Refuse or Receive

Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life. (John 5:40 NLT)

I find this verse to be troubling. How could anyone refuse the Son of God who gives life eternal? How could anyone deny Him who raised the dead and healed every form of disease and sickness? Was it not enough that they saw the great works and miracles that he did? Let me say that mostly the ones who thought they had arrived with their religiosity and laws were the ones who refused The Christ. The ones who thought they had attained salvation through their 'good deeds' and alms to the poor. The ones who played it safe and covered their hidden secrets from people rather than admitting their sinful and foolish ways. May I suggest that these ones were the most sick and in need of this Life that Jesus offered? Jesus once said that he did not come for the healthy ones but for those who were sick. I believe he was referring to anyone who recognized their desperate need for a Savior. Anyone who knew that they could not attain righteousness on their own. Often times the poor, the drunkard, and the prostitute we're the ones who knew they were messed up and welcomed Jesus because of the way He loved and received them. May it not be that we refuse Him who gives life.

Sadly I know that many even in churches refuse Jesus day to day. You see we refuse him when we slander one another. We refuse him when we choose to hurt another with our backbiting and pointing of the finger. We refuse Him when we ignore the poor and broken in our midst. We
Refuse Him when we allow our pride to control us.

Only when we confess our own desperate need to be cleansed and forgiven from our sins will we be considered righteous in His eyes. Righteousness comes through brokenness and humility. Righteousness comes through Christ alone.

How do you refuse Him? Let us ask for forgiveness for the ways that we refuse Him who gives life.