One Day

We’re reading through the New Testament this year, and a few weeks ago we were in John 19 and there, right between the crucifixion and the resurrection was a man for whom this one day was a life-defining moment of faith. If you’re not familiar with the story, take a minute and read John 19:38-41.

There are a couple of other Joseph’s in the Bible, all we know of Joseph of Arimathea is contained in four very short passages, one in each gospel, recording this one day, this one act.

Scripture tells us that Joseph was a member of the Jewish council and that he disagreed with the council’s condemnation of Jesus. We know he was a rich man who was waiting for the coming of the kingdom of God. He was secretly a disciple of Jesus and on this day at least, a man of courage.

Sometimes a life-defining moment of faith takes place in one day, but we never know which day it will be. This was Joseph’s day. Joseph’s faith led him up to this moment. His love for Jesus had begun long before. He had been following Jesus, listening to His teaching. His courage had been building, but on this day, he didn’t care what the Jewish council thought, he didn’t care what Pilate might do to him. This was his moment. He was a secret follower no more.

No one knows when your ‘one day’ will be. Maybe you’ve already had it. Maybe God is preparing you for your faith moment tomorrow, or next month. Here is what struck me about Joseph. The month before … the week before . . . the day before, was just another day. We never know when our ‘day’ will come. But, if we don’t live today as a disciple, . . . and every day as a disciple, . . . if we don’t live today waiting for the kingdom, purifying ourselves, looking and hoping for His return, if we are not hearing His word today and letting our faith grow, we may never have our day.

John 6:66-69 – From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

It’s amazing to me that there were disciples who quit following Jesus. They quit believing in Him, and we never read of them again. They didn’t have their defining moment of faith, because they quit following.

If you really believe and know that Jesus is the Son of the living God, you will not stop following. If you really believe and know that His words are the words of eternal life, you will not stop hearing and obeying his words. Things can get tough. There may be things you don’t understand, but if you know that Jesus is the Son of God, where else are you going to go?

Our world is full of Josephs who missed their life-defining faith moment because they fell away. They loved the world instead of the Lord. Don’t give up. Don’t let the storms blow you over or the waves distract you. Keep growing, keep serving and be ready today for God to reveal Himself through your faith.

May you know that you know, and may that compel you to continue to follow, looking forward to your one day when your faith comes spilling out for everyone to see. Your day may be today.

Enjoying the Journey,
David