Yesterday, while eagerly preparing for a new small-group study of the book of John, the Spirit blew a few layers of dust off two old memories. The first one made me smile big.
My oldest grandson Camden, who is about to turn 20, was four years old. You know, that age when their hair is lighter, their cheeks rosier, and their little hands chubbier. He sat in a small, blue plastic chair around a much-too-short-for-me table in Children’s Church. I had stayed to help the teacher and was enjoying watching the kids color while they waited for their parents to pick them up.
One of the kids mentioned Halloween, so the teacher asked what they planned to be for trick-or-treat. Camden kept coloring and said, “I’m going to be a superhero!” The little boy next to him, known for always speaking his mind, shot back, “You don’t have any special powers! You can’t be a superhero!” (My protective instincts kicked in, but I resisted the urge to thump the little boy on the head.) Then, without missing a beat or lifting a crayon, Camden calmly replied, “I have the Holy Spirit living in me, so I can be anything I want to be.”
I think I learned the biggest lesson that day. What if all God’s kids were as confident in their relationship with God and in the power they possess? It’s that relationship John writes about that makes his gospel my favorite. He not only recorded what Jesus said and did, but he also explained why! Through John’s eyes, we see that Jesus really is who He says He is, that He can do what He says He can do, and, best of all, that He will do it for us! I know I say that a lot, but that last part took me way too long to realize. I never want someone else to miss it.
I hope my small group gets as excited about John as I am.
The second memory is about 15 years old. I had decided I needed to be sure of what I believed. I began reading the New Testament as though I knew nothing about God, the Bible, or the church. I tried to wipe the slate as clean as possible. I started with the book of John because, you know … he’s always been my favorite. It only took five chapters to completely renovate my life. I finished reading about John the Baptist, the calling of the apostles, water to wine, Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, and two miraculous healings. Then it happened! I came to John 5:39-40.
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,
yet you refuse to come to me for life.”
That same Holy Spirit Camden told his little friend about had just thumped me on the head! He convicted me on the spot. As a child, I earned gold stars for memorizing verses and could win a Sword Drill with ease. I took pride in thinking I had Scripture all figured out. I considered the Bible God’s Holy Rule Book, so naturally I was a rule follower. After teaching Sunday school for over 30 years, I thought I would surely get extra credit when the grades were handed out!
I stopped reading and let the Spirit’s conviction settle on me for a while. He had my attention. I realized I knew Scripture but didn’t know Jesus. I finally continued my journey through the New Testament. When I reached the end, I went back and read Matthew, where I discovered I was the daughter of a King. Mark showed me Jesus, the Servant who gave His life for me. Luke described a compassionate Savior, the One who had compassion for those who considered themselves unworthy of love and forgiveness.
That’s how I met the Jesus I’d never known. He changed my heart, and I wanted to love Him the way He loved me. That heart shift changed everything!
Please don’t misunderstand. Memorizing Scripture is wonderful. Knowing your way around your Bible is handy. Learning more and more about God’s love, Jesus’ grace, and the Spirit’s friendship is thrilling. But my motivation for learning has pirouetted. I no longer dance to the beat of my own drum. Today, I love to joyfully sway to the happy tune Jesus sings over me.
I hope this new small group is ready to learn more about the man who introduced me to the One who changed my life – the One who keeps changing it. God has a purpose for each of us and has given us the power to say, “I have the Holy Spirit living in me, and I can be anything I want to be!” Thank you, Jesus! And thank you, John.
If you live in the Guntersville area, we’d love to welcome you to our small group. We always have a seat for you.
