Author: TomNorvell

Vol. 19 No. 21 | May 21, 2017

As I left home late one afternoon, I noticed smoke billowing from around the corner. I pulled up far enough to see that the source appeared to be one of the condos just around the corner. Quickly parking the car so as not to be in the way of any emergency vehicles, I jumped out, and started running toward the house while trying to dial 911.

As I approached the driveway, I could see the smoke was coming from a bush. (try not to get ahead of me here) I dashed through the smoke and ash and pounded on the door. A lady came to the door, along with her very irritated dog. Startled and alarmed, she rushed to the garage and grabbed a water hose.

As she doused the smoking bush, another lady from the neighborhood approached us wondering what was going on. I turned to her and politely said, “It looks like we have a burning bush.” There was an awkward pause, then laughter.

Needless to say, as I walked back to my car, I was relieved and humored by the situation. And I continued to think, “A burning bush. A burning bush? What in the world? That was a burning bush!”

The original burning bush is described in the Book of Exodus (3:1–4:17). According to the narrative, the bush was on fire, and yet not consumed by the flames, hence the name. The burning bush is the location where Moses was appointed by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and into Canaan.

No, I am not suggesting that my neighbor’s burning bush was any sort of miraculous sign from God to instruct the people of our neighborhood to lead Nashville to the Promised Land. Moses had a ‘burning bush’, we now have a ‘burned’ bush. Although no one has any idea how a seemingly healthy green shrub would suddenly catch fire, maybe there is a takeaway from this neighborhood burning bush.

For a brief few minutes, three people stood watching a smoldering bush reflecting on something that a few minutes earlier appeared to be a tragedy in the making. And then we all quietly thanked God that everyone was safe.

I left the neighborhood and traveled on to my planned activity thinking and pondering God’s goodness. Maybe He had nothing at all to do with the burning bush in the neighbor’s front yard, but He is good. He is kind. He is merciful. He delights in being praised.

As you go about your week, I hope you don’t see any literal burning bushes, but maybe you will see something or someone who will remind you that we have a great God who loves us. Or, maybe you will be the reminder to someone else who needs one, that God is worthy of our praise.

The Doxology

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
(Thomas Ken, 1674)

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 19 No. 20 | May 14, 2017

One of the most common questions ever asked is ‘Why’?

We ask and are asked this question possibly more often than any other.

Why did this young boy have to die? Why did she get cancer? Why is there so much death? Why does God allow evil? Why did a marriage fail? Why did become an addict?

Why can’t she get over her addiction? Why did my parents have to get divorced? Why did he kill himself? Why is life so difficult? Why are some people so mean? Why does he get the breaks and I’m always struggling just to survive? Why did the church split?

Why didn’t I get that job I wanted?

When life is not going the way we think it should, and sometimes when it is, we wonder why it is happening. I believe Paul, the writer of most of the New Testament letters, gives the best answer that I have heard as to why bad things happen.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. (2 CORINTHIANS 1:8-9)

Paul’s answer to the question of why: So that we might not rely on ourselves but on God.

God knew, and mankind has proven Him right over and over, that from the time we are born, we crave control over our lives. When life seems out of control, we panic. When our plans seem to be straying from what we had intended or hoped for, we grasp to try to gain control and often demand an explanation.

Well-meaning and misinformed advisors will tell us that bad things happen to us because we have sinned or violated one or more of God’s laws. That is a valid explanation if we have sinned or violated one or more of God’s laws. But what about the person who has done neither of these?

Of course, we all are sinners and we all violate God’s laws, but Jesus made it clear that suffering is not necessarily the result of sin.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world”. (1-5)

Jesus and Paul offer the same answer as to why bad things happen. There is a bigger reason than punishment. There is something going on more than teaching us a lesson. The purpose is about something and someone greater than us.

God wants us to rely on Him.

He wants us to rely on Him not because He wants to dominate or control us, but because He has the answers we are looking for. He wants us to rely on Him because He is the One who can and will fulfill all of our needs. He is the power we need.

