Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
December 29, 2023
John 3:16-21
16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him won’t perish but will have eternal life. 17 God didn’t send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him isn’t judged; whoever doesn’t believe in him is already judged, because they don’t believe in the name of God’s only Son. 19 “This is the basis for judgment: The light came into the world, and people loved darkness more than the light, for their actions are evil. 20 All who do wicked things hate the light and don’t come to the light for fear that their actions will be exposed to the light. 21 Whoever does the truth comes to the light so that it can be seen that their actions were done in God.”
Good Morning! Great is our God!
On the fifth day of Christmas, it is time to pause. We often consider John 3:16 a verse to read during Lent. I’m guessing that more people know this verse than any other in the Bible. Even those who do not understand what it means know John 3:16 because of its prevalence on billboards and signs held up at sporting events.
Isn’t it funny how we, the children of God, like to label and categorize things? We label verses and sections of the Bible, and we categorize songs. When someone asks to sing Joy to the World in the middle of the summer, people scoff and think/say, but that’s a Christmas Song. It is just unlikely that we would sing Were You There during an Advent service.
Within the midst of our chaos and confusion, we like to make order of things. I remember a time when I was helping someone pack for a move. When I walked in there was a huge mess, and I wondered how in the world would we ever get done. In the guise of my eternal optimist mode, I jumped in and started packing.
When I stopped to check in on my friend, I saw her sitting among piles of beads which she was carefully organizing. I thought, “Just throw them in a box and organize them later,” but I quickly realized this was her way (annoying as it was) to take control of the situation with which she was overwhelmed.
Perhaps we sit and label and organize small snippets of life as it happens around us because we are too overwhelmed by the magnitude in which we sit. Jesus, the reason for the season, this beautiful baby, will die for us and save us all from our sins.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but will have eternal life. This is the reason that Jesus came as a baby to live and walk among us. Why would God send a baby who was to ultimately die a painful death? Despite our confusion and desire for an earthly King, he was always going to be our advocate: our heavenly King.
Joy to the world, our Lord is come. Let Earth receive her King.
Gracious God, Thank you for this beautiful gift of life. Help us focus on the big picture. You love us! You love us so much that you sent your son to save us! In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: Jesus loves me. This I know!
On this fifth day of Christmas, pause and linger in the story! Pastor Liz
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