John said them.
The disciple considered to be the disciple of love --- the one not martyred. The one who lived a long life after Christ's suffering and ascension penned them.
In the days when he first met the Lamb that would 3 years later be sacrificed before his very eyes ----- John was introduced to Jesus with these words -----
51 Then he (Jesus) said, “I
tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God
going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between
heaven and earth.[a]” John 1:51 NLT --- parenthesis added by me
Wait --- i've never read it that way before... i've never read specific words that speak of my Savior as "the One who is the stairway between Heaven and earth"...
So i dig in ---
and i take note of the footnote ----
for as i pull out my other translations --- none of them speak specifically in John 1:51 of my Christ as "the stairway". So i know --- the footnote might hold a treasure for me. The footnote reads ---
A new way to see my Savior ---- He is the One who is the stairway between heaven and earth...
i pause and digest it --- i allow myself the treat of "seeing".
In my pursuit of Abba --- wanting more of Him, daily facing my need for more of HIM and less of what use to seem so important --- i choose to read different translations of His Holy Words. Some, can be quickly discerned as unsound translations and so i peacefully lay them down. But for the many translations written by highly educated men and women that are sound and accurate--- i indulge myself in taking in Truth.
And as i read the words written, in efforts to bring greater understanding ---- i am hungry to grasp new insights. New, deep, upright, enlightening ways to get a glimpse of the Faithful One.
Imagine -- it's The Holy of Holies ---- bringing Himself to me/us through black ink on white paper and letting more of His light shine inside. It's a hunger i have. One i've not always felt.
I use to crave warm cookies with a tall glass of milk.
Physically yes ------- but i'll be transparent enough to admit --- even Spiritually --- i wanted "milk" and cookies as well (only what "tasted" good and comforted)... What a patient Father we have.
But, milk was only used to grow me to a place of needing more.
My dear mother gave me milk as a child. But then there came a day when milk would not fill my growling stomach. So she eased me into more solid foods.
This is true for each and every person walking today. No one began by grinding young gums on meat.
The One who loves us and cares for us even more than our mothers ---- allows us to begin our growing with His Spiritual milk as well. But then, there should come a day when that "milk" leaves us with a growling, aching longing for more.
More of Him. No longer satisfied on milk alone.
Funny --- my physical body has begun to decide it no longer wants milk. Two days ago i indulged in the most luscious ice cream cone (yes, here in Kenya :). Two days later --- my insides still ache a bit because of it. My body does not want milk now. It craves healthy foods --- fresh foods --- no longer will cookies and milk sit well inside me.
Likewise, my Abba has taken me to a Spiritual place where "milk" no longer satisfies or sits well inside me. There's nothing wrong with "milk". It's just that it does not feed me as it use to. i must have Life Giving --- protein rich "meat" now.
When "milk" was my diet, i would read the scriptures and feel a daftness concerning the fact that meat was even an option in the days ahead.
"I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready." 1 Corinthians 3:2
Then in Hebrews i read ---
"In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:12-14
i meditate on verse 14. For in honesty, i do not view myself as "mature" ---- rather, it seems to me the more i seek, and learn of the One True Father ---- i feel more childlike than ever before.
The more we know, the more we become aware of all we do not know.
The closer i step to Abba the more i feel like a well-cared-for daughter -- small, immature.
When i bow in deep prayer --- i become a tiny girl approaching the Throne where all that is before me are the white robes of my Abba --- and He allows me, His daughter to run round His great legs twirling in His Robes. My filth never dirties Him ---- and He never holds me at a distance, because of my human-rags. He draws me to Him. He powerfully attends to all the matters of the earth below ---as He allows His daughter to run through and hold onto His Robes.
Maturity ?---- no i don't feel mature at all.
Loved, yes.
But milk no longer satisfies this daughter.
The author of Hebrews pens, "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers...".
Oh God ---- milk no longer sustains me, it actually makes me ache inside if that is all i'm given. i crave solid food. i seek more. BUT, i do not think myself mature. i sense my child-likeness. Still may i not indulge myself in the many years of milk and refuse to step into the place of teaching.
So --- You God, You and i will know when i stand to teach ---- i'm only Your daughter, the one who can no longer bear the aching emptiness of milk alone --- who stands to share of the meat sacrificially given by the Lamb.
Sometimes in life, when i sit with an aching sister or Steve sits with a growling brother ---- you give us eyes to see ----- they've just been "nursing" too long on milk alone. They are gnawing on things that never "fill" them in the ways YOU desire for them to be filled.
Sometimes they're gnawing on each other --- because of their great need of "meat" from Your table.They want more of something ---
-----but they've forgotten about or carelessly overlooked the "meat" you offer them.
Babies begin on milk ----- then they need more.
So it is with your children.
Help us to belly up to the table "You have prepared for us", push milk to the side, and receive the life-giving marinated "meat" served up for us in Your Word.
The Lamb gave ALL so we could do so.
--- He is our stairway between Heaven and earth...
Truly we are the much-loved-children-of-the-Most-High-God.
