DEVOTION - FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

 DEVOTION, FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2012

“Must knows”

BY

PASTOR BOB COY

Jesus, knowing…that He had come from God and was going to God… John 13:3 (NKJV)

As we examine the traits and characteristics of Christ, we come across an interesting mention here in John’s gospel. On His last night on earth, just hours removed from Gethsemane and Golgotha, right before Jesus imparts His last lessons to His disciples, John felt it important to tell us that Jesus knew two things.

He knew that He had come from God and that He was going to God. In other words, Jesus understood where He was from and where He was going. He knew that His Father had sent Him to be the sacrifice for our sin. That was His purpose. He also knew that once He fulfilled His purpose He would return to His Father and reign as our Eternal Redeemer.

When you think it through, knowing those two things—where you’re from and where you’re going—are really the two most important things a person can know in life. If someone is in the dark about where he’s come from, what his origins are, and how he got here, he’s going to lack a sense of purpose, meaning, and value. In addition, if a person doesn’t know where he’s going, he’s going to lack assurance and hope.

That’s why it’s so important for us to follow Christ’s example of knowing these two things. We need to know why and how we got here. We need to know that God is personally responsible for our existence and that we’re not here by random chance. God has an agenda for us, and knowing that infuses us with a sense of purpose, meaning, and value.

We also need to know where we’re going. If we’ve confessed Christ as our Savior, then we are heaven bound. No matter what obstacles we face in life, we know where it all ends. That gives us assurance and hope.

How you got here and where you’re headed…these two things Jesus knew for sure. They’re “must knows” for us, as well.

Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?