Week 79 Bible Reading: John 10:10–11

I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. - John 10:10 (MSG)

Some animals have a hard shell for their skin. It has a funny name—an exoskeleton. And many funny-looking (kind of creepy) creatures have them—cockroaches. Tarantulas. Even lobsters and crabs. Sometimes these creatures shed their shells. What’s left? The even bigger creature and the old shell. The shell, though, can look exactly like the creature. Until you get real up close. Then you find out real fast which one is empty—very dead . . . and which one is crawling toward you. Yikes.

You know what else can look the same? Going through the motions at church and having a relationship with Jesus. Here’s the thing:

Many people read their Bibles. Go to church every week. Even sing some worship songs. (And all of these are great things!) And, yet, without a relationship with Jesus, even the best “church stuff” is like that leftover exoskeleton. On the outside, it looks like the real deal. But it’s actually empty. (Dead.)

The amazing truth? God wants to be our Friend! He even lives inside our hearts. Now stop right there. Think about that—the God of the entire universe is alive inside of you. That truth is so amazing, in fact, it’s hard to even wrap our minds around!

So, go to church. Praise and worship God. And read your Bible. (All those things are great ways to get to know God better.) But never forget this incredible truth: the God of the universe is housed—is alive—inside of you.

And, what’s more? He’d like to be your forever Friend.

Jesus, it’s hard to understand how the God of the entire universe—You—can live inside of me. But I’m going to believe that incredible truth with all my heart.