Devotion
Living According to the Will of God
Frances Taylor
I may have mentioned it before, and will probably do so again, but I don't worry about the end of the World! There's no promise that this will happen before my time on earth is up. So what does this passage say to me?
For me it means that I need to live each day doing the will of God as best I can because I don't know when I will die. There was a famous Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, who wrote a prayer that I have always loved because it gives me hope. In it he writes that he tries to do God's will even though he's not always sure what that is, but he believes, as I do, that the desire to do God's will pleases God. We can't always be sure that we're on the right path given the choices we must make each day, but we can ask God's guidance each day to help us not stray far from his plan.
We do get a hint of how to keep to God's will from this passage – don't give in to sins of the flesh! Our society keeps telling us that if it feels good, we should do it! Then we are surprised at the increase in the presence of depression, feelings of guilt and a lack of self-respect. God made us, he knows what makes us happy, and following his commandments, trying to do his will, is the way to happiness in this world as well as in the next.
Prayer
Lord, show me the path you have chosen for me that I may do your will and be happy in this world and celebrate with you in the world to come. Amen.
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.
