Himself He Cannot Save – Stepping in the Light

“Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.” Mark 15:31

When Jesus was crucified, there were people who gathered around the cross to watch Him die. The chief priests (who had arrested Him, turned Him over to the Romans, and demanded that He be crucified) were there mocking Him. They were completely wrong about Jesus. They thought that He was an imposter. They believed that the Messiah was going to set up His new kingdom immediately after He came to earth; and since Jesus had made no attempt to fight against the Romans, they believed that He was nothing more than a heretic spreading false doctrine. They could not have been more mistaken about Jesus, but there was a powerful spiritual truth in the statement they made in the verse above. “He saved others; himself he cannot save.” As they mocked Jesus for not saving Himself, they inadvertently pointed out the secret of Jesus’ mission here on earth and the secret that all who would follow in His steps must learn. Jesus had the power to save himself, but He chose not to. If He were to save Himself, He could not save others; and saving others was what He came to do. If He wanted to save us, He could not save Himself. The same could be said for every disciple of Christ. If we are going to make a difference in the lives of others, we cannot focus on our own needs and wants.

Morning: Deuteronomy 32-34

Evening: Mark 15:26-47

About This Site

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

If you were to find yourself walking down a path in the dark of night with only an old-fashioned lantern to light the way, you wouldn’t be able to see very far ahead. You would be able to see just enough of the pathway to know which direction to take your next step and enough of the ground to choose the best place for your feet. When it comes to our daily lives, God’s Word is a lot like that lantern. It will not show us the whole path at once, but it is exactly what we need to help us decide how to take the next step.

The Bible is our source of spiritual light, and if we consistently seek God’s direction as we read from its pages, we will always have enough light for our next step along the pathway of life. It is then that we are, in the words of an old gospel song, “stepping in the light.”

The goal of this devotional guide is to encourage you to spend time in the Word of God each day. Reading the passages listed at the bottom of the page will take you all the way through the Bible in one year. The devotional thought for each day is taken from a text within that day’s reading, so even that small daily portion of reading will take you on a journey through God’s Word. It is my prayer that this guide would help you to walk closer to the Lord and that you will find yourself taking each step in the light of His Word.