God is not a tyrant who wants to overpower or dominate us. He is a loving God who wants to empower us to live the life He has created for us. He knows what we need.

He wants us to rely on Him and He wants us to use our experiences to help others. If you read the paragraph that precedes the one we are referring to, you will see that there is another purpose to our struggle in addition to relying on God.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

We are to learn from our experiences and share what we learn. When we struggle, there are valuable lessons for why it happened that God wants us to share. We were comforted and thus should give comfort. We received compassion and thus should be compassionate.

There is always an answer to why. It may not be what we expect or hope for. But we need to accept it is what is best to meet our needs. There is always a gift if we can have the patience and courage to look for it.

So, if you are in the midst of a battle or struggle, or you feel defeated, rely on Him. He can help. Then share it with someone else who you know is struggling. That, if nothing else, will always be the gift.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 19 No. 19 | May 7, 2017

After telling the parable of the sower and the seeds Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear” (Mark 4:9, NIV).

In different contexts, He makes similar statements emphasizing the same message:

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22).

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 2:19).

There are other topics mentioned more in the Scriptures, but I don’t believe any are as important as this one.

Listen and hear.

When parents are communicating important information to their children, it is sometimes necessary to say, “Listen to me”!

Instructors may say to their students, “Listen to this. You may see it on the exam”.

Preachers may say to their congregation, “Are you listening to me? This is important”.

Husbands and wives may say to one another, “I need you to listen to me”.

The fact is, we hear countless things going on at any given moment. Try it. Try to just listen. Close your eyes, sit still, and just listen. What do you hear?

What I hear is music playing. I hear water churning in the washer and clothes tumbling in the dryer downstairs. I hear a truck rumbling as it makes its way slowly down the street. I hear so many things that I most likely would not have had I not taken the time to listen.

It is understandable. There are so many sounds infiltrating our immediate environment at any given moment that we simply become numb to them. No wonder Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” And more specifically “Hear what the Spirit says.” His desire is not simply to hear the words and the sounds, but to absorb what is being said.

James’ admonition is not to just listen to the words, but to really hear the person who is speaking. Be quick to listen, instead of preparing what you will say when given the first opportunity.

In order to really get His message, we need to both listen and hear, focus our attention on what is being said, let it sink in, and absorb the message into our daily lives.

In order to do a good job in our profession, we much not only listen to what is being said by our boss and co-workers, we must hear what is being said and apply it.

To have a deeper level of communication with the important people in our lives, we not only need to listen to them talking, but hear what they are saying. Hear their words, their tone, their emotion, and their heart.

To truly understand what is going on in the lives of our children, we must listen- sometimes more to what is not being said than to what is. We must listen intently, even if they have not learned how to fully express what they want to say. And we must hear them.

During one of the seasons of the television series Parenthood, Camille and Zeek Braverman were having problems connecting with each other. Their counselor encouraged them to practice acknowledging when they were really hearing each other. The phrase: “I hear you and I see you” became an underlying theme for several episodes of the show, and I suspect a common phrase in the conversations of many fans of the show.

“I hear you and I see you.” I am focused on you. I am connected with you. I am in tune with what you are saying and how you are feeling.

It is important that we learn to listen and hear one another in all of our relationships. If the sounds around you are distracting you, find a way to focus in on what you really need to…which is the person who really needs you to.

Jesus was not just talking for the sake of hearing Himself speak. His words have meaning and the power to transform your relationships, with Him and with the people you love.

So listen and hear!

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

 

Vol. 19 No. 18 | April 30, 2017

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7, NIV)

Accept one another. This is what Jesus said. This is what Jesus did. He accepted us and bid that we follow His example by accepting one another.

What He did not say was this:

Jesus did not say to judge one another.
He did not say to criticize one another.
He did not say to disapprove of or censure or condemn one another.

Jesus did not say to discourage one another.
He did not say to frustrate one another.
He did not say to oppose or irritate or combat one another.

