Today’s Reading:
John 1:1-18 (vv. 3, 10, 11)
“All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. … He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. … He came unto his own, and his own received him not." (vv. 3, 10, 11 KJV)
Apostle John clearly gave declaration that, Jesus is the Son of God, and anyone that believes in Him will have eternal life. John also gave a unique information about His birth that, He did not come into being when he was born, because he was eternal. What He taught and did while he was on earth is inseparable from who he is – He is fully man and fully God. He is eternal God who existed before all worlds, the Creator, Sustainer of all things and the Source of Eternal Life. This is the basic truth about Jesus Christ. John wrote the Gospel to build our faith and confidence in Christ so that we may believe that He, truly was and is the Son of God (20:30-31). The Creator came to His own creation – the mountains which had come to be by His power, the lakes that filled the landscape by the work of His hand, the universe that he had created and filled with stars, all followed, believed and obeyed His command. Nature, the waves of the sea and the wind obeyed Him (Matt. 8:26-27; Mark 4:39-41). Isaiah wrote, “But the Lord made the earth by his power, and he preserves it by his wisdom. With his own understanding he stretched out the heavens.” (Isa. 10:12).
The tragedy is that He came to the world he created, but his own people, the chosen race that are supposed to prepare the rest of the world for the Messiah did not recognise, believe, obey nor follow him, they rejected him (v. 11). Because He did not follow their religious rituals. They regarded him a heretic, and at the end crucified him. At creation, God made the world out of nothing. As created beings, we have no basis for pride, disobedience, dishonour. We existed only because God made us, and all the gifts, including special gifts are all from God. In God, we are fearfully, and wonderfully made, we are valuable and unique, but outside God, we are nothing. And so, when we try to live our lives without God, we will be walking out on the purpose for which we were created.
To grasp the concept of Incarnation, a Radio commentator Paul Harvey told a story of a farmer who was a religious sceptic. One cold winter night, the farmer heard a thumping sound at his window. He went to the window and watched a small group of sparrows beat themselves against the glass, attracted to the warmth inside. Touched, the farmer bundled up and opened the barn to the struggling birds. He turned on the lights, tossed some hay in a corner, and sprinkled a few crackers nearby to lure them inside. But the sparrows hid in the darkness, afraid of him. He tried circling behind the birds to drive them toward the barn. Finally, he retreated to his house to see if they would flutter into the barn on their own. Nothing worked. He, a huge, alien creature, had terrified them. The birds could not understand that he actually desired to help them. As he continued to watch the doomed sparrows, a thought hit him: if only I could become a bird, one of them, just for a moment. Then I would not frighten them. I could lead them to warmth and safety. At the same moment, another thought dawned on the farmer that he had grasped the concept of Incarnation.
Even after being raised from the dead, Jesus Christ is still denied, rejected and refused some twenty centuries after. And today, there is still no room for the Saviour in the world He created. Think about this: do you, do I recognise Him, believe in Him, trust in Him, or obey Him? Have you surrendered to the lordship of our Lord Jesus Christ?
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud. “Father, I acknowledge my sin against You. I repent and ask for forgiveness, in the name of Jesus. I surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, take control of my heart and lead me in Your path of righteousness. Thank you, Lord.”
If you said the prayer, Congratulations! Prayerfully look for a living church and meet the resident reverend, pastor or priest.
Prayer:
If my people which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Lord, have mercy, renew a right, humble and teachable spirit in me, in Jesus’ name.
Thank you for Your Word that is life and gives light that darkness cannot understand and so cannot put it out. Lord, increase the light of Your word in my life, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, open my eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of Your laws; help me to see Christianity beyond denomination, in Jesus’ name.
In challenging and confusing moments, Lord, may Your word guide and encourage me, even in the tumultuous situations of the world, in Jesus’ name.
Thank you, Lord for granting me the resources to overcome the wiles of the devil, in Jesus’ name.
Thank you for the unconditional love and care You always extend to me and family; Lord, I open the doors of my heart, my home to you, come in the dwell with us, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, in the world’s evil, wickedness and selfishness, send Your angels to encamp around me and my family, in Jesus’ name.
Our Lord, Saviour and Redeemer, snatch Your Church in pity from the grip of the world, its evil systems, and tyrannies of sin, in Jesus’ name.
King of glory, the Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, thank you for your intervention in the situations of nations of the world, especially nations calling upon Your name, in Jesus’ name.
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