March 31

Deuteronomy 16:1-17:20, Luke 9:7-27, Psalm 72:1-20, Proverbs 12:8-9

Pray: Festivals and celebrations are how today’s readings open. It is a time to remember all the Lord has done for His people and to give thanks. You may be reading this before your day begins, as it draws to a close, or somewhere in the middle. As you pray, recall all that God has done in your life, all He has done in your day (or all you know He will do later today), and give Him thanks.

Read: Humility is something with which most of us must wrestle. It doesn’t come naturally for many. This is especially true in our me-centered culture where stock prices soared for an app promoting selfies with dog ears and rainbows coming out of mouths (that sentence is even baffling). If you don’t know what I’m referencing here, you should be thankful. Over the years, I have worked on becoming more humble. There are glimpses of humility, but it is a constant struggle. Ironically, when I feel like I’m making some progress, I become proud of my humility! In Deuteronomy 17:20, the Lord gives instructions for Israel’s potential king. Those instructions are given in order to “prevent him from becoming proud and acting as if he is above his fellow citizens…[and to] prevent him from turning away from [God’s] commands in the smallest way.” What rules and practices do you have in your life to prevent you from becoming proud and thinking you are above others? What guidelines have you put in place to keep you from turning away from the Lord even in the smallest way? It was important enough even for the King of Israel to have the practices and guidelines. Perhaps the Lord is asking you to do the same.

Edify: “Then [Jesus] asked them, ‘But who do you say I am?’” (Luke 9:20). There has never been a more direct nor more important question asked in all the archives of history. Jesus wanted to know about the rumor mill, about what other people were saying about Him. Then, He got personal and wanted to know what His disciples thought of Him. It’s interesting today that God is known more as “Creator” and “Sustainer” than as “Father.” Jesus is known more as “Deliverer” and “Peace” than as “Lord.” The Holy Spirit is known more as “Breath” and “Wind” than as “Indweller“ or “Comforter.” In fairness, none of these titles are inaccurate. They describe attributes and actions of God. Yet, it seems to be a moving away from a personal relationship with a personal God and a moving toward a casual acquaintance with an impersonal deity. Lord, in Your mercy, forgive us for such sinful actions! When Jesus asked the disciples who they thought He was, things got instantly personal. I believe Jesus is asking that same question of His followers today: “Who do YOU say that I am?” What will be your response?

Practice: I love that Jesus is never forceful. I also love that He is practical when He explains things to His disciples. I need things to be brought down to my level so that I understand them better. In Luke 9, Jesus says, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. and what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?” (verses 23-25). Jesus is clear that following Him is a choice, that’s why He says, “If….” We don’t have to follow Jesus, but if we do choose to follow Him, He gives us a very clear prescription. We have to “give up” our own way. We must “take up” our crosses “daily.” Then, we follow Him. We all submit to something/someone. We submit ourselves to our work calendars. We submit to our doctor’s orders (hopefully!). We submit to living within our means (again, hopefully). There’s nothing wrong with submission, even though it has a negative connotation in our current culture. The bigger issue is where our ultimate submission lies. Jesus says that in order to be His followers, we must give up our way, take up our cross, and follow Him. That sounds like full submission to Christ, and who better to submit your life to than the One who gave His life for yours?