Your COMPASS for the Journey…on the PATH of Discipleship | January 23-29, 2011
Posted by Isaac Butterworth | Filed under Discipleship, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation
Your COMPASS for the Journey on the PATH of Discipleship is a daily resource designed to help you find direction in your walk with Christ. It includes a ‘Compass’ (a daily reading), a ‘Map’ (a brief comment to aid your understanding of the reading), and an application section called ‘Journey.’
Saturday, January 29, 2011 WHAT YOU REALLY WANT ————————————–
Compass:
1 John 3:1-3 ‘…We shall be like him….’
1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
Map :
The Apostle John often talked about being born into God’s family (John 1:12-13; John 3:3, 5). In this letter to first century Christians, he reminds them that they are God’s children and that, as children bear a likeness to their parents, so Christians become like Jesus. On the day that ‘he appears,’ his people will be like him completely, ‘for we shall see him as he is’ (v. 2).
Journey :
Thank God that, ultimately, you will be like Jesus, and ask him to nurture this hope in your heart. If what you truly want is to ‘be like him,’ it will purify you. That is, it will, over time, remove anything that blocks that desire.
Tomorrow: FRIENDS OF CHRIST
Friday, January 28, 2011 WHO’S ACCOUNTABLE FOR ME —————————————-
Compass :
Philippians 2:14-16 ‘…You shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life….’
14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.
Map :
‘The day of Christ’ refers to that future moment in time when Christ will judge (evaluate) the effectiveness of our lives. Paul seems to say that he himself will be evaluated by how well his readers do, and, of course, he wants to boast that they ‘shine like stars in the universe’ and that he ‘did not run or labor for nothing.’
Journey :
Each of us will have to give account of himself ‘on the day of Christ,’ but the Lord may hold others accountable for us as well. Does it motivate you to ‘become blameless and pure’ when you think that someone else (a teacher, pastor, or mentor) may be evaluated on how brightly you shine in this dark world?
Tomorrow: WHAT YOU REALLY WANT
Thursday, January 27, 2011 THE FINISHING TOUCH —————————————-
Compass :
John 17:4 ‘I have brought you glory on earth….’
‘I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.‘
Map :
These are words from a prayer that Jesus offered on the night before his crucifixion. He tells the Father, first, that he has glorified him and, second, that he has done this by completing the work the Father gave him to do. To ‘glorify’ God is to do and say those things that reveal his nature and the truth about him.
Journey :
What ‘work’ has God given you to do during your life here on earth? When you reach the end of your life, do you want to be able to say that you have completed that work and have thereby glorified God (revealed his character)? What might you do today to make that outcome more likely?
Tomorrow: Who’s Accountable for Me?
Wednesday, January 26 Seeing His Glory —————————————
Compass:
John 17:24 ‘…I want those you have given me…to see my glory….’
‘Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.’
Map:
Jesus prays these words on the night before his crucifixion as a part of his ‘great high priestly prayer.’ He is praying for us and asking that one day we will be with him and that we will see his glory.
Journey:
Use your ‘holy imagination’ to picture what it will be like one day to be in Jesus’ presence and to look upon his splendor. Carry that mental picture with you through the day, and, when you encounter difficulty, see whether it helps you to respond with faith, gratitude, and hope.
Tomorrow: The Finishing Touch
Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Preparing for Finals ———————
Compass :
Romans 14:7-12 ‘…Each of us will give account of himself to God.’
7 For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
9 For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.’”
12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
Map :
Paul insists that his readers not get entangled in criticizing one another. Assessing the quality of a person’s walk with Christ belongs to God alone. ‘We will all stand before God’s judgment seat…. Each of us will give account of himself to God.’
Journey :
It is always easier to see someone else’s failures and inconsistencies than it is our own. But we are not to busy ourselves with preparing for someone else’s ‘final exam;’ each of us has his own account to give to the Lord. Throughout the day, remind yourself that, one day, you will ‘stand before God’s judgment seat.’ See if it helps you focus on your performance rather than on that of others.
Tomorrow: Seeing His Glory
Monday, January 24, 2011 Attired in Light —————————————-
Compass:
Romans 13:11b-14
11 …The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
Map:
The Bible divides history into two great ages: (1) the present age and (2) the age to come. Here the Apostle Paul describes the present age as ‘the night’ (v. 12) and the age to come as ‘the day’ (v. 12). Even though we live IN the night, we are not OF the night. ‘The day’ is fast approaching; ‘our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.’ We are to live as if ‘the day’ had already arrived.
Journey:
Paul urges us to ‘behave decently.’ His words sounds almost Victorian, but what he wants us to do is quite ahead of the times. He wants our actions and attitudes to reflect God’s ideal future. He wants us to be like a light shining in a dark place. Wherever you find yourself today, think of yourself as wearing ‘the armor of light,’ and don’t give ‘the night’ an inch.
Tomorrow: Preparing for Finals
Sunday, January 23, 2011 PRESENTABLE TO CHRIST —————————————-
Compass :
Colossians 1:28-29 ‘…that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.’
28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.
Map :
The Apostle Paul labored for one purpose: to ‘present everyone perfect in Christ.’ Perfect here does not mean morally perfect but rather ‘complete’ or ‘mature.’ On judgment day, Paul will present to Christ those to whom he has ministered, and he wants them to be ready.
Journey :
Who is it that is ‘perfecting’ you for judgment day? Who is it that you’re ‘perfecting’? How important is it for you to be ‘presentable’ to Christ on that day? What will you do today to prepare?
Tomorrow: Attired in Light
Photo Credit: ‘Compass Rose’ by Tom Magliery
