A Shining Star

Devotion by: Lynne Steel

John 8:21-30

Again he said to them, ‘I am going away, and you will search for me, but you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.’ Then the Jews said, ‘Is he going to kill himself? Is that what he means by saying, “Where I am going, you cannot come”?’ He said to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he.’ They said to him, ‘Who are you?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Why do I speak to you at all? I have much to say about you and much to condemn; but the one who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.’ They did not understand that he was speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said, ‘When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me. And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.’ As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

In this verse, Jesus foretells of His death on the cross. He tells us that we will die if we don’t look to Him for forgiveness. We are worldly, and we are sinners. God the Father is speaking to us through Jesus … and we must listen!

When God is present with us, we will do the things that please Him. When we are wholehearted in all that we do, we will be filled with the Holy Spirit and feel His presence in our lives. When this happens, we are fulfilled as people and will give of ourselves freely. Jesus is our Shining Star!

PRAYER (From Psalm 86 A Prayer of David): “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you! I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart: I will glorify your name forever.” Amen.