September 8, 2019 - INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE HEART

From Eagle Brook Church:

Have you ever noticed that when you spend enough time with someone, you start to act like them? It may be most obvious with your parents—you spent your entire childhood watching them, talking with them, and learning from them, so it’s no wonder their love for cars, reading, or cooking rubbed off on you. Or maybe it’s most noticeable with one of your close friends; it wasn’t long before you started dressing or talking alike.

In the same way, John makes this distinction between God’s children and their heavenly Father. The more we read the Bible, spend time in prayer, and surrender our lives to Him, the more we will stray from sin and resemble Christ Himself. And the more we familiarize ourselves with His ways, the more they’ll rub off on us, and we can imitate what is right—showing the world who we belong to.

But for those who choose not to follow Jesus and live their life chasing after their own desires, they’ll indeed fall into a pattern of sin, and unfortunately, bear resemblance of darkness.

But we don’t just stumble onto these paths. The choices we make in our daily lives direct the course of our entire lives. It matters when we choose to tell the truth or say a white lie to our boss today. It matters when we give into anger or practice patience with our kids today. And it matters when we begin our day in prayer or dive straight into our to-do list.

As children born into God’s family, may we spend our days in His Word and presence, so we can live an honorable life devoted to God and His commands.

Reflect:

- Think of your day. When did you make choices leading toward righteousness and light, and when did you make decisions pointing toward sin and darkness?

- Commit 1 John 3:7 to memory: “Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous.”