NorthStar Community Daily Devotional

March 2

Scripture focus: If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. John 7:17 NIV

“The essential prerequisite to know the will of God, according to Jesus, is a willingness to do it. What is the will of God? God’s will for those who believe in Him is to be alive in Christ for the purpose of establishing his kingdom by overcoming the evil one and becoming fully the people he has called us to be.”*

Last winter it snowed A LOT in our community, which is very unusual. We loved watching the tiny flakes fall and quickly blanket everything exposed to the elements. My husband, a guy who grew up in snowy Maine and is well acquainted with the white stuff, went out while it was still coming down to get a head start on snow removal. Soon the kids and I joined him. Our daughter got the bright idea that it would be fun to remove the snow blanketing our neighbors’ cars – so off we went, scraping and brushing with care. We had so much fun – especially when our neighbors began to ask, “Hey, what’s going on?” No one complained when they found themselves with one less chore to tackle in the wake of a winter storm.

After the driveway and sidewalk was cleared, a collective sigh of satisfaction was released as we all headed inside for hot cocoa and a cozy fireside nap. But the thing that made us smile with delight were all those cars, relieved of their snow blanket burden and awaiting their surprised owner’s realization that their vehicles were ready to roll. It’s good to take care of business, but it’s great to care for others.

The apostle John makes it sound like a big deal to become “fully the people he has called us to be” – and he’s right. But sometimes it’s not as hard as it sounds. We overcome the evil one in small ways – by showing tiny kindnesses or possessing a modicum of patience.

The more often we practice being “fully the people he has called…” the more convinced we will be that his teaching is truth and it is good. The more truth we realize God’s word speaks, the more willing we will become to live the life he has set before us.

For today, test the theory. Let me know what you discover.

* Daily In Christ, by Dr. Neil Anderson with Joanne Anderson, copyright 1993 by Harvest House Publishers, January 20th entry.

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