Scripture: John 3:14-21 (NRSV)
DEVOTIONAL: Today marks the first day of spring, the season of rebirth. During spring, the Earth’s axis is tilted toward the sun and daylight gradually lengthens. This begins the winter thaw, causing the earth to warm and new life to emerge.
It has been a long, cold, dark winter in Goshen, and I find myself earnestly craving the sunshine of spring. There is a stark contrast between the way I feel on days that are sun-lit and how I feel when the sky is overcast. Exposure to light restores us, renews us and replenishes us. It nourishes our body by infusing us with vitamin D.
In the same way that visceral light energizes us, God’s revealing light illuminates the hope and grace we have been so abundantly given. We have a fantastic opportunity: to quit clinging to our doubts, criticisms and fears, and fully submit to the possibility of change and rebirth in our lives through God.
Ancient Indian sages wrote that light is the “essence of the universe.” In response to this idea, 20th century spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy wrote that:
“Light is Love revealed. Light is Life manifested. Light is God fulfilled.”
Scripture: John 3:14-21 (NRSV)
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”