Stress Test Devotional May 25
May 25, 2024
JOHN 3:7-9 | Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”
Jesus had many difficult encounters with Jewish leaders, and occasionally criticized them as hypocrites and false shepherds. Spiritual leaders, now and then, are held to a high standard. But he also invites them to new life. Why did they respond so seldom?
Part of the reason is control. Jewish religion emphasized “manageable devotion.” Specific actions were prescribed and specific behaviors proscribed. But this shifts authority, very subtly, to the follower and not to God. It is really quite impressive that there were 613 detailed regulations which came to specify the 10 Commandments. This development shows a genuine desire to be obedient. It is also misguided, for it focuses our attention on what we can do to satisfy God, and our own righteousness, and not on the very much deeper and wider life God actually has in mind for us and wants to provide for us. Jesus emphasizes God’s role in our redemption, the free uncontrollable, and independently gracious work of his spirit as the key to our renewal. We must humbly depend on him and not on our capacity to achieve some kind of “manageable perfection” of our own design.
Giving up control is hard. Do you agree?
Does freedom of God’s spirit excite or unnerve you?
