Dec 16 2024

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

In this verse, Paul tells the Christians in Rome that God is like a loving father to them. We are not to be afraid or uncertain about where we stand in God's kingdom. Instead, we can be secure in the reality that we are His sons and daughters because of what Jesus has done for each of us.

Before Jesus, the Israelites had to make constant sacrifices on the altar to pay for their sins. They were in bondage to their sins; a veil separated them from the presence of the Lord because they could never be holy enough to be near to Him.

When Jesus died on the cross, however, the veil was ripped in two. The presence of God could now enter the hearts of the people—the bondage of sin had been broken. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice that brought an end to the constant sacrifices on the altar of the temple. He was the spotless lamb who, once and for all, declared us holy by His blood.

Because of Jesus, we do not have a spirit of bondage or fear. Instead, we know that we are sons and daughters of the Living God. The God whom we could never dare to approach came to dwell among us, and His presence did not condemn us but instead, lifted us up that we might be His children.

Knowing that we are children of God changes the way we view everything. We are no longer tossed to and fro by a world that says our position and significance must be earned and, once earned, remains fragile. Instead, we have the concrete promise from God that He loves us as a father. He does not despise our cries for His attention and care. Instead, He comes down to meet us, His adopted and deeply beloved children.

Dear Lord, it is so hard for me to comprehend that I am your child. I feel so unworthy, but I know that you have chosen me. I thank you so much for choosing me, for deciding to love me even when everything I did rebelled against you. I thank you for your kindness and goodness. Help me to share the love that you have shown me with other people. In Jesus' name, amen.

Dec 15 2024

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. :

In today's verse, Paul reminds the Ephesians of the importance of guarding the words they speak. We should not speak to hurt other people or forward ourselves, but instead to edify and show grace to other people. God has given us speech in order that we may bless and encourage one another, not tear each other down.

Being mindful of our speech is sometimes one of the most challenging aspects of Christianity. It can be very easy to speak things hastily, out of emotion, instead of reminding ourselves to take our thoughts back to the Lord. In this verse, however, we are commanded to let no corrupt communication come out of our mouths. This, while impossible to accomplish on our own, is indeed possible because God will empower us.

The Lord is very serious about the words that we speak because what we say reveals the condition of our hearts. Our words have the ability to help —and as well as hurt&mdah;other people. Think about the last time someone hurt you with their words. Do you remember how that felt? That it was just as painful, if not more painful, than a physical wound? Now, think about the last time someone blessed you with words of encouragement. You have the same ability to affect others with your words, whether hurtfully or kindly.

Our words are tools that we can offer to the Lord to edify His people and help them come to know Him, perhaps for the first time. When we learn to tame our tongues into submission to Jesus, we begin to discover that our thoughts have also changed. Because we no longer voice mean or hurtful thoughts, we gradually lose the habit of thinking them. Indeed, learning to give our words to the Lord is like mental training for learning to think only about the things that God has laid before us. As we cooperate with the Lord and learn to speak as He has ordained, we will begin to fulfill the commandment that we find in Ephesians.

Dear Lord, thank you for the ability to speak life into someone's heart. Thank you for all the times that someone has blessed me with a kind and caring word. Help me to be that kind of person, someone who honors you with my words. I love you, Lord, and I want to obey you and follow you. In Jesus' name, amen.