Friday 3 Jan 2014

Friday Reading: John 3:1-8

Key Verse: John 3:8
The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Devotion:
One of the big questions young people ask me is how do we know if someone is a Christian or not. I find this a very disturbing question because it means that there are many people out there who are just not acting like Christians because the youth cannot see any difference in them! But there is nothing new in this, no big revelations here, because people have done the same thing for many years and will probably continue to be the same this year as last!

When Nicodemus came to Jesus to find out how he could be saved, the words that Jesus answered with catch some people out because they too try to take things a bit too literally. Jesus was not saying that people would have to be physically born again because that would be a bit strange, not impossible for God, but strange! Jesus was trying to impress on the people the importance of having the Holy Spirit in their lives, and not just as a once off but continually.

When we have God in our lives, He changes us from the inside out and as He changes us we change on the outside; that is, people get to see a difference in our behaviour because of the difference that God is bringing into our lives. That difference should be what people are excited about and why they should start asking questions about what has changed us. Nicodemus saw the change in someone and was seeking the truth now. If we do not allow others to see a change in us then we are not living our lives with Christ!

The change in us may be as hidden as a gentle breeze or as violent as a gale, but it will be able to be seen by others as they notice the change in us. God wants to encourage others through how He changes us. If we are not willing to change when God calls us, then we are not going to be very effective witnesses for Him. Don’t fight Him every step of the way, but rather invite Him in to bring about a change in you that will encourage others to find Christ.

Points to Ponder:
Do you fight God as He brings change?

Will you allow others to see that you have changed?