Putting it into Practice
Good Morning Friends,
The simple beauty of the Christian faith and the Gospel’s call is one of radical action. The real challenge is not in understanding it but in Putting it into Practice.
Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.
Psalm 119:35 (NRSV)
19Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.’ 21But he said to them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’
Luke 8:19-21 (NRSV)
31’When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” 37Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” 40And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,* you did it to me.” 41Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.” 44Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?” 45Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” 46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’
Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV)
Message: Christ’s words had a fresh attraction to the people who first heard them. These people were also attracted to the authority with which he spoke them – and this was why people followed him in such large numbers then and still today for those who listen and hear. You see Christ’s words have “the power of salvation” in them. Even so, there were those, who followed him for the sake of convenience only, without too much purity of heart, or perhaps with the desire to be a little better but not radically changed. Even today many are happy with the benefits of Christianity but forget who it is that restores this health. There are two conditions here. The first is to listen to the word of God and the second is to put it into practice. This is what the Christian life is all about. But to really do it one has to really listen and prod the text with questions that provoke a conviction of a required action. If we do not there are consequences. You see we learn by doing and if we do not act then we may hear lots of sermons and devotionals and understand them in our minds but never really understand them in our hearts. Friends, know that the Bible was written for each of us and has in it a message we are to act upon.
Pray we listen with our heart for the Word of God and seek its meaning for us. Pray we open our hearts to the Word. Pray we want to fully understand. Pray we ask questions that are life changing. Pray we realize that God is speaking to all of us to help us understand we are to practice what Jesus preached. Pray we
listen with our ears and hear with our hearts.
Pray we discern what is right. Pray we learn with God’s guidance. Pray we act accordingly – always counting on Jesus’ help knowing of His mercy and patience. Pray the Lord plant His Word in our hearts. Pray we listen to the Spirit in God’s word and practice it with love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 