©2013 Donna Taylor/Reaching for the Robe
Wait --- i've never read it that way before... i've never read specific words that speak of my Savior as "the One who is the stairway between Heaven and earth"...
So i dig in ---
and i take note of the footnote ----
for as i pull out my other translations --- none of them speak specifically in John 1:51 of my Christ as "the stairway". So i know --- the footnote might hold a treasure for me. The footnote reads ---
- 1:51 Greek going up and down on the Son of Man; see Gen 28:10-17. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
A new way to see my Savior ---- He is the One who is the stairway between heaven and earth...
i pause and digest it --- i allow myself the treat of "seeing".
In my pursuit of Abba --- wanting more of Him, daily facing my need for more of HIM and less of what use to seem so important --- i choose to read different translations of His Holy Words. Some, can be quickly discerned as unsound translations and so i peacefully lay them down. But for the many translations written by highly educated men and women that are sound and accurate--- i indulge myself in taking in Truth.
And as i read the words written, in efforts to bring greater understanding ---- i am hungry to grasp new insights. New, deep, upright, enlightening ways to get a glimpse of the Faithful One.
Imagine -- it's The Holy of Holies ---- bringing Himself to me/us through black ink on white paper and letting more of His light shine inside. It's a hunger i have. One i've not always felt.
I use to crave warm cookies with a tall glass of milk.
Physically yes ------- but i'll be transparent enough to admit --- even Spiritually --- i wanted "milk" and cookies as well (only what "tasted" good and comforted)... What a patient Father we have.
But, milk was only used to grow me to a place of needing more.
My dear mother gave me milk as a child. But then there came a day when milk would not fill my growling stomach. So she eased me into more solid foods.
This is true for each and every person walking today. No one began by grinding young gums on meat.
The One who loves us and cares for us even more than our mothers ---- allows us to begin our growing with His Spiritual milk as well. But then, there should come a day when that "milk" leaves us with a growling, aching longing for more.
More of Him. No longer satisfied on milk alone.
Funny --- my physical body has begun to decide it no longer wants milk. Two days ago i indulged in the most luscious ice cream cone (yes, here in Kenya :). Two days later --- my insides still ache a bit because of it. My body does not want milk now. It craves healthy foods --- fresh foods --- no longer will cookies and milk sit well inside me.
Likewise, my Abba has taken me to a Spiritual place where "milk" no longer satisfies or sits well inside me. There's nothing wrong with "milk". It's just that it does not feed me as it use to. i must have Life Giving --- protein rich "meat" now.
When "milk" was my diet, i would read the scriptures and feel a daftness concerning the fact that meat was even an option in the days ahead.
"I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready." 1 Corinthians 3:2
Then in Hebrews i read ---
"In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." Hebrews 5:12-14
i meditate on verse 14. For in honesty, i do not view myself as "mature" ---- rather, it seems to me the more i seek, and learn of the One True Father ---- i feel more childlike than ever before.
The more we know, the more we become aware of all we do not know.
The closer i step to Abba the more i feel like a well-cared-for daughter -- small, immature.
When i bow in deep prayer --- i become a tiny girl approaching the Throne where all that is before me are the white robes of my Abba --- and He allows me, His daughter to run round His great legs twirling in His Robes. My filth never dirties Him ---- and He never holds me at a distance, because of my human-rags. He draws me to Him. He powerfully attends to all the matters of the earth below ---as He allows His daughter to run through and hold onto His Robes.
Maturity ?---- no i don't feel mature at all.
Loved, yes.
But milk no longer satisfies this daughter.
The author of Hebrews pens, "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers...".
Oh God ---- milk no longer sustains me, it actually makes me ache inside if that is all i'm given. i crave solid food. i seek more. BUT, i do not think myself mature. i sense my child-likeness. Still may i not indulge myself in the many years of milk and refuse to step into the place of teaching.
So --- You God, You and i will know when i stand to teach ---- i'm only Your daughter, the one who can no longer bear the aching emptiness of milk alone --- who stands to share of the meat sacrificially given by the Lamb.
Sometimes in life, when i sit with an aching sister or Steve sits with a growling brother ---- you give us eyes to see ----- they've just been "nursing" too long on milk alone. They are gnawing on things that never "fill" them in the ways YOU desire for them to be filled.
Sometimes they're gnawing on each other --- because of their great need of "meat" from Your table.They want more of something ---
-----but they've forgotten about or carelessly overlooked the "meat" you offer them.
Babies begin on milk ----- then they need more.
So it is with your children.
Help us to belly up to the table "You have prepared for us", push milk to the side, and receive the life-giving marinated "meat" served up for us in Your Word.
The Lamb gave ALL so we could do so.
--- He is our stairway between Heaven and earth...
Truly we are the much-loved-children-of-the-Most-High-God.
©2013 Donna Taylor/Reaching for the Robe
Interesting Donna! I also read the John and Genesis passages this morning. I think God's trying to get my attention about something here. Thanks for sharing. -K-
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