Sunday Scripture

  

As previously mentioned, I'll be posting  Sunday Scriptures on both of my blogs this December, taken from an Advent study I did in 2013 with Good Morning Girls.  The study, Keeping Our Hearts Focused on Jesus, is still available as a free download.  Scroll down and click on the book-like image, and the pdf should open right up.  More than just a Bible study, this is an ebook that includes recipes, Advent activities, and more.  I think it will be a blessing to you.

I've mentioned before that I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the studies from GMG use a very similar one.  I find this method a real blessing whether I am studying shorter passages or longer ones, so I hope you'll give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or passage,  or praise for what it means to you.

This week's verses are focused on Love.  If you downloaded the study and are following along with it, this  is the one from December 13.

S= "Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you.  Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you; for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not where he goeth.

"While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light.  These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide Himself from them. "  (John 12:35-36)

O= Jesus is speaking here.  This incident took place after Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.  There were all sorts of people present -- people who had come to the Passover feast in Jerusalem hoping to see Him; His disciples; people who had been present when He raised Lazarus from the dead; the Pharisees; and "certain Greeks" who requested to meet with Him but did not do so.

Just prior to His speaking these words, Jesus foretold His crucifixion, and a voice from heaven spoke, verifying His words.  When the people questioned, saying, "We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth forever; and how sayest Thou, the Son of Man must be lifted up?  Who is this Son of Man?", Jesus' words in verses 35-36 are His answer to them.  He instructed them to believe in and walk in the light while they had the opportunity, for the Light would be with them only a short time.

As John Blase says in Our Daily Bread, "It was going to get dark and be almost impossible to see. Almost. So what did Jesus tell them to do? Believe, or trust, the Light (v. 36). That was the only way they could keep going forward and stay faithful.'

A= I struggled a bit to find an application for these verses other than the obvious one that sinners should trust Christ as Savior while they still had the opportunity.  But I think it also has to do with believers trusting God through their trials.

 "Believers have His Spirit as our constant guide to light the way. We too will face dark times when it’s almost impossible to see the way ahead. Almost. But by believing, or trusting in the Light, we can press on." -- John Blase, Our Daily Bread

Jesus is the Light in our darkness.  He will give us all  we need to keep going in difficult times.

P= "Lord, I thank and praise You that because of Your free gift of salvation, I  no longer walk in darkness.  I am a child of light.  I praise You that I have Your Word to shed light upon my path and to help me walk as You would have me to.  

"Help me to walk in the light of Your Word every day.  May the people who cross my path who are still walking in darkness be drawn to Your marvelous light!  I pray in the name of Jesus, the Light of the world, Amen."

And there's the very simple Sunday Scripture for today, December 14!