Nothing On My Own

‘I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge; and my judgement is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me. ‘If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who testifies on my behalf, and I know that his testimony to me is true. You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth. Not that I accept such human testimony, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But I have a testimony greater than John’s. The works that the Father has given me to complete, the very works that I am doing, testify on my behalf that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent. ‘You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. Yet you refuse to come to me to have life. I do not accept glory from human beings. But I know that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; if another comes in his own name, you will accept him. How can you believe when you accept glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the one who alone is God? Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?’ John 5:30-47

I have been preaching the importance of relationship and trust throughout my ministry. We try new programs every few years and think they will solve our problems. We are called in relationship, called to build and nurture trust, called to be people who serve others. Real problem solving requires time to listen to the people, time to hear the needs, time to feed the hungry and patience in all things. We do nothing on our own, and our ancestors were working and praying together for a day when we would stand up and love the world around us. Loving requires time to be known and to know. Jesus invites us to be in relationship with the source of all and be deeply in relationship with one another.

Generous Creator, you gave us time to grow

and space to stretch out and listen to the elders

people in our lives who loved us into existence

and who pray for us even when we are unaware.

Too often we think we are independent and self made

even when we are surrounded by teachers and friends

we hurt others by not knowing them as you do

and so fail to love them completely as you love them.

Help us to take the time to hear the stories of others

give us your heart so we might share our stories

transform us with your vision of compassion

so the world might see your love active in this time. Amen.