“BUT OF GOD!”

John 1:9-13         (ESV)
"9 The TRUE LIGHT, which gives LIGHT to everyone, was coming into the world.
10 HE was in the world, and the world was made through HIM, yet the world did not know HIM.
11 HE came to HIS own, and HIS own people did not receive HIM.
12 But to ALL WHO DID RECEIVE HIM, who believed in HIS NAME, HE GAVE the right to become children of GOD,
13 who were born, NOT OF BLOOD NOT OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, “BUT OF GOD”."

John 1:10 (ESV) was a memory from five years ago.  Well, I went to Scripture and was reading the context and the above verses (John 1:9-13) were highlighted causing me to ponder what was being said to me.  It can become enticingly easy to glimpse at a verse of Scripture and  only SEE what is on the surface, but digging into THE WORD can TRULY OPEN our EYES to SEE exactly what GOD is attempting to reveal to our Spirits.

To begin with, HE came into the world that HE made, yet the world DID NOT know HIM.  HE made us, and we REJECTED (Matthew 21:42 ; Mark 12:10) HIM.  We ALL REJECTED our CREATOR for we couldn’t SEE WHO HE is/was.  The passage of Scripture above tells us rather plainly “But to ALL WHO DID RECEIVE HIM, who believed in HIS NAME, HE GAVE the right to become children of GOD, who were born, NOT OF BLOOD NOT OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, “BUT OF GOD”."

These Scriptures are very clear that ALMIGHTY GOD has CHOSEN we who Believe in HIM to serve HIM, and to “...suffer for the sake of MY NAME” (Acts 9:16)!  Not to be given an earthly life of comfort and luxury, but to SUFFER for HIM!  JESUS, GOD IN THE FLESH, was sent to earth, NOT To live in luxury, but to pay for our sinfulness.   HE could have called “....more than twelve legions of angels” (Matthew 26:53) to defend HIM, BUT HE CHOSE TO SUFFER for me! Why do we think HE is required to give us anything?  We are provided LIFE to Glorify HIM, not ourselves!

It is an honor just to be CHOSEN by THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES, and we need to remind ourselves that we are HIS servants, not visa versa!  We are NOT here of OUR OWN WILL, “BUT OF GOD”!  FATHER IN HEAVEN, cause me to remember that YOU are LIFE, and I am simply a broken mirror used to reflect YOUR GLORY!  And that glory is “BUT OF GOD”!!!