On Rounds with Jesus

Tag: Faith

  • Reborn

    Reborn

    Scripture reading: John 3:1-8, Galatians 5:19-23

    You can listen to this devotional via Spotify or YouTube.

    At conception, special cells carrying half of the genetic information from each parent fuse in a process called fertilization. This marks the beginning of a nine-month journey that culminates in the birth of a baby. At birth, that child already carries inherited features that will gradually find expression in the way they look, speak, and even behave. Genes make this possible. They shape how the body looks and how it functions.

    Sometimes, however, the genes a person inherits may also predispose them to disease. In the past, there was very little that could be done about genetic conditions such as sickle cell disease, where red blood cells become abnormally shaped under stress, leading to pain and complications. Today, advances in medical science offer new hope. Through gene-editing technology, it is now possible to modify a patient’s own blood stem cells to produce high levels of fetal haemoglobin, preventing red blood cells from sickling. By restoring healthy oxygen flow, this innovation offers the possibility of a one-time, transformative treatment without the need for donor transplants.

    Spiritually speaking, humanity also carries an inherited condition. By default, we are sinful. It is our nature, something we are born into. When Jesus said, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” He was revealing that entry into God’s righteous domain is not possible while we remain in our natural state. We require a complete inner renewal – a spiritual re-engineering.

    This renewal comes through faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross. We are not called to return physically to the womb, as Nicodemus imagined, but to experience a new birth, one that transforms our very nature.

    When we believe, God places His Spirit within us. From that moment, a hidden work begins, much like the unseen development of a child in the womb. Quietly and gradually, the Spirit reshapes us into the likeness of Christ. This process takes time. And its outcome becomes visible in what Scripture calls the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

    Just as a mother does not consciously assemble the organs of her growing baby, spiritual fruit is not produced by sheer human effort. The mother’s role is to nurture the environment, to eat well, avoid harmful substances, and attend regular care. Likewise, our role is not to manufacture transformation, but to cooperate with it.

    Spiritual growth comes through yielding to the Holy Spirit, through daily surrender, prayer, Scripture, and sensitivity to His leading. As we align our hearts with God’s will, He works within us, shaping our character from the inside out. Yet we must remain willing participants. Though the work is God’s, we can resist or hinder it through sin, neglect, or indifference.

    Ask any pregnant woman – carrying new life is not always comfortable. There are cravings that are not necessarily healthy, sacrifices to be made and moments of strain. But in the end, the joy of new life makes the journey worthwhile. So it is with spiritual growth.

    As we trust God’s Spirit to work in us, both to will and to do according to His good pleasure, we can be confident that the character He is forming within us will prepare us for our place in His Kingdom.

    Reflections

    1. In what areas of my life am I still relying on self-effort instead of yielding to the transforming work of the Holy Spirit?
    2. What habits, attitudes, or “old nature” patterns might be resisting God’s regenerating work within me?
    3. How can I intentionally create space for the Spirit’s hidden work in my daily life through surrender, prayer, and obedience?

    Let us Pray

    Heavenly Father,

    Thank You for offering me new life through Christ.

    Holy Spirit, shape me quietly from within. Teach me to yield, to trust, and to rest in Your transforming grace.

    Let Your life grow in me until I reflect Your love, Your peace, and Your likeness.

    In Jesus’ name,
    Amen.

  • Action and Reaction

    Action and Reaction

    Scripture reading: John 12:20—26

    You can listen to this devotional here:

    Scientific laws are irrefutable truths, tried, tested, and proven over time, that describe the physical world we live in. Newton’s laws of motion are among the most familiar examples. This year, we have been exploring spiritual truths by linking them to these laws of the natural world.

    In Inertia, we confronted the heart’s resistance to movement—the tendency to remain at rest even when Jesus calls us forward. Comfort disguised as faithfulness. Stillness mistaken for obedience.

    In Newton’s Second Law, we examined the forces that act against movement: the weight of fear, distraction, obligation, and attachment. We learned that even when the desire to follow Jesus is present, these weights can slow acceleration and stall progress.

    Today, we arrive at Newton’s Third Law—Action and Reaction.

    Newton’s Third Law tells us that motion is always the result of interaction: ‘For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction’. When a swimmer pushes water backwards, the water pushes the swimmer forward. When a gun is fired, the bullet moves forward, and the gun recoils backwards with equal force. A rocket is propelled upward only because it pushes gases downward at high speed. An action without a reaction produces no movement, only effort without progress.

    This law shows us something crucial: no object gains momentum in isolation. Momentum is built through relationship. When you walk, your foot pushes backwards against the ground, and the ground pushes forward against you, propelling you ahead. In the same way, when we move toward Jesus, He meets us in that movement. Our obedience is answered with His presence. Our surrender is met with grace. Our weakness is met with strength.

    At times, the call to discipleship can feel draining, like a seed falling into the ground and dying. But be assured: you are not losing at all. In physics, total momentum is conserved because every action has a reaction. Momentum does not disappear; it is transferred. Spiritually, obedience is never wasted. Every step you take toward God changes something—within you and beyond you. Your movement creates ripple effects.

    Jesus says, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” Growth can be gruelling. Obedience can be costly. But maturity is not optional—it is the standard we are called toward.

    At its core, today’s scripture speaks about sacrifice. Sacrifice is the giving up of something valuable (like time, comfort, resources, even life) for a higher purpose. A disciple must be willing to lose to gain. This is the wheel around which obedience turns. This is what it means to follow.

