Thursday, March 17
Deuteronomy 9:23-10:5
Psalms 19, 46, 50, 59, 60
Hebrews 4:1-10
John 3:16-21
"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, ….. whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God."
John 3: 19-21
We are saved through being in Him
Words are important to us if we are mature adults. We carefully weigh the meanings of spoken and written words as we navigate through each day; especially the present day. If we have an appointment at 9am and we say we will be there at 9am – we intend to be there at 9am, or sooner. If we say we are entering into a contract with someone it is understood that a certain type of relationship is going to be initiated. Today when someone says they are going through hard times because of the economic difficulties of the day, we mature folks know all too well the full meaning of "through."
God did not place his only Son near the action, or in close proximity to Jerusalem or at the perimeter of Israel. He placed Jesus INTO the same world you and I experience today. And while he was IN the world he experienced and went THROUGH the same difficulties that we each go though or will go through in our life. And if we are IN THE LIGHT – not just at the threshold of the light or outside the window looking in on the light - we are in Christ. We are alive in Christ. We are dead to the darkness; even if we are going through the darkness we do so in Christ and we have no need to fear.
John 3:16-21 reminds me that I can choose to accept God’s invitation to be in Christ and reject the world’s invitation to darkness. When I step into the light I may be uncomfortable at first, but it is not because I am being condemned. It is like turning on a lamp in the middle of the night – if I keep my eyes open soon they will become comfortable in the light and I will walk through my house safely and will not stumble. I can act boldly when I am IN the light. For it is as if Jesus and I are one – when I am in the LIGHT.
Lord Jesus, help me to be mindful of how you lived your life in relationship to God so that I might have the courage to seek a relationship like that with you.
Bob Felice