"Philip went and found Nathanael and told him, "We've found the One Moses wrote of in the Law, the One preached by the prophets. It's Jesus, Joseph's son, the one from Nazareth!" Nathanael said, "Nazareth? You've got to be kidding."
But Philip said, "Come, see for yourself."
-John 1:42-43
Another translation of this verse says, "can anything good come from Nazareth?" We look for Jesus in unexpected places because he has a history of showing up in unexpected places. Who thought the son of God would be born in a stable? Or raised in a poor redneck region of Palestine? In Praise Habit, David Crowder writes about finding God in church and at camp... He was always where he last left Him. Later, he realizes God's presence in every moment - the significant and the mundane. It's unexpected to find out the same divine energy which created the universe is in you and in me. Jesus took it further when he claimed to be most present with the "least of these." Considering the history of other world religions, we soon realize this is a very weird God we serve. It confuses me when I hear Christianity touted as a "powerfull western religion," when all you have to do is open a bible and read about Jesus' hardly noticeable entrance onto the earth. I think Christianity has gotten a bad rap because so many people want Jesus to be a strong-savvy kind of God. And instead of humbly letting the gosple speak for itself, they force it onto people through systems of power.
But John clearly doesn't do that. He says, "Come, see for yourself."
(Foy Vance, Irish singer)
Loved this song! How did you find the singer? Thank you for sharing...I agree that we sometimes "leave God" in church... or in camp...or in a retreat... when we realize that God is present in us it changes everything. I am really focusing on that this Advent season as we prepare for the celebration of God's incredible Gift to us...Hallelujah! love you. xo mom
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