Saturday 8 Apr 2017

April 8: Ephesians 4:17-24

Key Verse: Ephesians 4:22
that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,

Devotion:
I am sure we have all at some stage or another worn clothes longer than we should have, but in a normal life we like to change our clothes at regular intervals so we do not look, feel and probably smell dirty. We also like to have a wash at regular intervals for the same reason. Why then, do we choose to continue in our same old lives day after day without making changes.

God has given us extraordinary instructions which guide us to keep clean. He has given us a way through which we can be washed. He encourages us to do so. Yet we continue to think we are OK and continue in our way oblivious to the effect we are having on Him and others. If we were to wear the same clothes in an office job for too long, we would soon be told about the state of our clothes or the smell which we waft in with. We would probably even be encouraged to leave and get things sorted out! God, on the other hand, does not want you to leave Him, He wants you to leave the places where you pick up the dirt from. He wants you to come to Him so He can wash you regularly through the forgiveness of your sins.

Unlike all the people around us, God is not as concerned with the state of our clothes as He is with the state of our spirits. He wants us to be clean on the inside so we can show others what cleanliness can do. He wants us to turn our backs on the things which we used to do that would corrupt us. He wants us to live a new life in Him rather than the old life where we excluded Him. How is He going to be able to clean us if we do not go to Him?

We cannot give up all our pride. We need to retain our pride in Him. We need to show others that we are not embarrassed of being a Christian, of being called a friend of God. We need to lift Him up in our lives so we can stay close to Him and be sure we are going to be able to live a cleaner life in Him. He will lead us to righteousness, but we need to ask. He will help us, but we need to ask.

Points to Ponder:
Who does all the washing in your family?

Do you all take your unclean ways to Him every day?