NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

June 26 - Just do it

Scripture focus: My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You're deeply rooted in him. You're well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7 (The Message)

What would it look like to live what we've learned?

Would we begin each day with an acknowledgement of the loving arms of God around us? While we are thanking him for his presence, might we glance over with concern at all the piles of potential for sin and shame, and invite God to do whatever he wants with it?

I've been doing this lately, and I've never been so aware of my sin-potential but, and this is the really great part - without the dreaded shame that so eagerly could overwhelm me.

Just this morning I lay in bed and previewed the day with God. I talked about all the things that could go wrong; all the ways that I could "be" wrong; all the possible heart aches and disappointments. Then I stopped and listened. I imagined his arm over my shoulder, staring with me into that pile of possible despair. I recalled all the things that I could remember God telling me over the years, primarily through his word, but also through others who were good representatives of his love, mercy and grace.

I then slid out of bed and got on with my day.

I'm trusting God with the big pile of stuff, but in the meantime, I'm going to live and love those around me. I don't expect it to be easy or necessarily feel rewarding. In fact, I've eliminated expectations from my list of things to consider.

Instead, I'm believing God when he says that I know my way around faith because he is with me. He has promised me the presence of the Holy Spirit and the mind of Christ. If perchance there's a new twist in the day that requires a knowledge of faith that I don't currently possess, I'm assuming God is capable of either informing me or saving me from my own ignorance.

I find that as a by-product of this way of living that I am pretty thankful. I'm not always happy. But my goodness, who can separate me from the loving arms of my Father? And with that in mind, what else matters? I know that I will love others inadequately, and I assume that they will return the favor. But I also know that God is moving in and among us, and that seems far more reassuring than depending on mere mortals to get it right all the time.

Recommended reading: 1 Corinthians 7-10

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