Jesus did not say to question one another.
He did not say to disagree with one another.
He did not say to debate or protest or rebuff one another.

Jesus did not say to condescend one another.
He did not say to belittle one another.
He did not say to discredit or ridicule or humiliate one another.

Jesus did not say to dismiss one another.
He did not say to ignore one another.
He did not say to exclude or reject or abandon one another.

Jesus did not say to antagonize one another.
He did not say to curse one another.
He did not say slander or berate or scorn one another.

Jesus did not say to argue with one another.
He did not say to defy one another.
He did not say to conquer or betray or harm one another.

Jesus did not say to fear one another.
He did not say to dislike one another.
He did not say to defy or condemn or hate one another.

What Jesus said was to love one another, to accept one another.

So, let us hear what He said. Let us do what He said. Let us love one another, and let us accept one another.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

 

Vol. 19 No. 17 | April 23, 2017

Some of us are more aware of them than others. The voices, they are always there. I am not talking about strange psychotic or disturbing ‘people would be worried’ voices. I am talking about the voices inside of our heads and heart that overpower us and create confusion and anxiety, but at other times calm our spirits and bring us peace and harmony.

Jesus heard the voices.

“You cannot be the Son of God. You are a carpenter’s son.”

“Jesus, You should demonstrate Your power in such a dramatic way to show people who You really are.”

“Jesus, put my sons in positions of leadership in Your kingdom!”

“Jesus change these stones to bread. Jesus worship me and I will give You all these kingdoms. Jesus throw yourself off this high place and prove to me Your loyalty and dedication.”

“Jesus, who do You think you are?”

Jesus heard the voices, yet He stayed true to His nature and to His calling.

Thinking about the voices led me to pray this prayer and similar ones many times.

Father, I hear the voices. They come from all directions. They come from friends who want me to succeed. They come from those who may want to see me fail. Father, help me discern between the voices so that I know when to listen to my head and when to listen to my heart.

Father, silence the voices that tell me that what I do is insignificant. Silence the voices that tell me I am too good to do this, or that I am not good enough. Silence the voices who speak negativity to my heart.

Father, increase the volume of the voices that say this is a good thing, you are a good person, you are doing great things, you are touching lives, you are helping people find peace and hope. Increase the volume of the voices that say this is where God wants you and you are doing what He wants you to do.

Father, silence the voices that invoke fear. Increase the volume of the voices that instill confidence and trust in You.

Father, silence the voices that try to tear me down by drawing me away from You. Increase the voices that lift me up and draw me closer to You.

Father, silence the voices that tell me to be suspicious, skeptical, cynical and judge those who are different from me. Increase the voices that tell me to be open, to be trusting, and to love all people.

Father, silence the voices that remind me of my sins and failures. Increase the volume of those voices that remind me of Your forgiveness and the victories that You and I have enjoyed through Your strength.

The voices are real, Father. Some are good and some are bad. Father, help me discern between the voices and know which ones need to be silenced and which ones need to be heard.

Father, help me hear Your voice above all others.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

What I Want You To Know About Jesus, #5

Vol. 19 No. 16 | April 15, 2017

My most vivid childhood memory of Easter involves polishing my shoes. Yes, you read that correctly. Polishing shoes was our Easter ritual that I now realize was a clever way to implement tradition. To me, there was no rhyme or reason to it, but it did serve as an effective way for our parents to get us to shine our shoes on Easter morning. 

The understanding in our house was that if you wanted Easter candy on Easter morning, your shoes had to be cleaned, polished, shined and placed outside your bedroom door. With shoes cleaned and shined, we would go to bed, then on Easter morning we would find our shined shoes miraculously filled with Easter candy, along with a basket full of eggs and more candy. I eventually discovered that the Easter Bunny was just as much of a night owl as Santa was. But none of this mattered, as long as I had an adequate supply of those white, cream-covered eggs with pink, yellow, blue, and green sugar. Such a healthy snack to start off our Sunday morning!

