The John Squad
Please click here to chart your own progress - even though I'm the only one still doing this
My Progress:
15 Chapters down. I can't believe I made it this far. I feel like I'm in the home stretch and the verses have been coming so easily to me. The chapters have been getting shorter, so it keeps me motivated because I can see how much progress I'm making. I've been aiming to do a chapter a week, but I'm not sure I'll make that goal for this week, since 16 is 33 verses and seems a little difficult. But I'll certainly give it my best shot. I am just so thrilled to have come this far. I actually believe that this can be done now and I no longer have feelings of doubt. However, I do understand that after I "finish", I will never truly be done. As soon as I memorize the last verse, I am going to need to spend a few solid months in serious review. Chapter 6 is still a killer and I know that a few other chapters have gotten rusty. But my plan for now is to go full-steam ahead to the end and then go back and review for as long as it takes me until I can recite the entire thing from start to finish.
"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world." What an honor to be hated by the world! Lately, I have been feeling more and more that I do not belong to this world. Just flipping through a couple channels on TV, I want nothing to do with this place. What a privilege to be chosen out of this world. I don't care if this world hates me. I am a citizen of heaven and just passing through.
"I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last." How on earth do you wrap your brain around that one?! First of all, Jesus is calling me His friend? Secondly, He has chosen me? How desperately unworthy I am.
Twice in this chapter, Jesus gives the command to love each other. And countless times He has said that if we love Him, we are to obey his teaching. Most of this chapter is about remaining in Him so that we can obey His commands and share in His joy. It still infuriates me when I choose to disobey and do not act in love. I fall often. I don't know why He keeps holding up His end of the deal when I have failed so miserably so many times.
I am one little branch, but I am clinging onto the vine with all my might.
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