Do we sit at the feet of Jesus? Do we look towards God for the wisdom and knowledge we require to make it through each day? If we quickly answered yes, then let’s consider these three additional questions... Are we humble in our learning, do we wait on the Lord to reveal himself to us in good time, and finally, do we suffer in this effort?
This morning our devotional thought is in being not only the children of God, but going one step further and having the heart of a child; or in other words, being childlike. Jesus tells us to be this way directly in scripture when we read Matthew 18:
Holy and blameless before God... does this describe you? Is this who you are, or is it something that you are aspiring to become? Scripture tells us that we should be this way, but do we even know what it means to be holy? Is it simply being consecrated to God? Is it to set ourselves apart or dedicate ourselves to serving Him? Or, perhaps in some way we are to be like God? If you research man’s definition of Holy you will find each of these thoughts, and definitions. So, when God says you are to be holy what is he actually wanting us to be, and are we obeying Him?
Do you spread the love of God? Do you give cups of living water to the thirsty each day, or perhaps you worry about their dirty hands touching your polished chalice? It is so easy to turn a blind eye to the ragged, and to detest the smell of the unclean, but these are the very souls that our Lord came to feed, clothe, make clean, and to let drink from His cup. Where were we when we first lifted it to our own mouths? Did we think of ourselves as being clean and our hands without blame? Did we smell of incense and righteousness?
When we open ourselves up to Jesus Christ and allow Him to enter into us we not only become a new person internally, but also externally. Ezekiel recorded how God transforms us in wonderful fashion, and the New Testament contains many references to how Jesus cleanses us and allows for this same transformation. The sin that we have spoken of in past days is now forgiven, and we are refreshed. Are we ready to be changed?
Our bodies are constructed for an amazing purpose, they are designed to not only maneuver the physical world, but to praise and worship God. They are also built to contain not only our conscious self, but our spirit, soul, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and God as well. We like to think that our body is ours alone, but it isn’t, even physically it is not, and scripture tells us that when we marry, or have sex, we become one flesh with that person... our body is truly an incredible creation in which we live, and is often misunderstood.
In our lives we are in constant struggle against the dark and evil forces of Satan; how do we defend ourselves and drive them away? What is effective against him, and do we know how to use the weapons and tools we have been provided? To answer these questions, we turn to Ephesians and take solace and comfort in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Are you a reflection of Jesus Christ in your everyday life? Has He instilled in you a gentleness of spirit, and made you lowly of heart, and meek? Are these the attributes that you find desirable as you make your way through this dog-eat-dog world that exists today? Well, If you allow yourself to be immersed in the blood of Christ then they should be, and you will be exhibiting them to those around you! Do you see such character traits as strengths, and not weaknesses?
What is your name; what are you called? On physical earth we have a sir name, but what is our spiritual name, our name of faith? Are we called Godly, Christian, Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Orthodox, Pastor, Reverend, Father, Bishop, Saint, or some other name of faith, or are we simply unknown? Let’s shorten this question... are you called by the name of God, or not? Names can indicate someone’s nationality, race, tribe, or family, but eventually they give an indication as to who our father is. So, who is your spiritual father?
Do you believe that adhering to the commandments of God and Jesus Christ might be too difficult for you? When you read that Jesus said, “Go and sin no more.” did His words frighten you? Were they more than you felt you could accomplish? Well, my friend, if we were to attempt these things alone, then they surely would be too much for us, and we would be right to be frightened and concerned, but in God all of this and more are possible.
Are we filled with the joy that only Jesus and God can give us? Even in those times when we suffer or mourn is there an underlying joy that others will see in how we approach those things? When we have grasped the gospel of Jesus Christ, and brought God into our hearts as Lord and Master, joy bubbles up in us like a flood. This is the mark of our faith, and is easily seen by those around us. Have we received God’s seal of joy?
We serve the one true God, the creator of the universe, and we wait on Him in prayer today, and the return of His Son Jesus Christ, just as Abraham and Moses waited on Him, and the first coming of the Messiah in their own lives? Do we pray and wait for Him, knowing that He will answer our prayers? Do we faithfully expect His presence to be known not only in our lifetimes, but in our daily lives? Can we hear Him calling to us, and knocking at our doors even now? Brothers, this is the moment of our faithfulness, and the promise which thrills us. This is the day that the Lord has made; of our Father to whom Jesus prayed, and the Great I Am to whom Jesus taught us to pray. He desires a relationship with us, all of us, right now.
Do we know how to pray despite the circumstances we find ourselves in? No? Well, do you know how to talk with a parent? There is no secret to having a conversation with the Lord, and no secret to obtaining answered prayers, just one simple fact... if we pray to Him as if we were having a conversation with a parent, and ask for those things we know He can agree to during that interaction, then He will do those things for us. This is called praying within His will.
Are we living out our lives claiming to be Christians while continuing to allow our own wills to reign over us? How is it that we can be satisfied with this? How is it that we can savor a taste of God’s will, experience the touch of sanctity, holiness, and joy, and then retreat back into our own earthly humanity? This is the age-old struggle of faith... we struggle to place God’s will first in our lives and to deny our own flesh, nature, and will, that we might accept the sanctification of God and His perfect will.
Are we slaves in our Father’s house, or is it time to step forward and become what our Heavenly Father has desired for us from before the moment we were born? Are we ready to hear and assume God’s will for us, or are we clinging to the life of an orphaned child on the doorstep of His house?