Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 13: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 145; Evening, Psalms 85 and 86;
Judges 8:22-35; Acts 4:1-12; John 1:43-51
“Nathanael asked him, ‘Where did you come to know me?’ Jesus answered, ‘I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael replied, ‘Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!’ (John 1: 48 – 49)
I would surely like to know what Nathanael was experiencing under the fig tree such that it made him realize that Jesus was truly the Son of God! We don’t get to know what was going on with Nathanael. I wonder if he was praying, or having a nervous breakdown, or some mystical experience wherein God gave him some kind of revelation. Nathanael follows Jesus as a result of his friend Philip coming to get him.
Jesus calls 7 of the Apostles: Simon and Andrew (Matthew 4:18 – 20), John and James – (Matthew 4: 21 – 22) Matthew himself (AKA Levi) (Matthew 9:9), Philip (John 1:43), Nathaniel, from above (John 1: 50 – 51). Then there is one who Jesus called but who rejected Jesus’ call: the Rich young man: (Mark 10:21 -22). However, of all whom he called, Simon Peter, John and James seem to be the chosen three who went with him in the deepest sense of his ministry: the healing of Jairus’ daughter, the Transfiguration (which I will say more about on Saturday of this blog): and these three were also present at his passion prayer on the night he was arrested in which these three could not stay awake, (Matthew 26:36 -46).
For some of us, Jesus comes to get us. For many of us, a friend brings us to Jesus. But the lesson here is that our Lord Jesus already knows, “the trouble we’ve seen.” Jesus meets us under our own vine and fig tree, for He truly is “Rabbi, or Teacher, the Son of God!” Ponder about this.
Please keep Ukraine in your prayers.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 