John 1: God's Rejection by His Own

John 1:10-13:

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God; children born not of natural descent nor of human decision, or a husband's will, but born of God.

Pretty much every time I hear this passage quoted it's about salvation, which is an excellent application.  Everyone who believes on Jesus will be adopted as one of God's own children. 

But the thing that struck me the last time I read this was verse 11.  "He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him." The Messiah had been foretold for years.  Isaiah prophesied that he would come and heal the lame and make the blind see.  But when Jesus actually showed up on this earth, healing the lame and the blind, he was rejected by Israel.  The very people that knew he would be coming, that were even waiting for him to come, murdered him when he did come.  He came to his own, but they didn't receive him. 

I am God's own.  I've been bought with a price.  I am no longer mine.

How many times does God try to get my attention, only to have me completely ignore him?  How many sermons do I sit through without checking out my own heart?  How many times can I read the Bible through without it radically changing my life?

So today, this week, I pray that I will not be ignorant or blind.  But I pray that I will have my eyes open to receive whatever God has for me.