I'm sorry for the delayed devotional entry today!
PRAY and thank God for the hope which we have in Christ.
REFLECT
Jesus' final portion of The Sermon on the Mount, as reported in Matthew, encourages us with the Father's heart, but warns us of falsities. There is the narrow road leading to a narrow gate, the false prophets (known by their fruit), and even false disciples. We are called to judge ourselves. To whom is Jesus speaking? The immediate audience were the Pharisees and other religious elites, secure in their self-righteousness but actually distant from God. Jesus once again cuts to the heart of the matter - what is our actual disposition toward our Heavenly Father? Are we listening? Are we obeying? Are we following Him? Do we have that intimate relationship where we know we can ask Him whatever we need, and we trust Him to answer. Membership in the Kingdom is reflected in knowing (for real) the King.
RESPOND
I think about the Christmas decorations and the traditions and rituals...and I think about how cluttered our Christmas season has become. Our lives are cluttered as well and we often lose sight of what it really means to know and love someone. Think about our family relationship: do parents love their kids only by giving them Christmas presents, or is that love more evident in the time and attention in investing in those children and really knowing and shepherding their hearts? Do you value your friendship and family relationships and build into those with depth, care, and love, or are they more about form and function? Does your heart delight in Jesus' birth story, and His teachings, even the challenging ones? Is your heart stirred deeply, broken over sin but emboldened by His deep grace to you? Here is a call to a real relationship. Let your heart be stirred by Jesus Christ!
No comments:
Post a Comment