    And what gain it is.

    “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour.”

    Reflection

    Momentum in the Christian life is not built by intensity, but by relationship.

    How can you improve your relationship with Christ through dedicated prayer times, word-study and fellowship?

    Each step toward Christ invites His response. No act of faith is wasted. No sacrifice goes unnoticed. As you reflect today, consider what small, faithful action God may be inviting you to take, not to prove your devotion, but to deepen your walk with Him.

    Prayer

    Lord Jesus, I lay my life before You—my plans, my fears, my desires, and my comforts.
    I surrender my will to Yours, trusting that every step I take toward You is met by Your presence and Your power.
    Teach me to move with You, not by striving alone, but by trusting Your response in every act of obedience.
    Take my hands, my feet, my heart, and use them as You will, even when the path feels uncertain or costly.
    Let my surrender become momentum—a force that carries life, grace, and Your love to others.
    I give You all of me today, Lord, not holding back, not clinging to control, but trusting completely that where You are, I will also be.
    Amen.

  • Stone or bread

    Stone or bread

    In clinical practice, patients often come with expectations, preferences, or even self-diagnoses. A client may ask for a particular test, drug, or procedure. But as a clinician, you know that their request may not always be in their best interest. Your role is to listen with compassion, then guide them toward what is safe, effective, and ultimately for their good—even if it’s different from what they initially wanted.

    Parents deal with something similar. My toddler loves to pick up things—some safe, some harmful. She may cry, protest, or throw a tantrum when I take away what she wants, but part of my role as a parent is to know what is truly good for her. I will never hand her something that would hurt her, no matter how hard she pleads. Love sometimes means saying no.

    This is the heart of Matthew 7:7–11. Jesus tells us to ask, seek, and knock—and assures us that our Father in heaven will answer. But like toddlers with their parents, or patients with their clinicians, we don’t always know what is best for us. God, however, does. God, in His wisdom, sometimes says no or wait, not because He is withholding good from us, but because He is protecting us from harm or preparing us for something better. He is the Father who never gives a stone when we ask for bread, or a snake when we ask for fish. He may not always give us exactly what we want, but He always gives us what is good.

    So whether in parenting, in medicine, or in our walk with God, love is not about granting every request—it is about providing what brings life, growth, and true blessing. And we can trust that our heavenly Father, far wiser and kinder than any earthly parent or clinician, will always do just that.

    Applications

    1. Trust God’s wisdom – When God answers differently than we expected, remind yourself that His love always seeks your good.
    2. Practice discernment in prayer – Instead of only asking for what you want, also pray: “Lord, give me what You know is best.”
    3. Patience in waiting – Just as a child eventually sees why the parent withheld something, we too may only understand God’s “no” in hindsight.

    Reflections

    • Can I recall a time when God did not give me what I prayed for, but later I saw it was for my good?
    • In what ways do I need to trust His wisdom more deeply right now?
    • How can I model God’s loving discernment in how I guide others under my care?

    Let us pray

    Heavenly Father, thank You for being wiser than my desires and more loving than my understanding. Forgive me when I confuse Your no or wait for neglect. Teach me to trust that You always give good gifts, even when they look different from what I asked for. Help me reflect Your wisdom and love in the way I guide others—whether as a parent, a professional, or a friend. May my life bear witness to the truth that You are a good Father who gives not stones or snakes, but bread and fish. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

  • Going the extra mile

    Going the extra mile

    Scripture reading: Matthew 5:38-42

    When a client recalls a great experience in the hospital, it usually does not entail receiving the most sophisticated treatment or procedures. Most often, it’s about that doctor who took an extra minute to listen, or that nurse who went beyond duty to reassure them. The memory is usually about the “extra mile” — the gentle, unexpected brush of kindness.

    “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” (Matthew 5:41)

    In Jesus’ time, under Roman law, soldiers could compel ordinary people to carry their burdens for one mile. This was burdensome, humiliating, and deeply resented by the Jewish people. Yet Jesus flips this around: instead of resisting or doing the bare minimum, He teaches His followers to voluntarily exceed expectations — to surprise even the oppressor with generosity.

    Reflections

    • Radical Love in Action – True love doesn’t only do what is required; it goes beyond duty into grace.
    • Breaking the Cycle of Resentment – Rather than retaliating, Jesus calls us to disarm hostility with kindness.
    • Living Differently – As children of God, we are called to stand out from the world in humility and service.
    • Inner Freedom – By choosing to go further willingly, we master our response instead of remaining victims of compulsion.

    Application Today

    • At Work – Don’t just do the minimum your boss expects—add value willingly.
    • In Relationships – Extend forgiveness, patience, and kindness even when others may not “deserve” it.
    • In Service – Help people beyond what they ask, showing Christ’s love in practical ways.

    Let’s pray

    Heavenly Father, thank You for the example of Jesus, who showed us what it means to love beyond duty and serve with joy. Too often, we stop at the bare minimum, giving only what is required. Lord, teach us to walk the second mile — in our work, in our homes, and in every relationship.

    Help us to turn burdens into opportunities, insults into kindness, and demands into chances to reveal Your grace. Fill our hearts with the freedom that comes from choosing love over resentment.

    May every “extra step” we take reflect Your generous love and draw others closer to You. Strengthen us to live differently, to shine Your light in a world that desperately needs it.

    In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.