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God loved the world so much: John 3.14–17 (Day 347)

Our daily reflections follow the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, designed for those who want to read the whole Bible in one year. Each reflection focuses on one of the chapters from that day's readings. Darllenwch rhain yn Gymraeg.

Pray

Pray

Lord, open my ears to hear what you have to say to me; open my heart to love your word, and open my mind to understand your truth.

Reflect

Daily reflection: John 3

John 3.16 is famous: 'God loved the world so much that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.'

But perhaps that word 'believe' isn't as straightforward as the word 'look'. Verse 14 refers to the bronze snake of Moses. That story is in Numbers 21.9, during the Israelites' wandering in the wilderness. They were bitten by snakes, but God told Moses to make a bronze snake; if they looked at the snake when they were bitten, they were healed.

In Isaiah 45.22 there is another 'look': in the KJV it is, 'Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.' This is the verse CH Spurgeon heard read when, lonely and depressed, he turned into a small chapel on a snowy day in January 1850. The preacher 'had not much to say, thank God, for that compelled him to keep repeating the text', he said later. The preacher said: 'However weak, or however poor a man may be, he can look. And if he looks the promise is that he shall live.' And Spurgeon recalled: 'Oh I could have looked until I could almost have looked my eyes away. There and then the cloud was gone, the darkness had rolled away, and that moment I saw the sun.'

'Believing' can be a bit complicated; it might involve arguments. Looking is easy; God wants it to be easy for us to come to him.

Pray

Pray

God, thank you that you don't put obstacles in our way to you; that your arms are open to welcome us, and all we have to do is look.


This reflection was written by Mark Woods, Bible Society's Editor

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