Reaping Good Things
How many times have you been prescribed medicine and didn’t take it? What happened to the ailment? I would guess that it got worse with time. If you would have taken the medicine and applied it to the ailment, then the problem would have more than likely gone away. God’s Word is the same way with our lives. We can read it all day long, but if we do not apply it to our lives, it doesn’t do us any good.
Sometimes it’s so hard for me to apply the Word of God in certain areas of my life. I’m either afraid to do what the Word says or I don’t like what it’s telling me to do. Neither one is an excuse to disobey God’s law, but they are often used in that way. I know that if I’ll obey God, I’ll be blessed; yet at times my flesh is so deceitful that I talk myself out of obedience. Other times my flesh is so stubborn that I refuse to do what’s right in God’s eyes. How silly is that? He is the Creator of the universe; He definitely knows what’s good for me to do!
If we never put our faith into action, how will we ever be a witness to others? If my neighbor sees that I’m sick, yet I don’t take anything to cure it, how does that look? I don’t look as if I care much about myself or others. Our sickness (sin and disobedience) doesn’t only affect us, but it affects so many others. If I obey and do what the Word says, then it’ll affect others for the positive. I can see lives changed and turned around for the glory of God. Not because of myself, but because of obedience.
God loves us even when we disobey, but it pleases Him much more when we obey. He loves to use us to bring others to the saving knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ. It brings Him such joy when we do as He is asking us to do. I want to make my Father happy. I don’t want Him to shake His head and wonder when I’m going to learn to obey. Many times I know that’s what He does when I disobey and do not take action with His Word.
I encourage you to apply the Word of God to your life. Don’t just hear the Words of life and never take them seriously. God longs to bless you and to see your life fruitful. Our lives will only be fruitful when we put our faith into action.
Lord, thank You for giving me instructions for life. Thank You that You encourage me to do things and not just hear or say things. Help me not only to hear the Word, but to act on it. Let me be a walking Bible. May my obedience and Your blessings bring others to You. May I glorify You by being a doer of Your Word. Thank You for Your patience when I disobey no matter the reason. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
* devotion taken from At the Master’s Feet: Encouragement For Your Soul, Heather Strickland
© Heather Strickland 2014. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
