Next Steps Devo – February 12
I remember vividly the day my now-wife and I were scheduled to apply for our marriage license. What should have been done was ensuring that all necessary paperwork was in order (on my end, not hers) before we needed to leave. However, what happened was a frantic last-minute, panic-filled search effort for my social security card. Stop judging me; I know it’s an important document that should be kept safe.
High and low, I searched in cabinets, between cushions, in the closets, in the car, in my wallet, and everywhere else. Where in the world was it? A month later, my new one came in the mail, and I made sure to file it in the fireproof box in my house. I pulled the file folder out, and my original social security card fell to the floor. Yup, I had looked everywhere except the place the stupid thing was supposed to be. The frantic search had rendered me blind to the obvious.
Sin has done the same. We live in a world desperate for meaning and purpose. Comfort, control, approval, and power are the carrots that dangle just beyond our reach. The promises they make are so great, but their delivery on those promises is not so satisfactory.
It is into this seemingly endless darkness that the Gospel shines. Our hope is not in us, and we are free to live lives proclaiming the beauty and splendor of Jesus. There is no carrot to pursue, but an eternal invitation to rest in a promise that provides purpose and joy.
What things distract you from the hope you have in Jesus? How can we maintain focus on Him in the chaos of life?
Let’s pray: King Jesus, I am so quick to forget your glory and wander towards the things I have created. Help me to remember that it is you who truly satisfies. You provide purpose and identity to my life. Help to refine a heart that clings to that promise. Allow me to experience the light that comes from you in such a way that it permeates through me. Thank you for who you are. Amen!