We may not easily relate to the task of the men who were sent to spy out Canaan, but we have some daunting responsibilities of our own. May we learn to trust the Lord as Joshua and Caleb did, both when it is “safe” to do so and when it is not.
God is to be taken seriously, but it must also be a part of our concept of God that He will help us do whatever is pleasing to Him. He loves us more than we know, and we will never be in any situation where His help is not available to us.
When God judges us, we will have to account for our use of all that He blessed us with. For those who have lived selfishly and used their blessings simply to enhance their own lifestyle, that judgment will be a time of tremendous regret.
Learning from our mistakes, listening to others’ advice, and paying attention to our conscience seem like simple things. Yet we often fail to do them. And when we fail to let ourselves be warned, we lose much of the benefit of wisdom.
The gospel includes some facts that must be believed, but the faith we must have involves much more than mental assent to the truth. It means trusting Christ enough to obey Him, and it is this combination of trust and obedience that pleases God.
Let’s grow in our appreciation of the eternal life that is available in Christ. To know that we are bound for heaven gives us a meaning and an importance to life that we could not have by any other means. This is a treasure not to be taken lightly.
Our eternal destiny will be the completion of whichever path of growth in our character we’re choosing right now, whether good or bad. Heaven and hell will simply be the end of the road we’re traveling by the decisions we’re presently making.
Honesty takes humility, but if we won’t humble ourselves, we can’t grow. Growth is uncomfortable, but it’s the healthiest thing in the world. So may we be honest enough to accept the truth, whatever it is — even the truth that requires us to change.
Real character consists of doing the right thing, both when it’s easy and when it’s not. Throughout the coming week, let’s work on clarifying our principles and then building up our commitment to those principles. Let’s do what’s right!
Jesus prayed that His disciples might be “sanctified,” or “made distinctive,” by the truth: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (Jn. 17:17). This is the only worthy way to gather the Lord’s people together and make them distinctive.
