Connected in The Word 5-21-26
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink… John 7:37
I am a visual and kinesthetic learner. I’m not a big fan of words (written or spoken). Most people laugh when I say this since I write a daily devotion, preach and teach weekly, and talk to people for a living. My whole world is wrapped up in written and spoken WORDS! However, I’m convinced that if words didn’t exist, and the only communication tools we had in life were sight and touch – I’d do ok. Why am I sharing all of this with you? Keep reading!
Read the verse above (John 7:37) again. When I read that verse my brain immediately creates an image. Not just one image, but a series of evolving images. First, I picture a very concrete image of what this scene must have looked like when Jesus stood up and cried out on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. As I read this verse in the context of all of Scripture, the image in my mind becomes less concrete and more abstract. My mind creates an image that conveys the meaning of the text. So, what is the image I am seeing in my mind? As you might imagine, it’s hard for me to put into words – But I’ll give it a shot!
I see a parent reaching out to a child. The child is sad, confused, and hurting. The child looks lost and alone. I see the face of the parent – It is full of longing and desperation, but also full of compassion, hope, love, and strengthen. The parent is reaching out to, running towards, and wrapping their arms around the child. The child in the image can change from being an infant not feeling well, a preadolescent with hurt feelings, or even an adult child struggling with addiction. But the face of the parent remains full of longing, desperation, compassion, hope, love, and strength. When I read John 7:37 – That’s what I see.
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