Devotion
Knowing (Really Knowing) God
David Jacobs
There are people who have dedicated their careers to studying the life of Abraham Lincoln. They have read every speech he ever gave and they know the story of his life perhaps even better than they know their own. But do they really know Abraham Lincoln? Do they know him the way his wife would have know him? Or even the way a friend who regularly ate lunch with him would? The fact is that no amount of reading about a person can be a substitute for spending time with them.
Knowing and studying the story of Jesus helps keep us on the right path, but God offers us so much more. Through prayer, we can actually spend time with God, and know him personally. And prayer is just one way we can grow closer to God. Worship, fellowship and ministry all draw us closer to Him.
Our relationship with God is unlike any other, and what's more, it is the foundation for all of our other relationships. The more time we spend in prayer and in prayer and fellowship, the stronger and healthier our relationships with friends and family become.
Prayer
Lord, I am open to you. When I study your word, I wrestle with it, and come to know you better for it. As I come to you in prayer, I wrestle with You. As Jacob wrestled you with his body, I wrestle you with my heart and mind, so that I will be shaped by you. I pray that each day that I rise to praise your name, I will be drawn closer to you and better understand your will.
Night Prayer
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Inspiration
We despise the thought of a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. The outside is easy to clean; it's the caked-up residue on the inside that's so difficult to remove. Jesus compares the scribes and Pharisees with dishes that have been wiped clean on the outside while dirty inside. The Pharisees took exceptional care of their outward appearance and neglected their inward spirits. We are guilty of allowing our hearts to be left filthy as well. We look and act as we should while our souls are full of darkness. We must continue to converse with the Holy Spirit daily and trust His guidance to cleanse our sinful nature.
Prayer
Dear God, Please forgive our sinful nature. We yearn for cleansing from within, so we are genuine witnesses to Your name. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
