than crass absorption into stuff. As we enjoy the giving of gifts, may we remember the placement of affections.

1 John 2 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Heidi Fin

We tend to remember seemingly trivial details from the most important moments of our lives. I remember laying off-white 12×12 floor tiles in our small kitchen the day before our daughter was born. She came early, and I didn’t finish the job until much later.

Some of the disciples, adrift after the crucifixion and resurrection, decided to spend an evening fishing. Skunked all night, at first light a distant man on shore hollered at them to throw their net on the other side of the boat. Why not? As they did so, the net swelled with fish and they realized Jesus stood with them once again.

They rowed in, then Simon Peter hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them.

This detail concerning fish stuck in John’s mind. Not just the amount of fish, but the size (Jesus ain’t sendin’ no minnows). A joyous reunion marked by a miraculous catch, one these particular followers of Jesus—fishermen all—never forgot.

Later, as they spread throughout the world preaching about Jesus, and they met their deaths one-by-one for doing so, they burned with conviction remembering the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, capped by a cookout on the beach featuring 153 fish.

John 21 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2021

Photo by Jakub Kapusnak

I saw a former co-worker the other day that I haven’t seen in years. It took me a minute to place him, and he totally failed to recognize me until I spoke up (I’m currently sporting a beard which I didn’t have back in the day). Odd how we fail to recognize those we once knew well.

Mary Magdalene failed to recognize Jesus when she turned away from the empty tomb. Shocked by this transcendent event in a catastrophic week (and by angels keeping watch), she didn’t realize Jesus stood before her.

Until he spoke her name.

Immediately she awoke and turned to Jesus. Next she ran to the disciples with the news—I have seen the Lord!

Mary walked with Jesus and knew him as a close friend. But in such distressing circumstances, she failed to recognize him. I don’t fault her at all. Rather, she pushes me to wonder how and when I fail to respond to Jesus?

Often in life’s challenges Jesus is near, but I stand oblivious. In fact, I fail to even look as the fog settles in. I need the Lord to to raise my eyes from lousy circumstances over and over again.

Even today, Jesus speaks my name and your name in the midst of our pain and hardships. May we have the wisdom of Mary to lift our eyes and see.

John 20 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Dominik Lalic

Pilate’s snarky reply reminds me of conversations I engaged with on campuses over the years. My truth is not your truth, as someone once told me. Pilate’s personal philosophy squirts out as he interrogates Jesus.

The longer the back and forth between Pilate and the chief priests and Jesus went on, the less sure of himself Pilate became. His mind grew unsettled.

Pilate said to Jesus, Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or crucify you? Jesus answered, You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.

At that point, Pilate’s unease blossomed into both belief in the innocence of Jesus, and resignation to the will of the mob. This man stood before him unlike any he ever met.

Pilate asked what is truth? to the one who claimed to be the way, the truth, and the life.

Which makes me wonder—what did Pilate think about truth three days later when Jesus backed up his words with a resurrection?

John18 & 19 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Mika Baumeister