The leaders of the Jews were... - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

If anyone wills to do his (i.e. God's) will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God, or whether I speak on my own authority.
John 7:17.

The leaders of the Jews were astonished at the learning that Jesus of Nazareth revealed, for He had never been in any school of the rabbis. Today's verse is Jesus' explanation. If they had endeavoured to do the will of God, they would have acknowledged Him to be the One sent by God long before. Moreover they would have accepted His doctrine as the Word of God. The problem lay in their erroneous attitude.

In this saying of the Lord's a general principle becomes clear: God grants the knowledge of His thoughts and His will solely to those who purpose doing His will.

The secret is: recognising what God's will for our life is. We may have made our decisions earlier and ask His will later for reassurance. In that case we should not have His promise that He will tell us His thoughts. But if we are sincere in our wish to do His will and trust His wisdom and goodness, He will reveal His mind to us and guide us on a pathway of blessing.

Haven't we often experienced that God rewards our trust? Has His love ever withheld anything that was good for us? Let us therefore trust His leading day by day. In that way we shall become accustomed to recognising the signs He gives and obeying them. Then it will be possible for us to recognise His will in important decisions that really matter.

Today's reading: 1 Chronicles 29:20-30 · 1 Timothy 5:17-25