One thing I wanted to accomplish when I started the 21 Day Challenge is to actually do it in 21 days. I haven't been the least bit successful. It's one thing to read and digest what you read, but it's something entirely different to find the time to put your thoughts into words. That's my struggle and it's kind of funny how the eighth chapter of John's gospel points this out to me. Verse one reads, "But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives." It's a simple statement linking chapters seven and eight but it's a little more than that. At the end of chapter seven Jesus is debating the religious establishment and crowds are dividing and taking sides. There's a lot of people and in verse 53, "everyone went to his home." Not Jesus; He goes to the Mount of Olives all by himself so he can be by Himself. Jesus does this a lot in the Gospels. It's during these alone times He could pray, meditate, communicate with His Father. I think these times are what gave him the power to challenge the leaders of the day.
Looking at Jesus' example, I need to find time to be alone with God. It can be challenging at times working on an oil barge with schedules and such. But, I have not done all I can to carve out my "Mount of Olives" time God wants to have with me. Verses 31 and 32 points this out, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." The word "abide" means to live in, dwell, hold on to. How can I "abide" if I can't find the time? I Can't.
Getting back to the challenge. Chapter eight is more debate and teaching on Jesus being the Son of God and the Messiah. The leaders try to trip him up with a woman caught in adultery but can't. They try to trip Him up and ancestories and history lessons but can't. So they resort to name calling and say he's demon possessed. Sticks and stones right?
The wow factor in this chapter to me is the simple "coolness" of Jesus. For example, they bring out a woman caught in the act of adultery. Something that's still frounded upon in the middle east to the point of stoning to death. Jesus simply kneels down and starts to write in the sand and then he blows them up with, "He who is without sin umong you, let him the throw the first stone at her." They couldn't do it and walked off. Its this same confidence He exudes all through His confrontations with the religious leaders. It just cool to me. Read the chapter and it'll be cool to you. God bless.
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