Greater things...

I'm on my way through the book of John and stopped at a couple of verses I had underlined a previous time through the book.  Jesus is calling two of his disciples - Philip and Nathaniel.  Nathaniel, upon hearing about 'Jesus, son of Joseph,' says, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?'  Moments later, the same skeptical Nathaniel is gushing, because Jesus had seen him before Nathaniel even knew who Jesus was.  Jesus presses the question, 'Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?  You will see greater things than these.'

Greater things.  Makes me think of the song God of This City by Chris Tomlin.  He speaks of a God who is the light in the darkness, hope to the hopeless, peace to the restless.  Greater things are yet to come, the song echoes.

Sometimes, I wish they were here.  Now.  Evident powerfully amongst the pain.  There is so much I don't understand.  So much I wish I understood.  So much I wish I could do, and the knowledge that there is very little my own feeble power can do.

Two different conversations with two students in two weeks have broken my heart.  One is with a girl struggling to find her place in God's kingdom, another is with a boy who feels like he is falling apart, physically and mentally.  The girl lives in what seems like fear, in what seems like dependence on her own merit as she seeks her way into the will of God.  Her passion is fierce.  But something is missing.  The hope isn't there.  The boy is watching as parts of his body begin to fail, as doctors flounder to figure out what is happening to his body and mind.  His smile, when it peeks out, is dazzling.  But hope seems elusive as he struggles through the attempts of others to 'understand' what he knows they can't.

Greater things.  On Sunday morning as we prepped for leading worship, we sang the song 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman.  I got to this verse, and I nearly broke down in tears.

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore.

I don't know where the tears came from - but they resonate so well with these thoughts.  On top of that, we have been studying Job through a sermon series - and the conviction of Job's faith is spelled out in that third line - through all he had been through - 'still my soul will sing your praise unending...'

I pray for strength.  I pray for Job's conviction.   I pray that I might invite others to see Jesus.  I pray that God will help my unbelief.  I pray for the lives of this young man and woman and so many others that are hurting and seeking and crying out for hope and truth.

May we all find it in Jesus.