Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Rhythms – James 1:22-25 – Do Not Merely Listen To The Word – 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)
Do What It Says
How goofy would that be, to glance into a mirror and forget what I look like? I will say this; I have made the mistake of taking too quick of a glance into a mirror and failed to notice what I looked like. I failed to see what the mirror wanted to show me. I didn’t have to make that mistake too many times before I learned to take a good and long intent look at myself in the mirror. What about my word, are you taking a good and long intent look at my word or are you making the same kind of quick glance mistakes? That’s a good question. The only consequence of quickly glancing at yourself in the mirror may only be embarrassment. What do you suppose might be the consequences of only taking a quick glance at my word? If I only take quick glances at your word, it will never sink into my heart and mind and life. My heart will not be changed by your word. My mind will not be transformed by your word. I may half hear your word, but, never put it into practice. That’s right.
Do you want to hear my word? Do you want to put my word into practice? Do you want your heart to be changed by my word? Do you want your mind to be transformed by my word? I want your word to flourish and grow in my life. I want your word to work in me, through me and for me. I want your word to change my heart, transform my mind and guide my life. There is not one sentence from your word that I don’t want to hear and put into practice. I want to know and do your word. So, what will you do? I will look intently into your word. I will make hearing and doing your word the rhythm of my life. A day will not go by that I will not meet with you in your word. I will continually ask you to help me to put your word into practice in my life. That will be very good. Your life will be blessed as you hear and do my word.
Lord, I will not be a hearer only of your word. I will listen carefully to your word so that I can also put it into practice. I will make hearing and doing your word the daily rhythm of my life. Help me to remember your word. Bless my life as I hear and do your word. Amen
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