The Gift Of Sight

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)

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16 – 19