January 4, 2020
Truth with Transformation
"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth" – John 17:17
Commentary
As believers, God has a will for our lives. We often spend years wondering and trying to discover precisely what that looks like. But did you know that God's will for our life can be summed up in one simple sentence? The Apostle Paul made God's will clear in 1 Thessalonians 4:3; "This is the will of God, your sanctification." God's will is for us to grow spiritually and become more like Jesus. Thankfully, Jesus gave us specific instructions on how we can accomplish God's will of sanctification for our lives in John 17:17: getting in the Word of God.
When you think about all the time you have spent trying to accomplish God's will for your life, how much of that time and energy went into your career? How much of it went into your family? How much of it went into personal or professional development? Our goals determine the steps that we take. When we believe that God's will for us is to have a certain kind of career, family, or social status, it invariably leads to faulty action steps. But when we realize God's will for our lives is simply to look more like Jesus in whatever we do, our actions will finally be what they need to be. Namely, meeting with God in His holy Word day after day. So, go ahead, decide now that every day for the rest of 2021, you will read God's Word. The more time we spend with God, the more we should be transformed into the likeness of Jesus.
Application
• If you have not set up a daily time to read God's Word, open up your calendar and carve that time into your schedule now. At the end of this week, evaluate yourself on how well you kept that time. Were there days you didn't read the Word? Why? Address those issues and pray that God would give you more commitment to carry out His will.
• If you don't have a current Scripture reading plan, it can be easy to get lost or discouraged. Find a reading plan this week. Challenge yourself to read the whole Bible. It doesn't have to be in one year; there are plenty of options available online to read the entire Bible over a specified period of time. Find a plan that suits you and commit to it today.
Prayer Points
• Is your devotional time with God more important than any other part of your day? If not, pray that God would help you value Him supremely.
• Pick a verse from a Psalm that stands out to you. Pray that verse over your life for this day, and ask that God will use it to transform you.
• Pray that God would give you steadfastness when it comes to reading the Word. It is hard to commit to something every day, but it is infinitely valuable to do so.