Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

American record producer, Rico Love, said, “I’m very competitive; it’s not enough just to have a few number ones. I want to have 200.” 200. That’s a mighty big number, ain’t it?! 200. I respect Mr. Loves thought process of not settling for just a “few number ones”, but 200?! That’s a lot!

Did you know the Beatles hold the record for the most #1 hits and that number is only 20.

200. This devotion marks the 200th devotion written for the paper. Come this July it will be 4 years of writing a weekly devotion for the newspaper. No, no, no…this isn’t a segue into me saying I’m stopping. You’re stuck with me as long as the paper will allow (haha). But, let me ask this again…200 is a mighty big number, ain’t it?

While Rico Love will most likely never see 200 number 1 hits, I am shocked that this devotion has hit that number! This 200th devotion isn’t something to be bragged about though. Each and every devotion has been written with love, and prayed over. I pray just 1 of the 200 devotions written has impacted or touched someone in a positive way. I pray also that none of the 200 devotions have turned anyone farther from The Truth found in God. I pray 200 be just a beginning of goodness God will use to draw us closer together and closer in Him.

200. The 200th verse of the Gospel of John is found in John 5:34 (quick math of the verses: chapter 1s- 51+chapter 2s- 25 (76)+ chapter 3s- 36 (112)+chapter 4s- 54 (166)leads to chapter 5 verse 34 (the 200th verse of the Gospel of John), which has Jesus telling us: “I say these things so that you may be saved.” 200 can be awesome, y’all! I pray we can embody these words of Jesus so that all we do, say and are might save others.

Now, we personally can’t save anyone…only Jesus Christ can. However, It’s our duty to fulfill his words in Matthew 28 where “as we go”, we must proclaim the love of Jesus by telling, teaching, preaching, baptizing in HIS name: The name that saves.

While 200 is a mighty big number, I thank God for each and every verse of His Holy Word. I love how this 200th verse in the Gospel of John shows Jesus telling us how each and every thing He said was told in order that we might hear, apply, live out His holiness. He taught these things and had them recorded that we might be saved. Lord, help us hear and apply. In Jesus Name, amen.

Rev. J. Cameron Bailey is pastor of Kenbridge Christian Church. He can be reached at jamescameronbailey@gmail.com.