Devotion
Taking baby steps
David Jacobs
I have two children: a son and a daughter. My son was quite cautious as a child, thinking before he moved, pondering any potential dangers that he might encounter. My daughter, on the other hand, was afraid of nothing. She bounded into rooms with the fervor of a small monster, taking her bumps and bruises along the way. It was fascinating to me that two siblings, only a few years apart, raised by the same people in the same house, could have such unique behaviors at a young age. The same is true for Christians.
Learning to walk with Christ is easier said than done. If you are reading this, that is a good step. More than anything, you must maintain a strong faith in Christ. As Paul says in these verses, he may not be with the Colossians physically, but he is there in spirit, for their faith in Christ, unites them. We may receive Christ early in our journey, bounding through the room like my daughter, but our faith cannot stop there. The Christian path never ceases, and whether you exhibit the calculating and methodical approach to walking like my son, or the youthful passion and energy of my daughter, there are a number of paths that lead to the Heavenly Kingdom. One must remember that the path never ends. It is a lifetime journey, and we must walk continuously, constantly striving to be better in the eyes of the Lord.
Prayer
What was your first step on your journey with Christ? Perhaps more importantly, what was your biggest step and when did you walk most closely with God?
Night Prayer
And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
Inspiration
We cannot surrender part of our lives to serve the Lord; we must surrender it all. We see multiple occurrences in the New Testament when Jesus says, 'follow me,' met with an excuse or other business that needed to be taken care of first. We like to think that, given the opportunity, we would follow immediately, but that may not be true. We put many earthly activities before the Lord. We make idols of technology, sports, and other activities or people. These secondary priorities cause us to wander away from the Lord instead of closer to Him. We must analyze our walk closely and remove all stumbling blocks that distract us from the Lord.
Prayer
Dear Lord, we want to serve You with all our hearts. Help us analyze our lives and remove stumbling blocks that slow our walk with You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
