Today's Devotion: You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. Jn 8:44) It is at this time that Jesus is teaching in the temple. The Jews there have insisted that they are children of God through Abraham. The verse above is Jesus reply to them.

Today's Comments: One must consider the prospective from which Jesus is speaking to this particular group. He is not speaking to just Jews who have gathered to hear Him out of curiosity. It is more likely that He is speaking to Jews who have gathered to oppose Him, and therefore, He is speaking to them in extremely harsh language, because they are deserving of that language. These are religious leaders who are plotting to kill him.

Like those Jews, we have a choice. We can either deny Jesus and follow the devil, or we can accept Jesus and follow HIm. Although acceptance of Jesus requires commitment on our part, the Holy Spirit provides us with God's grace so that we may follow Him and thus become the true children of Abraham.