Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – April 14, 2020
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
I’ve got a morning routine. It goes like this: I get up. I go to the bathroom. Then, I head downstairs where I brew my cup of coffee. I water Phil, our plant, pour water into the humidifier, and then I grab my favorite throw and cuddle up in my favorite quiet time spot with my Bible and journal.
I like to sit and read, reflect and ponder for an hour, (sometimes more) and then I move into my day. Without being quiet, I feel unprepared and overwhelmed for the hours ahead.
My husband has a different routine. He bypasses coffee and the quiet time and after he dresses, he heads downstairs to his office where he immediately starts to work.
At the end of the day, in the evening before he goes to bed, he sits in his favorite chair to do some Bible reading and journaling. He says he doesn’t focus well at the beginning of the day because he has too much “work stuff” on his mind.
What works for him doesn’t work for me and visa-versa. He has his particular relationship with God, and I have mine. The way he relates to the Lord isn’t the way I relate to the Lord. And, how each of us relate to him works for how he has made us.
One of the challenges Christians often have is that we believe that the way we do things is the way others should do things. We may even think without realizing it, that the way we do things makes us a better Christian, even though those practices are nowhere in the Bible. Instead, they are just cultural.
I believe it’s easy to get confused about what we’ve been taught in church, and what Jesus really says to us in His Word. It’s easy to think that we’re more spiritual because we pray in the mornings, attend retreats, go on mission trips, or have our quiet time before the rooster crows.
But here’s the awesome truth: Jesus is all about relationship—and He’s all about having a unique relationship with each of us. So, what works for one person may not work for another.
Personally, I think this is fabulous. It’s a reminder that God meets each of us exactly where we are, and He loves each of us exactly where we are, and he is moving dynamically and uniquely in each of our lives. I love the mystery and the creativity of God’s approach with each of us!
Marvelous, don’t you think?
When we can recognize that others do not need to relate to God the same way we do, it enables us to rejoice in how fresh and unique God is. And, it will also help us to lay aside our judgments about practices that have nothing to do with having a genuine relationship with Jesus. It will help us give grace to others as they relate to Christ in their own, special way. No longer do we need to be bound by religious traditions, but instead, our focus can be on personally knowing the Lord.
“For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Romans 12:4-5).
Prayer
Lord, how wonderful it is that you love each of us individually and that you lead us all uniquely. With this in mind, I can celebrate that others are different than me without judgment. Thank you for your love for every person. Amen.
Application
Is there anyone in your life that you need to give more grace to as they approach the Christian life differently than you?
Related Reading
1 Peter 2:9; 1 Corinthians 12:18-30; Galatians 1:15
Here is a helpful resource during these days of grief, sorrow and uncertainty: A Little Book of Comfort
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Perfect love is expressed by the mystery and the creativity of God’s unique approach with each of us! #free #WisdomHunters #truth #Jesus
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