The second most vivid memory of my childhood Easters was dying the Easter eggs. Usually on the Saturday before, the eggs would be boiled and tablets of dye would be dropped into heated vinegar. Next, the boiled eggs would be placed on a copper wire with a circle designed specifically to hold one egg at a time. The egg would be dipped into the dye and an amazing transformation would take place. Those plain white eggs became various shades of red, blue, green, yellow, and pink. Some of them came out of the dye with unique designs that we would create with a wax crayon. After the color transformation, the eggs, still wet with warm vinegar, would be placed on newspaper spread out on the kitchen table to dry. I can still here my mom’s warnings: “Don’t touch them! You’ll mess them up! You have to let them dry!”

And so, adequately jacked up on sugar, off we would go to church- dressed in our best (and only) pair of black pants, white shirts, black ties, and beautifully polished shoes- soon to join all the ladies and little girls dressed in their Sunday best, wearing their pretty hats and new fancy dresses.

I suppose the preacher spoke about the Resurrection, but I most likely missed it, falling asleep right about the time he started. But I assure you I woke up in time for the Easter Egg hunt that followed. That I would not miss. 

Eventually I outgrew those traditions. Well, most of them. I still try to make sure my shoes are in pretty good shape, and I now prefer the Reece’s Peanut Butter bunnies instead of the colorful sugar-coated eggs. I also eventually came to understand that the miracle of Easter was not about candy mysteriously showing up in my shoes, or eggs changing color right before my eyes.  Easter was about a Savior who had died and been buried, and then rose again from His grave.

The miracle is about the followers of Jesus who watched him suffer pain and humiliation, who witnessed the afflictions of his wounds and declaration of his death, who saw him conquer death and rise again. Hope restored.

I now understand that an Easter Sunrise means more than hunting eggs and wearing my best clothes. It means that the time of darkness has passed and the Light has returned. It means that the hope that had been lost has now returned. It means that although we go through times of waiting and confusion, even despair, because of that empty tomb, hope is restored. 

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

What I Want You To Know About Jesus, #4

Vol. 19 No. 15 | April 10, 2017

Jesus is not safe because following Him means carrying a cross.

Your cross may involve suffering for your faith. Your cross may involve leaving the creature comforts of your local community or staying there longer than you desire. Your cross may involve losing friends and family or being stretched to the limits of your faith. Your cross may involve physical limitations or being forced to face your fears. 

Jesus is not safe because following Him leads to death.

Following Jesus means abandoning yourself and embracing Him as your truth. Following Jesus may mean letting your dreams die so that He can create new ones within you. Following Jesus may mean abandoning your career goals so you can pursue the vocation He has designed for you. Following Jesus may mean surrendering your pride and even experiencing physical death that will unite you with and bring glory to Him.

Jesus is not safe because loving people is not easy.

Following Jesus means loving people. Loving people is not easy and it is not optional. Loving people is the identifying factor of a follower of Jesus. Some people are easier to love than others. You have to love the difficult ones too. Following Jesus means loving people like He loves you, and this also entails forgiving them as He has forgiven you.

Following Jesus will present known challenges and some that will not be revealed until you are in the thick of it. If you choose to follow Jesus, there may be times when you wonder if you made the right decision and times when you are convinced you made the wrong one.

Following Jesus is not safe because you must carry your cross, you must let the person you were before die so that He may now live through you. And, you must love people. If you just start with those two things, your journey will be much easier than it would have been otherwise. 

If you choose to follow Jesus, stay focused on the fact that He carried His cross and died for your sins. He chose to die so that you could be victorious over death. He chose to love people because He knew we needed to be loved.

Following Jesus is both challenging and rewarding. But the reward, in the end, will be worth the challenges.

As you consider following Jesus think about this story

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side. After he had dismissed them, he went up to a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone. The boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the wind and the waves.

