John 19:25-37
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35 The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36 These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” x 37 and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.” y [1]
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What struck me today was John’s identification of himself as “the disciples whom he loved.” This is the only way in which John identifies himself throughout this gospel, the only identity that he claims for himself.
For John, everything is his relationship with Jesus. The love Jesus had for him is the defining feature of his life and his identity. He was an apostle, a fisherman, brother of James, a disciples, writer of gospel and letters, caretaker of Jesus’ mother, and much more. But how did he want to be remembered? The one whom Jesus loved.
What is my identity? What are the titles and labels that define who I am? If I were writing an account of the most momentous event in history, one to which I was an eyewitness, how would I want to be remembered?
The central point of our faith, the most fundamental truth of Scripture, the defining core of our identity is expressed in the simple children’s song “Jesus loves me.”
Just taking a moment this morning to meditate on this. The love of Jesus isn’t just a theological concept. It’s personal, and it’s for me. It’s for you.
My prayer today is one of thanksgiving for this love. I pray also that I may live this day in the awareness that the most important feature of my identity is simply this: Jesus loves me.
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. 2011 (Jn 19:25–37). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.