Today's Devotional
February 26, 2003
Subject: University Of Christ
John 7:15 - "And the Jews marveled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?"
Another version of the above passage simply says, "How can this man be
so educated when he hasn't gone to school?" In our day and age, our society
makes school the measure of a person in many ways. Who has the most degrees
or the best degrees from the best institutions of higher learning in our
land, can often determine how "large" you live. A Yale degree and you can
be president of the country. A Harvard business degree and you will run
a multinational corporation. Into this type of mix comes a 30 or 31 year
old man whose dad was a carpenter and who himself had been herding sheep.
Imagine the amazement of the Jews at this knowledge. The key is what he
said to them a couple of verses later when they questioned his knowledge.
He said, "What I teach doesn't come from me but from the one who sent me."
Today with all of our smarts, where does our knowledge come from? Does it
come from being taught by great professors at great institutions across the
land or like Christ, does it come from the things that He has shown us about
Himself and His plan. Undoubtedly, there will be in hell, people with all
manner of degrees and some with none at all. What will the acquired knowledge
have amounted to then? While another sheepskin on the wall is a great thing
under God's plan, we should strive for the knowledge that comes from the
One who sent us. What type of degree is He giving us today? Perhaps you've
earned a degree in patience. Maybe one in love or joy. A degree in faith
will have eternal consequences and there are many other degrees that He would
love to see us earn.
The great thing about it all, is that you're already qualified to be enrolled
in God's school and believe it or not, you were taking tests from the day
you were born. The question is have you passed enough of them to earn a
degree in any one subject?
Carlen
