February 22

“The Lord Jesus treads softly when He is near the hearts of those who do not yet know Him!”  Eugenia Price, S.P.S., 2/22

“(Jesus gave His disciples) His authority to minister to people, yet they became so self-centered that they lost the power to do the work of God.....Jesus’ response to His disciples included some of the harshest words ever to come from His mouth.  He called His own disciples “unbelieving” and “perverse” and questioned how much longer He had to endure them!”  H. Blackaby, Experiencing God Day-by-Day, 2/22

It’s always interesting to me when more than one devotional book I’m reading has the same theme on the same day.  It causes me to sit up and take notice that this is a very important piece of information God has for me.  In this case it was something I already knew and agreed with.  So I must take an even closer look at it because I must have missed something.  I know that God is merciful to sinners.  He forgives them immediately and tells them to go and sin no more.  Those who are grateful for His forgiveness will be granted eternal life.  It was also obvious that He would not tolerate the Pharisees or anyone who felt they could work their way to righteousness.  But what I’m grasping now is that because I am trusting Christ’s work on the cross for my salvation I’ve felt “safe” while totally blocking out God’s expectations for me as one of his disciples.  And what’s more, I have His Holy Spirit to enable me to follow Him whereas the Disciples had not yet received the Holy Spirit.  Lord, may I be careful to never presume upon your grace and instead trust You in all things.

“Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”  He said to them, “Because of your (unbelief).  For truly, I say to you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.”  Matthew 17:19, 20