Dear Faith Family,
"my testimony is true,
for I know where I came from and where I am going..."
(John 8:14)
Who am I? What am I made for? Every philosophy, populace, religion, and culture has asked and answered these questions to varying degrees. And not just once, but over and over again, as one generation fades and interactions with the world contain as many, if not more, differences than similarities.
Who am I? What am I made for? These questions have untied us in our humanity across space and time. They are questions we share in the diversity of our daily existence with everyone, everywhere—well, almost everyone.
While Jesus, in his humanity, shares many things with us, he does not share our existential angst. He is neither confused nor wondering about his person or place. He knows perfectly who he is and where he is going. While, as we said last week, our lives are sustained by what Jesus shares with us, it's actually good news for you and me that Jesus is different in this particular way.
Only because Jesus perfectly knows as he is perfectly known can he be what he proclaims,
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
The good news for you and me is that we don't have to know; only be known. And, in our being known, in our making ourselves at home in what the light reveals, we
"...will know the truth and the truth will set us free." (John 8:32)
As we shared on Sunday, it is not so much how we answer those universal questions that matter. In fact, it seems that we are as often as not poor judges of others as well as ourselves (see John 8:14-59). What matters for you and us as a faith family is what Jesus knows about our condition, "you will die in your sin" (John 8:21) and what Jesus does about it,
"...if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36)
So, how do we make our home in his word, apprenticing ourselves to his life (John 8:31)? Well, we open ourselves to what he reveals through an old faith practice called confession.
The word confess comes from the combination of two Latin words: cum, alongside, and fessio, to divulge or speak truth that would otherwise remain hidden. Confession is a relational practice; with Christ, the light of the world and life alongside us, we speak the truth of what comes to light, both our sins and his grace.
Because what matters is what Jesus knows about us, our condition and our destiny, our entanglements, "everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin" (John 8:34), and what we are made for, we can pray,
"Let me know you, O you who know me;
then shall I know even as I am known…
the abyss of the human conscience lies naked to your eyes,
O Lord, so would anything in me be secret
even if I were unwilling to confess to you?
I would be hiding you from myself,
but not myself from you…" (Augustine)
Let us not hide Jesus from us, faith family, but rather, make our life in the light, for He is the light of life, and in Him we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7).
Love you, faith family! God bless.