ESOCS Devotional 6 December 2022
TEXT: JEREMIAH 18:1-17
MEMORY VERSE: ’O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?’ says the Lord. ‘Look As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel!’” Jeremiah 18:6
0 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted lace ”
God watches over us like duteous parents would do over their children to ensure that they grow up under good guidance. They pay attention diligently to everything the children say or do. Their purpose is to keep them within the limits of discipline. They want them to become better people. They do not want to bring up children that would become sources of shame and dishonour to them. And very importantly, they want them to become the best they could ever be; and become useful citizens in the future.
God is much more than that. He wants us to be like Him in all things. He made us and gave us His qualities from the beginning of creation (Gen. 1:26). The enemy came and spoilt everything for us (Gen. 3:1-24). However, God still means to transform us and return us to the original nature of holiness, righteousness, and glory He gave us in the beginning. Therefore, He is working daily in our lives to achieve that purpose in us, and for us. He loves us so much that He would do all things possible just to save us from the fire of hell; including the torture, pain, and gruesome death of His dear Son for our sake (John 3:16). He justified us in the name of His Son Jesus and sanctified us by the blood of Jesus, the body of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:11; Heb. 10:10, 14, 29).
In the fight against the power of sin, He wants us to be “strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man”(Eph. 3:16); and “that Christ may dwell in [our] hearts through faith; that [we] … may be filled with all the fullness of God” (vv. 17, 19). It is His “power that works in us” daily to make us become what He want us to be (v 20). Let us cooperate with Him in this business, which He fulfilled here on earth over two thousand years ago on the cross at Calvary; but which He actually began before the foundation of the world for our sake. 1 Peter 1:20 says, “He [Jesus] indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for [us]”; and Ephesians 1:4 says, “… He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.” The scripture calls Him “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8).
The eternal purpose for His work in us, and for us is that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. God is the Divine Porter. He wants to mold us to become citizens of the kingdom of heaven. Let us not resist Him; rather, let us pray Him to make us His vessels of honour “sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work” (2 Tim. 2:21); and in His mercy and graciousness, let Him not allow us to become vessels of dishonour (v 20). For such vessels are usually rejected and cast away.
CHALLENGES
- Do you have any problems living a regenerated Christian life?
- What are the difficulties you experience, if any?
PRAYERS
- Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to live and manifest in you.
- Pray that you may become a living epistle of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
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ESOCS Devotional 6 December 2022
