Today’s scripture: John 3:25-30 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (David Zier):
Marriage is an image we see in the Bible in many places. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the covenant God makes with the people of Israel is like a marriage union between two people. In the New Testament, Jesus performs his first public miracle (turning water into wine) at a wedding.
Here in the United States, it is tradition that the wedding party’s best man/woman give a toast to the newly married couple with a short speech about her/his friend, so that everyone gets to know them better. This toast is an expression of honor. John the Baptist puts himself in this perspective when he says in verses 28-30:
“You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John is that friend of the groom, Jesus, who gives the toast in yet another representation of the covenant God makes with God’s people, through Jesus.
I think to myself, “I am a friend of Jesus!” And I am reminded of the song we sing in praise during worship on some Sundays:
I am a friend of God;
I am a friend of God ;
I am a friend of God ;
God calls me friend.
So it makes me think, “How do I toast/honor Jesus? How can I toast/honor Jesus as a friend?” I can think of lots of words, and they never end. But the reality for me is not toasting with words, but toasting/honoring with my life. What is it that I do to show who God is? How well do I love?
Thought for the Day: How do I toast Jesus? Put another way, how do I honor Jesus with my life?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.