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“You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life.”  John 5: 39-40

We are fortunate to live in a country and in a day where every home has at least one Bible.  Most of us have multiple copies in more than one translation.  We are blessed to live in a nation where we have opportunity upon opportunity to study under talented and gifted Bible teachers and Bible studies abound for every possible group, gender or topic.  We possess Bible dictionaries, Bible commentaries and concordances to help us learn about God and what it means to live a righteous life.  As such we have become a people who love to learn new things.  We tend to be seekers.  Seekers of truth.

When Jesus came onto the scene times were much simpler.  There was an Old Testament and there was a religious system that had been studied extensively through the law and the prophets.  The only studying of the Bible was done by the religious leaders and they taught it to the people.  By the time of Jesus’ arrival that study of the Old Testament had been translated into 613 rules to live by.

Do you sense the frustration in Jesus’ words in our focal passage?  He wasn’t condemning studying the Word of God.  Read carefully.  He was rebuking what they were looking for.

When we go to the scriptures, we are to look for Jesus.  Not rules.  Not traditions.  Not proof of what we believe or don’t believe.  We are looking for a person.  A person is Truth; not a concept; not a rule.  And to truly be seekers of truth we are seekers of a relationship. 

I wonder what makes man think that life will be found in rules?  Is it perhaps a throwback to paganism, when man felt that he had to earn or work to appease his gods?  Did the curse so stain our hearts that we refuse to joyfully accept grace but instead choose to believe we must work harder to make God happy?  Or perhaps we are stubbornly refusing because anything short of our self-imposed cellblock of beliefs would require life in the wild – where Jesus walked.

Jesus shattered life as the Jews of His day knew it.  His harshest condemnations were for the religious.  I doubt that it would be unchanged today.   America included.  For all our accessibility to truth, we still 2,000-plus years later seek it in knowledge, rules, traditions and our own comfort – not in a person. 

I want to challenge you to press in during these days of trouble and sorrow.  Press in to Christ.  Seek Him.  Seek the person.  Not for explanations, rules, the right or wrong, the way or the truth.  Seek Him for a love relationship.  Love Him with all your heart.  Talk to Him as you would your dearest love.  Put His words in your heart……..and live.

PRAYER:  Father, we have sought life in so many things that seemed to have such promise.   You beckon us to a relationship.  Most of us reading these words have come to you in a saving relationship that promises us eternal life; but so many have not experienced the abundant life you promise in the here and now because we have sought life in living and not in You.  Change our hearts O God.  To the praise of Your glory.  In Jesus’ precious name, amen.

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