Today Daily Devotional

“All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
— Matthew 22:40

As boys, my brothers and I often played a Bible trivia game at our grandmother’s house. The game cards helped to hone our knowledge of various facts in the Bible. “Name the twelve tribes of Israel.” “Name the twelve apostles.” “List the Ten Commandments in order.” Today, I’m not sure I could answer any of these questions without stumbling.I can, however, give a basic summary of the Ten Commandments. When tested by a teacher of the law, Jesus did that for us. He summarized God’s two main principles for living in a right relationship with the Lord and with others. Drawing on the foundation of the entire Old Testament, Jesus said, in effect, “You shall love God with your entire being, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (see Matthew 22:37-40).If we distill Jesus’ summary a step further, we also find the essential keyword: love.Tragically, since the fall into sin, our natural inclination is to hate God and others. Only when God has renewed our hearts can we truly love him. We can also begin truly loving others. And when we truly love others, we demonstrate that we truly love God.Though our love for God and others will never be perfect, the perfect love on which the Ten Commandments are based is perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ. There’s nothing trivial about Christ’s perfect love. His perfect love should be our highest aim as we seek to follow him.

Our Father in heaven, remold our hearts to love you truly and to love others as we love ourselves. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
— Philippians 4:8

Some people claim that we can establish a good habit in as little as 21 days. Others say it takes much longer—between 66 and 254 days—to form a good habit. By sheer effort and discipline, can we will ourselves into a habit of keeping the Ten Commandments?No. We can only begin on a new path of living for the Lord when we recognize that we need our sins forgiven through Christ and as the Holy Spirit breathes new, eternal life into us. Then, although initiating and achieving righteousness is not up to us, we are responsible to live as God calls us to do.In our reading for today the apostle Paul offers some helpful instructions for focusing our minds on practical Christian living. “In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God,” he says. “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”Paul also urges that we focus on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Then, day by day, as we “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25), we can form holy habits that please God.When we concentrate on what’s pleasing to God while striving, in the Spirit, to obey him in gratitude, we become more loving toward him and others. 

Holy Spirit, thank you for the gift of redeeming love. Renew our hearts and desires in Jesus to focus on pleasing you and loving others. Amen.

I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”
— Romans 7:7

Most people agree that the commandments we have been discussing lately—about promoting justice, honesty, respect for others and their property, and more—offer clear, practical boundaries for living together in society. Guidelines like these are found in all kinds of societies around the world.We might even think, like many of God’s people in ancient Israel did, that keeping these commands is possible. But the law doesn’t satisfy God’s requirements for our hearts. The apostle Paul painfully realized this when he wrestled with the darkness in his own heart. Though he thought he had been able to keep these commandments through his actions, he was cut to the heart when he read, “You shall not covet.” God commands that we show love not only through our actions but also with our hearts. By this standard, we are all guilty of failing to love others.Thankfully, our heart problem can be solved. “While we were still sinners,” Paul writes in Romans 5:8, “Christ died for us.” Jesus is the only one who could ever satisfy the demands of God’s law for perfect obedience and love. And since we are forgiven through Jesus’ sacrifice for our sake, the Holy Spirit gives us new hearts directed toward loving God and our neighbors.Our new life in Christ moves us beyond mere outward obedience. By trusting Jesus, our restless hearts find true satisfaction in him alone, so that we can truly love others. 

Jesus, thank you for rescuing us. By your Spirit, fill our hearts so that we can love others as you have loved us. Amen.

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
— Philippians 4:11

If you are bitten by a rattlesnake, the right antidote can neutralize or block the venom that begins spreading into your body. The antidote can prevent death or even sickness.Spiritually speaking, the sin of coveting can also introduce a poison that can lead to committing other sins in our lives.The tenth commandment forbids us from coveting anything that belongs to our neighbor. When we covet what belongs to others, we develop a deep longing for what they have, and these other persons become little more than an obstacle to the fulfillment of our desires. Coveting becomes intertwined with envy, and these sins diminish us too, by making our spirits restless and filling our hearts with the toxins of bitterness and resentment.But the Bible offers a powerful spiritual antidote. Paul wrote to the Philippians from prison, where everything had been taken from him, including his freedom. And he offers his own straightforward prescription: learn to live in contentment with what God has already graciously provided. At the most basic level, contentment means trusting that God knows what’s best for us and will always provide what we need. Deep contentment also leads us to rejoice in what God has graciously given to others.Contentment is not a quickacting antidote. It comes gradually through the long, sometimes painful process of dying to ourselves and being made new in Christ, who died for us. 

Lord, forgive our coveting. Help us to look to you for all good things and to rejoice in all you have given others. Amen.

Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
— Ephesians 4:15

Sometimes hard conversations are necessary. Perhaps you need to discuss a painfully difficult situation with a family member, a neighbor, or a colleague. Maybe you are dreading it, but you know you must do it. The hardest part of a difficult conversation is to strike the right balance between speaking honestly and speaking with compassion. Speaking without honesty and truth risks misunderstanding, and speaking without compassion risks destroying the relationship.When we need help with hard conversations, the apostle Paul provides some sound spiritual wisdom. After laying out the rock-solid foundation of Jesus Christ in the life of the church, Paul provides practical advice in Ephesians 4 for living together in maturity and unity. According to Paul, though Christ has given some members in the church gifts for teaching and leadership, he calls every member to grow in maturity and to strive for unity in the church. Then we will not be blown around “by every wind of teaching” and “deceitful scheming,” he says. Instead, we will grow mature as we speak the truth in love.With the Holy Spirit’s guidance and blessing, when we keep truth and love in balance, we can expect that growth and maturity will take place in the body of Christ. Truth and love should guide all of our conversations, whether they are easy or difficult. 

Lord, you speak to us with truth and love wherever we are. Help us also to speak with others in all situations with truth and love. Amen.