Daily Devotion – October 22, 2020 – The Rev. Gayle Pope
https://www.luthersem.edu/godpause/
John 8:31-36 (NRSV)
31Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, ‘You will be made free’?” 34Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
Devotion
Dorothy spent a great deal of time and effort trying to get back to Kansas from Oz. She performed the required task, facing fear of annihilation by the wicked witch—for herself and her friends. In the end, she learned that she possessed the power to go home the whole time. Is that how it is for us sometimes? Do we try this and that and something else to free ourselves from demons and find our true self when, all along, our true home is in Christ, if only we would “go there.” At some point going there rests on the ability to trust in the truth that freedom comes from Christ, and to be ready to accept that trust and freedom as a gift from God that comes from outside ourselves.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, you have freed us from alienation and given us a place in your household forever. Help me to remember there’s no place like home in you.