Shortly before dawn, Jesus went out to them, walking on water to reach them. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified and cried out in fear, “It’s a ghost!”

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. (Matthew 14:22-29, NIV)

As scary as it was, Peter came forth and walked on water. None of the other disciples could make that claim. He loved and trusted Jesus enough to follow Him when he said, “Come”.

The question of whether or not you will follow Jesus can only be answered by you. He does not demand it. He will not force you. He invites you to follow Him. If you choose to follow Him, your life will be filled with adventure that is beyond anything you can imagine. Maybe He is saying, “Come” to you. Will you?

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

What I Want You To Know About Jesus, #3

Vol. 19 No. 14 | April 3, 2017

Three weeks ago, I wrote that I was beginning a series of articles, based on John’s gospel, where I would share things that I want you to know about Jesus. I started with the fact that, ‘He is’. Jesus is who he says He is. Last week I wrote about the fact that He is the ‘True Light’, and we need the light of Jesus to see our way through the world.

My plan this week was to focus on this thought John 1:15, The Message:

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish.

I’ve imagine this scene as follows: You come home from work and see a van parked in the driveway of the house next to yours. You walk over to meet the new neighbor and discover it is Jesus. Jesus has moved into the house next to yours. Not to keep an eye on you. Not to spoil your fun. He moved in next to you because He wants to be close to you. Wow, what a thought! Jesus wants to be close to me.

My plan was to go through the gospel of John pointing out other characteristics of Jesus, other facts about Jesus, and other interesting ideas about Jesus that I wanted everyone else to know. This would be a long series of articles that would provide a vast repertoire of topics to pull from for the months to come.

Then I got bored.

That’s right, I got bored with my own stuff. I realized that you probably already know most of my thoughts about Jesus and most of the traits of Jesus that I wanted to share. Yes, I think it is important for you to know that, “Jesus Is” that He offers us “True Light” and that He wants to be near you. I think we all need to know those things as well as all the others I would eventually share.

But, through a series of God moments, conversations, and opportunities to listen and reflect on life – the gospel, our culture, and where I am in my own life – I realized most of the thoughts I wanted to share with you would fill you with thoughts, ideas, and concepts that might not be what you really need. They might help you live a nice, comfortable life in your church and in your community. But my concern is that this might prompt you to live through my thoughts without ever really experiencing the real Jesus and how an honest relationship with Him might transform your world.

So, the third thing (technically the fourth) I want you to know about Jesus is that He Is Not Safe. By that I do not mean that He will not care for us, that He will not give us peace, or that He will not provide us with rest when we are weary. He always does and He always will.

But when we make a commitment to follow Jesus, we need to know that we are choosing a life that is not all fun and games. A life with Jesus is not always easy, or smooth, or comfortable. In fact, this understanding of a life following Jesus may be one of the most destructive views of God that pervades our culture. ‘Just trust in Jesus and the blessings will start falling from the heavens.’

This is what Jesus said:

Do you finally believe? In fact, you’re about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I’m not abandoned. The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world. (John 16:32-33, The Message)

Did you catch that? “In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties.” But, are the frustrations, disappointments, trials, hurts, and sorrows that you are experiencing because you are following Jesus? No. They are part of life and will continue. You simply must be ready, be patient, and be strong.

This is the best decision you will ever make. Yes, He has overcome all that. Yes, eventually you will too. But for right now, in this world, do not be shocked, surprised, or caught off guard when things do not go how you want them to. “Following Me” Jesus says, “will be difficult at times.”

But, the good news is that He will be with us through every frustration, every disappointment, every trial, every hurt, and every sorrow. At times when we think we cannot bear any more, He will lift our burden or help us carry it.

No, Jesus is not safe. But, He is. He provides the light for our way. He is with us at all times.

Now, you have a crucial decision to make. Will you follow Jesus?

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

What I Want You To Know About Jesus, #2

Vol. 19 No. 13 | March 26, 2017

Let’s talk about light.

