Wednesday 30 Apr 2008

Wednesday Reading: John 3:27-33
 
Key Verse: John 3:31
31  He who comes from above is above all; he who is from the earth is earthly and speaks from the earth. He who comes from Heaven is above all,
 
Devotion:
One of the most important things that we too often forget is that God is the one that gives us things. He is the one that allows things into our lives so that we may prosper or even learn from them. He is the one who is in control. How easy it is to forget this when we receive a surprise gift or when we fall into trouble. We also have to remember that when we get into a position of power or influence, God is the one that must still be in control and not us. He has trusted this position of influence to us so that we can glorify Him and not so that we can get a name for ourselves!
 
John knew that all his life. He always knew that he was the one that had to tell people of the greater good that was coming. He knew that he was just the bridegroom’s friend, the best man. He knew that he would have the privilege of standing next to God and proclaiming that He has the one. His joy was in serving His Saviour, Christ and not in taking over the wedding because he was there first! That is not something that we would intentionally dream of doing, but it is what is happening in our lives.
 
We get there first because God has given us the position to be there. What we need to do is to remember that fact and make sure that we make sure that people know that He is still coming. Yes, He has already come to earth. Yes, we do have the Holy Spirit with us. But, yes, He is going to return. When He does that, we need to make sure that we are on His side and not trying to fill His shoes! We are still from this earth. We cannot imagine things above this earth until we have had some experience; that experience will only come when we die from this world. Be patient because God has a plan for each of us. He knows what is best for us and He is going to make sure that we get it as long as we are willing to receive it and not to try and take it by force!
 
Points to Ponder:
How often do you receive gifts?
 
How often do you thank God for those gifts?