Devotional 020409

Dear brothers and sisters,
Good morning. It is a short day for our office, therefore, I could run some errand before I came to office. Life is good when you choose to walk with your Maker. Every little thing could remind you of the grace of God. We don’t deserve to live. Our existence came not because of our parents but because of God. There are so many people rushing on the road each day. They are busily pursuing ‘things’ in life. But do they know what they exist for? Many are simply too busy to ask such question. What about the children of God like us? Are we too busy to ‘run’ our lives but never pause to ask our meaning in doing all these?

"Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17). When Paul received his sight, he received spiritually an insight into the Person of Jesus Christ, and the whole of his subsequent life and preaching was nothing but Jesus Christ - "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." No attraction was ever allowed to hold the mind and soul of Paul save the face of Jesus Christ.

We have to learn to maintain an unimpaired state of character up to the last notch revealed in the vision of Jesus Christ. The abiding characteristic of a spiritual man is the interpretation of the Lord Jesus Christ to himself, and the interpretation to others of the purposes of God. The one concentrated passion of the life is Jesus Christ. Whenever you meet this note in a man, you feel he is a man after God's own heart.

Never allow anything to detour you from insight into Jesus Christ. It is the test of whether you are spiritual or not. To be unspiritual means that other things have a growing fascination for you than Christ Himself.

The question: “what would Jesus do?” came to my mind every now and then. It usually came when I was confronted with a situation where I was not sure how to react. There are many grey areas in life that we don’t really know what to do and say. The Bible did not give us black and white guideline to all situations. We need to exercise our discretion or discernment by asking ourselves this very question: “what would Jesus do if He were put in this situation.” Paul said, “Everything is permissible for me--but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me--but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Cor 6:12). On one hand, Paul did not want to be dogmatic in some cultural practice that the Corinthians accustomed to, like food and festivity celebration etc. But on the other hand, he gave the church a very broad but essential guideline: 1) is it beneficial to me physically, spiritually and socially? Sometimes, we have to consider the benefit of others who could be stumbled by my freedom (1 Cor 8:9). 2) Will I be bonded or dictated or hooked up by it? There is only one Master whom I can’t live without. Everything else on earth becomes secondary. This is the kind of focus of passion that our Lord demanded from His disciples. That’s why He said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27).

May you consume your passion onto the Lord, and pursue Him more than anything else on earth. Yes, there is room for romance, family relationship, friendship and fellowship. But we don’t let those dictate or master your life. Therefore, never make your spouse, children, parent, teacher or pastor become your god. None deserve your worship than Jesus Christ our Lord. It is not a fanatic or extreme religiosity. It is a value system that will give us a healthy perspective on our relationship in the world.

Love you because of His love in me,
Lawrence