The John Squad
Please click here to chart your own progress - even though I'm the only one still doing this
My Progress:
I am moving right along and almost finished with Chapter 9. Hopefully I will polish that up this week and be able to set aside another week for review. Unfortunately, the further into the book I go, the harder it is to remember previous chapters. I am getting all mixed up. I had the opportunity of being in the car by myself this week so I tried to listen to the CD and was disappointed with how many mistakes I was making. Chapter 6 is just treacherous. Chapters 1, 2, 3, and most of 4 are great. Then it's all downhill from there. I just wonder where all these verses will be in 10 years. But each day has enough trouble of its own, right? So I will continue to focus on spending time memorizing each day and celebrate my victories.
Some Thoughts:
I think that this chapter is right up there as one of my favorites (which is surprising because initially I was aggravated that it was 41 verses of a single healing story). I still love Chapter 2 because we see Jesus' power revealed. And I love this chapter because we see how life-changing that power can be. This is one of those chapters that is just so rich with truth and promises of God's love. I truly never would've even noticed if I hadn't take the time to memorize it line by line. Earlier, I would've read through this chapter and thought, "okay so Jesus healed a blind man." But now that I've memorized it, I am in awe at how many observations God has shown me.
- Jesus performs a miraculous healing of a man born blind.
- The healing requires initial faith and obedience (the man has to go and wash).
- Immediately people begin to doubt his testimony.
- My favorite verse: "whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"
- The man doesn't provide any answers. He just tells his story.
- He suffers for his beliefs and is thrown out of the synogogue after they hurl insults at him.
- Jesus seeks him out a second time and reveals himself to the man.
- The man immediately replies, "Lord, I believe" and worships him. (I love that part.)
