March 25

Deuteronomy 4:1-49, Luke 6:39-7:10, Psalms 68:1-18, Proverbs 11:28

Pray: We live in an “I want it now” society. The internet has placed volumes of useful and useless material at our fingertips. We can watch television shows everywhere we go thanks to mobile phones and we can get from point A to point B without ever looking at a map. (Do you remember those?) That being said, we have often been guilty of allowing this mindset to enter into our prayer lives as well. Sometimes, we expect our prayers to be answered in our way in an instant, but this is not how God works. Today, pray for an understanding that God’s timing is perfect and that Scripture is often the answer that we are looking for and needing. We just have to do a little searching. 

Read: Moses now knows that he will not be able to enter into the Promised Land… even after all that he went through to get the Israelites where they are, God did not have it in His plan to allow Moses to cross the Jordan River.  Now Moses urges the Israelite people to obey God when they enter into the Promised Land. He warns them against the temptations that will come and the opportunities to worship idols in this new land. 

In Luke, we continue to read the teachings of Jesus when it comes to judging others and about the fruit that can be produced in the lives of other people.

Edify: There are so many powerful moments in our reading every day that it is difficult to keep our notes manageable. The story of the Roman soldier has always had a profound impact on me as a follower of Christ. I see a faith that is so great that the soldier knows that Jesus can heal his slave without even having to be there in person. Talk about a faith that could move mountains. There is an unwavering assurance there and there is also something that Jesus values in each of His followers… a love of others. No matter their station in life, we are called to love and look out for the well-being of all people. 

Practice: Two things to consider from our passages today. The first is for each of us to consider our life and the places where we may have erected idols that would hinder us from experiencing God to the fullest. Remember that an idol is anything that takes our focus and our attention away from God. The second thing to consider comes from the example of the Roman soldier. Find a way to look out for others today. Is there a way that you can love someone of “high value” today? We often write challenges in the Christian to the exclusion of those closest to us. How can you value someone closest to you today?