Scripture: John 3:14-21 (NRSV)
Reading is something I never seem to have enough time for, but that I do enjoy. However, unlike many of my friends who have cried while reading books, I had never been overtaken by such strong emotion because of the written word or felt that connected to any text before in my life.
But last month, I experienced this phenomenon while reading the first three chapters of Job as a part of my commitment to reading the Bible in one year. Job was introduced as this righteous, amazing man who lived his life so richly for God and nobody else. He had it all: money, children, land, everything. Job was so great, in fact, that God promised Satan that he could take any of Job’s riches away and that he would remain one of his greatest servants. Truth be told, Job endured his family being killed, his riches being taken and his health shaken. Everything was stripped from him … just like that.
It makes me wonder: how would I react if I was Job in today’s world? Would I ever reach understanding as to why God took everything from me? Would I cling to God or run from God? I find myself often forgetting about how we are commanded to give in ways that Jesus gave for us to those around us – even our enemies.
I challenge you to think about this: what would you give up to show your love for God if you had the chance?
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.”