Daily Devotion, December 13, 2020

 

Devotion: Read John 1:10-13.

Here we have two verses of really sad news and two verses of really good news. The two sad verses tell of just how far humanity had strayed from God. John has already shared in earlier verses that the world and everything in it had been made by the One who is the Word of God. He comes back to that here and laments that the same world created by Christ did not recognize him. Furthermore, the people who God had called and created to be his own did not receive his own Son. Some Christians look back at that time and wonder how so many Jewish people did not recognize Jesus, but I wonder how many Christians would not recognize him today if he showed up in unexpected ways?

Then comes the really good news. To everyone who did receive him and believe in him, they became the children of God. That is still true today. You get a new identity. You get to have an intimate, personal relationship with the God who gave you life in the first place. You have a 24/7 connection to the God who designed and is still creating the whole universe and therefore can guide you in how to live life at its best and overcome any obstacles that may be thrown in your path. No matter what giant of an enemy tries to defeat you, you can have victory over them simply because you are a child of God.  

If you have strayed from God, you can go back anytime and God will receive you as his own. (If you know someone who has strayed from God, be sure to let them know that as well.) And if you simply have not been fully living into your identity as a child of God, what would it take for you to never let that happen again? Claim and live into your identity as a child of God! Personal Worship Option: Parents want to hear from their children as often as possible. Your “Heavenly Parent” would also like to hear from you as often as possible. It doesn’t have to be about anything major; just a conversation and enjoying each other.