John 1:43-51 (NRSV)
Read John 1:43-51 on biblegateway.com
Verse 43The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Verse 44Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Verse 45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Verse 46Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Verse 47When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Verse 48Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Verse 49Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Verse 50Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." Verse 51And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."
Devotion
Jerry died last month. He would not be recognized on the streets of Duluth or Proctor as being much different from any other blue-collar railroad engineer. He was in the Korean War and bore those common scars of the spirit not quite yet resolved by the balm of grace.
We could see that this wiry former fullback was failing quickly. Three weeks before his death we were sitting together at a pie social when he punched me in the arm and said, "I can still kick your a**." From his hospital bed, his final intelligible words to me were, "I love my church." One sentence in jest and one deeply from his heart; I treasure them both.
Just before the funeral, a young mother of four, who had recently gone through some extraordinarily complex domestic issues, shared with me that Jerry had told her to just be open with members of the congregation about her situation and all would be well. Jerry's words were life restoring.
Prayer
We give thanks that the power of your grace comes to heal and give life through those who will likely never be aware of the difference they have made in the lives of others. Amen.