My Permission

I've been reading John recently and reading commentaries on it as I go, something I can't say I've done before. It's amazing to find all the references there are throughout the book, that I would never notice on my own.

In verse 32 of chapter 8, there is the familiar verse, "and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." I love this verse and enjoyed the reminder I read on it in the commentary that followed it up: "This is surely one of the most abused texts in the Bible, for it is often cited with no regard for either the condition attached (remaining in Jesus' teachings) or the sort of freedom in view, namely, freedom from sin (v. 34) ... To know Jesus is to be liberated from all error and evil, for it is to know God himself, who is truth and purity and life ... The freedom in view is not a freedom to do whatever we wish according to the dictates of our own fallen selves, but a freedom from our fallen selves and the power and guidance to act in accordance with God himself, the source of all goodness and life."*

To know Jesus ... what a life pursuit! This is the third time in the last week or so that truth has been set before me. How many of us make it our life's pursuit to simply know Him. Not to just know about Him ... but to strive to KNOW Him. I want that to be my life's pursuit. I pray that when my life is over people can say, "Jessica was a woman who truly desired to know Christ!"

Over the last couple of years, I've really been trying to remain open and teachable. I know there are so many areas in my life that are far from where God wants them to be. And as stubborn as I can be and as much as I want to be right all the time, I am trying to yield those fleshly tendencies to the loving truth of my Savior. I not only want to know Him, but I want to be more like Him. I want to keep my eyes open to my faults and to seek Him in giving my permission to change those things in me.

The Great Physician is diagnosing their disease, and they are not happy about it. They have put faith in Jesus (v. 30), yet they rebel as he tries to help them become true disciples. When confronted with their inner disease they should have accepted his assessment and repented. This is what each of us must do as a disciple of Jesus, for each of us has inner disease that he desires to cure and that must be cured. His diagnosis is perfect, and he knows how to heal us. He does not have to leave us waiting while he goes in the next room to consult his medical books. Nor does he lack the resources to effect our cure. He lacks nothing except our signature on the permission slip to get on with the process. Discipleship includes allowing Jesus to deal with our inner brokenness and deadness. He will not be satisfied until we come out entirely clean and whole, a fact that is part of the good news. To be a disciple one needs not only the humility to receive what Jesus reveals about himself but also the ability to receive what he reveals about oneself. He always reveals in order to redeem. The judgment the light brings is meant to lead us to salvation, not condemnation. The sin is condemned in order to reveal it as sin and lead us to repentance. If we reject the diagnosis or the cure, then the light does indeed bring condemnation, for we have chosen to remain in our state of alienation from God, who is the one source of life.*

I pray that I never reject God's revelations in my life, but rather, in humility, accept that I am fallen and far from perfect and that Christ is my only cure. God, I give you my permission.

*Commentaries taken from Bible Gateway.