FRIDAY December 6th
We have very briefly gone through the 7 ‘I am’ statements of Jesus as recorded in the gospel of John and you may remember that I mentioned when considering Jesus as the good shepherd, that I commented that I like the agricultural context especially with me being a farmer’s son. Since then, I have thought about each of the statements and considered an angle in which we could liken them or link them to an occupation, and remember as you read this devotion, this is my imagination at work!
I am the bread of life – reminded me of a baker and his bakery.
I am the light of the world – reminded me of one who is an electrician by trade.
I am the good shepherd – reminded me as I have already said of the world of agriculture and the farmer.
I am the door – well this is so applicable to Jesus, for it reminded me of a carpenter and was he not brought up by one who was a carpenter, Joseph.
I am the resurrection and the life, well we could consider a few occupations here, but particularly the medical profession and in especially a mid-wife who helps to bring a life into the world, and the doctor who helps to support through life, but then Jesus spoke this statement within the context of death, so here comes the undertaker!
I am the way and the truth and the life, well the way reminded me of a cartographer as he designs the map to show us the way, the truth reminds me of the law and lawyers who seek to determine the truth in situations and the life again linking to all who help us in the medical profession.
I am the vine – well this links us to horticulture and the gardener.
In other words, as I have just highlighted a few occupations, Jesus is everything that everyone needs! As a baker he has given himself as the bread, as the electrician he has given himself to be our light in the midst of darkness, as the good farmer / shepherd he came to seek us out, as the carpenter he himself has become the door that opens the way for us into heaven and which protects us while we sojourn here on earth, as the medical practitioner he has revived us, and as the undertaker he is going to prepare us in such a way that death will not be able to hold us captive, we will rise, as the cartographer he has shown us the way we should walk, as the lawyer he acts as our advocate before the Father, as the horticulturist he prunes us.
There are many who may not realises this, but Jesus really is the answer, he came into this world to deal with our greatest need and that was our need for salvation and all that is linked to this, but Jesus is also able to help us throughout life in every single situation and even through death itself. ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me’, Psalm 23:4.
In the words of a chorus:
He is all I need
He is all I need
All, all, I need
He is all I need,
He is all I need,
Jesus is all I need.
And then there is another song:
Christ is the answer to my every need,
Christ is the answer,
He is a friend indeed,
Problems of life my spirit may assail,
With Christ as Saviour,
I can never fail, for,
Christ is the answer to my need.
Do you know him? Not just as your Saviour, but as the one who sticks by you through thick and thin to help you get through all that life throws at you. And incidentally, it doesn’t matter who you are in this world, whether among the highest paid in whatever your chosen profession or the lowest paid in what we might consider to be the lowlier professions, we all need Jesus, for money, wealth, possessions, and status count as nothing toward eternity, it is all about personally knowing Jesus as Saviour that is of the utmost importance.