Daily Devotion (March 12, 2025)
John 3:14-17
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
God has made a way. John goes back a long way in referencing the Israelites going through the wilderness. God’s call in our lives is not to give us the riches of this world. God does not call us to live in the lap of luxury.
God’s call to the Israelites was to leave the captivity of Egypt and go to the Promise Land God had prepared for them. The journey involved going through the wilderness. The people rebelled against God. God sent serpents that bit the people and many died. The story is not about serpents but about grace. When the people rebelled against God He prepared a way for their salvation. God told Moses to make a brass serpent and to lift it up on a pole for all to see. Anyone who had been bitten by the fiery serpent and looked at the brass serpent on the pole would be healed.
God has made a way for us to be healed of and saved from our rebellious sin today. Jesus has been lifted up and crucified for us. Jesus has paid the price for our rebellious sin against God. The whole world has been bitten by sin. And the “wages of sin is death.” Jesus came to die for the sin of the world. How is sinful man saved from sin? We are saved by believing on Jesus Christ and looking to Him by faith.
God gave the Promise Land to the Israelites. He removed them from the captivity of Egypt. It took faith on their part to leave Egypt and go to the Promise Land. The journey would be long. It would be difficult, but God had promised to go with them.
God has called us to move into His Promise Land. Out of His love for us God has called us to leave the bondage of sin into His love. We are called to embrace the gift of God’s salvation and live in the light of God’s plan for us. God has taken the initiative to bring us His salvation. We must choose to accept God’s gift of salvation. As the Israelites journey through the wilderness, they faced many difficulties. They rebelled against God. God sent the serpents who bit the people. Many died from the bite. But those who chose to look at the serpent lifted up were healed. Have you chosen to look to Jesus and follow Him.