This morning
I get the opportunity to speak at a local church in our area, where I was asked
to teach on John chapter 3. There is so much in this passage, and as I looked
at it and prayed through it I became impressed with the person of Nicodemus who
from the world’s perspective had arrived. He had position, power, and respect.
He had committed his life to being religious above all else. Yet his religion
was a work of his own, and his heart was empty. Jesus, knowing this, responded
to Nicodemus with the simple statement that Nicodemus had to be born again,
which he proceeded to explain. There is no indication from this passage that
Nicodemus believed. Yet “belief” is the word most used to describe his need.
Later in John we find Nicodemus mentioned twice more. From these instances we
can know that his time with Jesus had an impact on his life, and maybe like
Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus also came to a place where he placed his trust
in Christ for salvation as we see him being one of two men who prepared Jesus’
body for burial. Having our eyes opened to see is an incredible gift, because
apart from that we would never know of God’s great love and His salvation
provided through His Son. We would not then be enabled to live a life abundant
and free from the slavery of sin and filled with a hope that will never fail.
Today in
“Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young (2/24)
Be still in
the light of My Presence, while I communicate Love to you. There is no force in
the universe as powerful as My Love. You are constantly aware of limitations:
your own and others’. But there is no limit to My Love; it fills all space,
time, and eternity.
Now you see
through a glass, darkly, but someday you will see Me face to Face. Then you
will be able to experience fully how wide and long and high and deep is My Love
for you. If you were to experience that now, you would be overwhelmed to the point
of feeling crushed. But you have an eternity ahead of you, absolutely
guaranteed, during which you can enjoy My Presence in unrestricted ecstasy. For
now, the knowledge of My loving Presence is sufficient to carry you through
each day.
For now we
see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but
then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Corinthians 13:2 (KJV)