Happy Easter weekend, friends! I hope you are able to set aside some time to reflect upon the death and resurrection of our Savior.
If you’re new to the Five Minute Friday community, a special welcome to you! Each week we gather around a single word prompt, set a timer for five minutes, and write our hearts out. Some people share their work on personal blogs and websites, others post on social media, and others keep their writing to themselves. All of the above are options!
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This week’s FMF writing prompt is: ALREADY
I recently began leading a new women’s Bible study at my church. We’re going through The Gospel of John using a workbook and teaching material by Melissa Spoelstra.
This past week we read John 3, and I was struck by a few verses in particular:
John 3:36 (ESV) says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
Did you catch the word “has“? Whoever believes in the Son already has eternal life. It’s not written as a future possibility; it has already been given.
But then another verse caught me:
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God” (John 3:18, ESV).
. . . whoever does not believe is condemned already . . .Â
Perhaps it’s because this is Easter weekend and my mind is on the death and resurrection of Christ more than at other times of the year, but this passage really impressed upon me the eternal consequences of belief versus unbelief.
It’s not just “well, he was a good person” . . . the Bible says “whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” In other words, it’s serious.
I found myself asking, “What could or should I be doing more fervently to reach the lost with the gospel?”
The idea of a life preserver comes to mind: if we know people are drowning, why would we not desperately throw them the only thing that can save them?
STOP.
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Have a wonderful Easter weekend, friends!
Kate
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Join the link-up with your own five-minute freewrite below, then visit your link-up neighbor to read their post and leave an encouraging comment:Â
So hold the pain already, God?
Let me please get adjusted.
It’s worse, but your plan still ain’t flawed,
it’s one I’ve always trusted,
but I do need some breathing room,
’cause screaming is embarrassing,
like I sound like I’m facing doom,
but God, yeah, here’s the thing
that real men should die quietly,
not screaming and a-going on
like a distressed chimpanzee
whose bananas have all gone.
Just let me please, if You just would
squint at death like Clint Eastwood.
Distressed Chimpanzee and Clint Eastwood in one sonnet? Whaddaya expect in four minutes?