I make no claim to be an expert on the history of light, but I know we are indebted to Thomas Edison for inventing the electric light bulb. Although there is evidence that before Edison, British inventors were demonstrating that electric light was possible with the arc lamp. Everything becomes much clearer when we have access to more light.

But when it’s dark, when there are no overhead lights, what do we do for illumination?

Before smart phones, if you wanted to see where you were going in the dark, you needed a flashlight. Before the flashlight, lanterns were the best way to overcome the darkness. Before the lantern, one may have used a candle. Before the candle, a torch might have been the light of choice. Before the torch…well, I am not sure what was used. There were probably a lot of stubbed toes and bruised heads. The point should be clear; if it is dark, you need light.

You need light when you are trying to navigate the darkness. But sometimes, just having a light is not enough.

For example, in a dimly lit restaurant, you can see, but maybe not well. You may need to move the menu closer to the candle to read it. Or, it is not uncommon to see people pull out their smart phones to help them see the menu better.

You may be in a room with a television on and a lamp on the table next to you. There is light, but if you decide to read the newspaper or a book, you may need more.

When I am in my bedroom looking for socks to wear, I may need additional light to tell which one is black and which one is blue. If the overhead light is not enough, I hold them under the lamp. If this still is not sufficient, I open the window shade to let the sunlight come through. Then, I can easily distinguish between to two colors. The sun is the true light. The Son of God is the true light.

John uses this kind of imagery when he describes Jesus.

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:6-13, NIV)

The people had been waiting for and looking for the Light of God to come into the world. There were others who had come claiming they were the light or that they had the light. So it was only natural that those seeking it would go to John the Baptist to find out if he was the true light. John clarifies it when he tells them, “He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.”

Then he says, “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him”. Jesus is the true light. John could only point to the true light. He could provide some light, but he could not give the light that everyone was seeking, nor did he claim he could.

As it was in Jesus’ time, people are looking for more light today. A light that can reveal what is true, what is real and right.

People themselves can at times be the darkness that surrounds us and can be oppressive and depressing. In His sermon Jesus tells us that we are the “light of the world.” But we can only be the light when we have seen the light.

Jesus is the light. Jesus is the true light. Jesus is the One who can illuminate our path in the darkness. Jesus can bring light into our dark world. That is what He came to do. That is what He wants to do.

That is why I want you to know Jesus. He is the light! Move toward the light.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.

Vol. 19 No. 12 | March 19, 2017

A few weeks ago, I shared that one of my greatest passions is my desire to help people know Jesus (My Role in the Kingdom). The first and most important step to knowing Him is to just know that He is!

These words come from John, Chapter One:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John1:1-5, NIV)

The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
in readiness for God from day one.
Everything was created through him;
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out. (John 1:1-5, The Message)

Obviously I cannot make you believe this if you do not already or if you do not want to. But I believe it. In one way or another, the fact that Jesus is influences everything I do.

Because He is, I have a purpose.

Because He is, I have confidence that life is more than a series of unrelated events and coincidences.

Because He is, as the old song says, “I can face tomorrow.”

Because He is, I know I am never alone, regardless of how alone I may feel.

Because He is, I know that life is not about me. It is all about Him.

Because He is, there is light even in the darkest of days.

Because He is, the world and all of creation was made for us to experience and enjoy.

Because He is, we have someone who listens to our hearts, understands our discontent, and forgives our sins.

Just knowing that He is, just accepting that reality, is a good place to start on a journey with Him. It is not necessary to know everything about Him.

For now, just take a deep breath and say, “He is! HE is! He IS!” Meditate on and take comfort in the beautiful reality that He is!

As you go through your day, keep thinking about the fact that He is. Whisper it when anxieties increase. Say it out loud when you sense doubt creeping in. When you open the shade in the morning to check the weather, remind yourself that He is. When you lay your head on your pillow at night reflecting on your successes and failures, breathe deeply and remember that He is.

Tom

A Norvell Note © Copyright 2017. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.