Today’s Reading: John
23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
Good morning!
Do you ever cry over spilled milk? This morning, I found a great suit in the back of my closet that I’ve not worn in awhile. With the cooler temperatures, I thought this would be the perfect choice on a day like today. I dressed and then went to the kitchen to fix breakfast. Every morning, I carry a bowl of cereal to the study, where I sit with Bible in hand and give my full attention over to the Lord. It took a lot of effort to prepare today. I’m not normally a late-night gal, but the Beijing Olympics have captured my heart. I watched in awe as two of our
In the study, I lost my focus and turned away from the computer desktop for just a second. It was only a second, but suddenly, I found myself dripping in bran flakes and milk. The bowl had overturned and my breakfast was everywhere! It soaked my suit, shoes, the computer workspace, the floor, and the chair I was sitting in. This was no small clean up. Spilled milk will leave a stain if not mopped up quickly, and the milk will begin to sour and smell. It forced me absolutely stop what I was doing, clean up the mess, and begin again.
When we disobey God, we have to stop what we are doing and shout out, “Clean up on aisle sin!” Disobedience gets in the way of who we are in Christ, and who He has created us to be. It is easy to say the words, “I love you, Lord.” It is much more difficult to prove we mean it. Jesus said that if we truly love him, we will obey His teaching. And when we obey Him, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit takes up permanent residence in our lives. Spilled milk, like the sin we carry around in our hearts, is messy. Yet, it is not impossible to clean up. If sin is getting in the way of your witness, stop what you’re doing and ask the Lord of life to clean you up. Only Jesus Christ has the power to wash your sins away, creating in a sacred space inside your heart where He can live and reign and work within your life.
Father, you reminded me today of the importance you place on obedience in love. I praise you for cleaning up the mess I’ve made this morning, and for all the messes I’ve made along life’s way. You mopped up my spilled milk and removed those nasty set-in stains once and for all. I love you. Help me obey your Word today. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Grace and peace,
Deb Spaulding
Faith UMC -
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