Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 19:1-6
Ps 19:1-6
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
Col 1:15-18
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
A wise older man once told me that he had learned that the emphasis of scripture is not on our doing but is on our being. When we become what God wants us to be, we will do what he wants us to do. However, we may do all of the right things but never really be what he wants us to become. This was the problem that Jesus had with the Pharisees of his day; they followed all the rules, but their hearts were far from God. They never learned mercy, justice or even kindness.
This brings me to my point. Jesus came to reveal the Father to mankind. He left us a perfect example of the Father, not so that we would get all the rules right but that we would become like him. God is love and the fruit of the Spirit begins with love. When we learn to love as a part of our nature, we will have come a long way toward being like Jesus. We will desire eternal life for everyone we meet.
Recently I was discussing with someone how we can become like Jesus, and he said that to do this, we must study Jesus. After that conversation, I began to read the Bible with a focus on Jesus and the result is amazing. Jesus is preeminent in everything. He is to be first in our life – no, in every part of our daily living.
O Lord God, thank you for sending your Son to the earth to reveal you to all of mankind. Thank you for allowing him to be like one of us and to show us how we can become like him, and thus, to become like you. Fill me with your Spirit so he can mold me into your image on a daily basis, one step at a time. Increase my faith and help me open my heart to his working in me. Be with your people so that we can show Jesus to the world around us. I pray in his name.
Robert
