John 3:14-15 (NRSV)
Read John 3:14-15 on biblegateway.com
Verse 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, Verse 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
Devotion
I sometimes hear the word miracle in the inpatient healthcare setting. For each circumstance and for each individual in a critically ill situation, this word might mean something different. It depends. It is often complicated and suffering is usually involved. In the midst of this serious illness, the desire, commitment, and drive of healthcare providers to save and enhance the quality of each person’s life are steadfast. Tragically, death and our ubiquitous finitude also confront us. Our text alludes to the death confronting the Israelites in Egypt as they were dying from serpent bites until, through their pleading, Moses lifted up a bronze serpent in the wilderness. The people looked upon it and lived (Numbers 21:4-9). Clearly, this is a miracle! “So must the Son of Man be lifted up...,” so that our suffering may be relieved and our salvation realized. God’s changeless and pure love is lifted up for us so that we might live our eternal life now. Miraculous!
Prayer
May your grace and love for us, O God, continue to prevail, be prevalent and persist forever. Amen.