Our Daily Bread 21 July 2020 Devotional
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Topic: A Royal Role
Today’s Scripture: John 1:9–14(NIV)
Bible in a Year: Psalms 29–30, Acts 23:1–15
Key Verse: To all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. – John 1:12
Today’s Insight: The opening words of John’s gospel give us one of the most stunning claims of the New Testament. After spending three years with Jesus and then several decades reflecting on what he saw with his own eyes, John envisions his Teacher in the first moments of creation. Whereas the first words of Genesis say that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, John sees Jesus as the Eternal Word by whom all was created (vv. 1–3, 14). The only thing more astounding is the subsequent drama of rescue that’s more incomprehensible than creation itself. According to John, Jesus—the Son of God who created us in His likeness—took on the flesh of our likeness to allow us to mock, slander, and crucify Him. Why? According to John’s gospel, He did this to show us how much we’re loved (3:14–17).
Our Daily Bread 21 July 2020 Devotional Message
The closer someone in a royal family is to the throne, the more the public hears about him or her. Others are almost forgotten. The British royal family has a line of succession that includes nearly sixty people. One of them is Lord Frederick Windsor, who’s forty-ninth in line for the throne. Instead of being in the limelight, he quietly goes about his life. Though he works as a financial analyst, he’s not considered a “working royal”—one of the important family members who are paid for representing the family.
David’s son Nathan (2 Samuel 5:14) is another royal who lived outside the limelight. Very little is known about him. But while the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew mentions his son Solomon (tracing Joseph’s line, Matthew 1:6), Luke’s genealogy, which many scholars believe is Mary’s family line, mentions Nathan (Luke 3:31). Though Nathan didn’t hold a scepter, he still had a role in God’s forever kingdom.
As believers in Christ, we’re also royalty. The apostle John wrote that God gave us “the right to become children of God” (John 1:12). Though we may not be in the spotlight, we’re children of the King! God considers each of us important enough to represent Him here on earth and to one day reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:11–13). Like Nathan, we may not wear an earthly crown, but we still have a part to play in God’s kingdom.
Reflect & Pray
How does knowing you’re royalty—God’s child—make you feel? As a child of the King, what do you see as your responsibilities to the people around you?
Heavenly Father, I’m grateful that You adopted me into Your forever family.