This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
Titus 3:8 (NIV)
Lord Jesus, today Micah 6:8 rings in my head, not as written in Your Word, by as a command given from Your lips to my ears: “You know what is right and you know what I require of you: pursue justice, be kind, and recognize you need ME!” With these words comes a resounding indictment because I can lay out glaring examples where I have been self-serving, shallow, and self-reliant. It doesn’t seem like it in the moment as I am navigating through what I am going through. It appears to be the right and prudent thing to do. Yet, when the dust settles, when the “crisis” is averted, I can see my muddy fingerprints all over it and not Yours. Forgive me!
Lord, four words ring out in this verse within the depths of my soul: “be careful to devote”. First it implies the very real presence of that slippery slope into that place where I put me first over others. Yet, it also implies the intensity to which I should pursue the things of You: with devotion. Both of which I want to freshly commitment myself to doing today – being careful and devoted!
I know that this is not about earning Your favor. The trustworthy saying that Paul references is that You saved me not because of what I have done but by Your grace and mercy (Titus 3:5). I am so grateful because I know that I keep falling down that slope! But this does not give me the permission to slack off on being devoted to being a blessing. Instead, the call for my life is to be like You – to do what is right (Proverbs 21:3), to love as You loved (John 13:34), to sacrifice for other like You sacrificed (1 John 3:16), and give sacrificially (Hebrews 13:16). My heartfelt desire today is to demonstrate Your love in a tangible way. Use me, Lord, to Your glory. Amen.