Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Word – James 1:22-25 – Do What It Says – Growing As Disciples
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25 (NIV)
A Quick Glance
What will a quick glance into my word do for you? I’m not sure. What has a quick glance in a mirror done for you? It has never been good idea for me to rely on a quick glance at myself in the mirror. Why is that? I can’t tell you the number of times I have been embarrassed because I missed something I didn’t see with a quick glance in the mirror. Do you now look intently in the mirror every day before leave your home? Yes, I do. I’m pretty sure that I look in the mirror much longer and more frequently than needed. I look in the mirror every chance I get. Why is that? I don’t want anything to be out of place or to not look right. I see.
My word is like a mirror. How so? My word will help you to examine your life to see if anything is out of place or doesn’t look right. My word will help you to evaluate all that you think, say and do. A quick glance at my word will help you about as much as a quick glance into the mirror has helped you. Why is that? You tell me. When I rely on quick glances into your word I’m not look intently or listening carefully. My heart and mind are not ready and receptive to take your word into my life. Just minutes after quickly glancing into your word I have forgotten what I just read. There is very little chance that I will ever put your word into practice when I cannot even remember what I just read. That’s right.
What will you do if you want my word to bless your life? What will you do if you want my word to set you free? I will look intently into your word. I will listen carefully to your word. I will consider deeply all that your word has to say to me. Can you listen carefully and consider my word deeply with quick glances into it, here and there, and now and then? No, I cannot. What else will you do with my word? I will put your word into practice. I will let your word change my heart, transform my mind and guide my life. My word will bless your life as you listen to it carefully, consider it deeply and put it into practice. My word will set you free to live the life that I have given to you. That is what I want. That is what I will do. That will be very good.
Lord, I know that I look at a mirror a lot. With a very quick glance I have been embarrassed because I missed what I needed to see. Help me to look intently in the mirror of your word so that I will be able to hear and do your will. Amen
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:
God’s Word – James 1-22-25 – Do What It Says – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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