Daily Devotional: Friday, Dec 4
Speaker: Greg Rohlinger
Theme: Whatever it Takes
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Salvation is Here by Hillsong United; Run by Hillsong United; You'll Come by Hillsong United; Unfailing Love by Chris Tomlin.
Read: Genesis 6:5-22; Exodus 14:21-22
Think: Looking at my life, I consistently ask myself if I'm doing "whatever it takes" to please the Lord in all that I do. I'm inspired when I see others who are completely sold out like this... and it makes me want to live in the same way. Two great examples of sold out/doing whatever it takes living are Moses and Noah. These two guys were some of the most amazing men who ever followed God.
When we read the biblical account of Moses we see how he "stretched out his hand over the sea, all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground with a wall of water on their right and on their left." What faith it must have taken to trust God and lead that many people through that situation!
Then I look at Noah and what he went through to obey God. Can you imagine all of the ridicule and comments he must have faced when building the ark? Imagine all the faith and dedication it took to carry out such orders...Amazing! The Lord saw how far man had fallen away from their faith and said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth-men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air-for I am grieved that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." Why? Because "Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God."
I want to be more like these two when it comes to my walk with God. I want to be ready so that he can entrust me with whatever job He needs done, I want to accomplish great things for His glory. I want to be just like Noah who in the end it was said of him, "Noah did everything just as God commanded him."
Ok, so I might not be saving thousands of Israelites from sure death or building an ark that will carry every living creature required to repopulate the world after a devastating flood. BUT it does give me encouragement that I am pretty capable of leading my small family... or leading a couple's group... or teaching a bunch of kids about Jesus on a Sunday morning in order to serve the Lord!
Do whatever it takes! And it doesn't have to be a huge, big deal... sometimes its simple steps, small actions done for the Lord which are often the most impactful. You've heard people say before, "Now you don't have to boil the ocean" which means don't start off too big, just gain momentum in the right direction and be obedient - and the blessing will follow. That is what God has planned in my life and what he can do in yours.
Do: Ask God what small steps you can take in your life to serve him and that will be the most impactful for your family, church, community or world!
Pray: Heavenly Father, please speak to me and show me what steps I need to take in my personal walk with you that will make a difference in this world and will honor you. Provide me the power, encouragement and the assurance that I am doing the right thing for you. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church. |
