Jesus Loved Them, Part 2: Confronted with the challenge to believe
Despite his great learning from the Old Testament Scriptures, Nicodemus still had trouble acknowledging the divinity of the One those Scriptures had foretold. His was a struggle that has been repeated from his time till now. Those in every generation have considered Jesus without deciding to make him Lord.
Jesus responded to Nicodemus with a pointed observation: “Instead of facing the evidence and accepting it, you procrastinate with questions.” Nicodemus was not the last one to do that, either.
Sometimes great learning prompts a thirst to learn more, but sometimes those given to study can never feel confident they’ve found truth—especially when it comes to unseen realities that cannot be held or touched. Sometimes those who know the most believe the least.
Sometimes those who know the most believe the least.
Sometimes a preoccupation with one’s own knowledge is just another sign of self-absorption. “Light has come into the world,” Jesus said, describing his own arrival on earth. “But people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”
Turning toward Jesus always means turning away from something (or someone) else. Ego is a problem for all of us, but only as a person submits self to God will God do his work in their hearts.
We can sympathize with the struggle of Nicodemus. We’ve struggled too. We can congratulate him for at least asking his questions and pursuing the source of his disquiet.
While not mincing words, Jesus seems patient with Nicodemus. He will not condemn us, either, if we go to him seeking reasons to believe.
He will not condemn us if we go to him seeking reasons to believe.
If we’ll study his life and death and resurrection, we’ll find dozens of reasons to make him Lord. And contrary to how it’s sometimes portrayed, this is not a once-and-done decision. Even those who have believed him for many decades must resolve again and again not to abandon that faith.
Any believer can be confused or discouraged by the darkness, and it comes in many forms. For us caregivers, the sadness of our situation can dim our vision and leave us with despair.
But Jesus doesn’t waver, even as our situation inevitably changes. And the promise can be fresh and full of hope for us no matter long it has been since we first heard it: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned.”
Read: John 3:1-12 The Message; John 3:16-21 NIV
Pray: Thank you, Lord, for loving us so much you sent your Son. Thanks for giving us so many reasons to believe in him. Stand by us as we determine to cast off darkness and turn to live in the light of his love.
Illustration copyright Classic Bible Art. For information about securing beautiful art like this in books to read and cherish, click here. Click here to find a list of places to see many pieces of this art free, framed, and ready for you to enjoy. Some art in this series is available for license at Goodsalt.com