[life that is truly life]

There's a verse that hit me in church last Sunday and continually came up all week long.

"These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God."    John 20:31

I've sung it countless times as part of the liturgy before. I can repeat it with my eyes closed actually, and intellectually I nod my head yes every time. But the beauty of God's Word is that it's living and active, and some of His sweetest lessons are when He opens our hearts to truth, not just intellectual agreement.

That's what it felt like this week for me. "These things are written. . "

Why?

"That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.."

And! There's more. It gets better.

". . and by believing you may have life in his name."

Let's be honest. It wasn't like God was bored one day and decided to write down His accomplishments. Needed to flex His muscles a bit. Thought someone might like to know some world history. He existed long before the world, will exist after and doesn't really need a Bible to back Himself up.

No, God inspired His Word for us. It was written down for us. To point us to Him. To reveal Himself. To teach us about His compassion, mercy, grace, truth, holiness and love. And He did it by using stories of people, average people, from many ages, many backgrounds and  many nations that had many struggles, triumphs, talents, failures, inadequacies, excuses and countless crap-I-messed-up-agains.

For us. That we may believe, and that by believing, we may have life not shortened by death. Life that is truly life (1 Timothy 6:17-19).