May 13

1 Samuel 14:1-52, John 7:31-53, Psalm 109:1-31, Proverbs 15:5-7

Pray: Do you need more of God? To be sure, He’s not a vending machine. Yet, we find that over and over again, He is willing to offer more of Himself to us, if we just ask and are willing to receive. In John 7:39, we find Jesus telling us that the living water we so desperately long for is, “the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in [Jesus].” Do you want more of God in your life, your marriage, your family, your job, this world? Ask and receive.

Read: The word discrimination gets thrown about so much that it has nearly lost its power. It’s a shame, really, because actual discrimination does still exist, and it even existed in the time of Jesus. We see it in John 7:40-52. Many of the people physically saw and listened to Jesus! What a privilege. Yet, many of those did not believe in Him because…He came from Galilee. Geographic discrimination?!?! It sounds foolish to think the Messiah would be dismissed because of where He was raised as a child. Yet, they did just that. Equally as foolish, though, is the adult today who continues a high school rivalry long after graduation, or the person who thinks everyone from “that place” (state, county, town, area, etc.) is all the same. It could happen with economic status, neighborhood, race, denominational affiliation, etc. When we practice discrimination, we show just how foolish we really are. If you don’t believe that, just think of the guys in John 7:40-52.

Edify: It’s always needed, and it’s always worthwhile. What is it? It’s discipline. As parents, we discipline our children. As managers or bosses, sometimes you have to take disciplinary actions toward an employee. We even have to discipline ourselves to eat healthy, go to the gym, etc. It’s all around us. Jesus even calls us to discipline. Did you know that “discipline” and “disciple” are derived from the same root word? They’re very closely related. To be a disciple naturally assumes that one has discipline in his/her life. They’re not inseparable. Proverbs 15:5 tells us, “Only a fool despises a parent's discipline; whoever learns from correction is wise.” Whether it is from a parent, a life group leader, a pastor, a sponsor, a spouse, or a trusted friend, we all could use a little correction from time to time.

Practice: The psalmist, David, offers a challenge to me today. Hear his words: “the wicked slander me and tell lies about me…[they] fight against me for no reason. I love them, but they try to destroy me with accusations even as I am praying for them.” When everything within us says we should retaliate, we should take revenge, David shouts a resounding, “NO!” He would take it to the Lord and hand it over. He would love them! He would continue praying for them. No wonder he was a man after God’s own heart. May it be so for you and me as well.