Corona Devo 1495

Ever heard the saying, "The devil made me do it?"  
Some days, he is whispering in our ear, and some days he is shouting. 

I do not understand what I do.  For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do...  

(17) As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. (18) ...For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 

(19) For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. .  ~Romans 7:15, 17-19

But not today!  While it is (very) true that somedays we do sinful things because "the devil made us do it"... That is not today.

Today let's do things because "Jesus said so", and not because "the devil made us do it".  

For instance, on my way to pick up our two boys and four other high school students from church youth group at 9:20 PM last night, I stopped and bought them all some Taco Bell.

The number of times that I have ever done such a thing before (and I have picked groups up from church many times over the years)...is exactly zero.

Money doesn't grow on trees (and we had provided dinner at our house for this same crew about four hours earlier), but I bought a bag of tacos tonight because Jesus said so.

  • For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.  ~I Peter 2:15
  • Do to others as you would have them do to you.  ~Luke 6:31

I was getting a bit hungry, and if I was hungry...surely high schoolers were hungry.  And so I went through the drive-through, because Jesus said so.

~~~

What are we feeling today: Sadness, joy, fear, anxiety, contentment?  What if we met someone else's similar need today?  

Why?  Because Jesus said so (and did so).

  • Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  ~Romans 12:14
  • When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.  ~Matthew 14:14
  • Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.  ~Job 2:13

~~~

What might we be yearning for today?  A friend, a meal, a hug, God's Truth?  

Let's look into the eyes of those in our path today.  Can we sense their yearning and meet it or provide for them in some way today...because Jesus said so.  

As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”  

(16) Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away....    

(18) “Bring them here to me,” he said. (19) And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. (20) They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.  ~Matthew 14:15-16, 18-20   

~~~

We can serve ourselves and our flesh today...but there is no fame in saying "The devil made me do it"...only shame.

But serving God...and serving others in His Name...there is blessing in it.  There is fulfillment in it.  We are stepping into God's calling over our lives when we do things because He said so.   

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.  ~Galatians 5:13

~~~

When my six high schoolers got in the car after church, they collectively begged me to stop for food because "they were starving".  They even told me that they would pay for it.

I couldn't contain my smile when I told them that Jesus told me to buy them tacos (Jesus said so).  And then...their smiles and cheers filled our car. 

You've never seen such jubilation!  And appetites!  

I certainly didn't have to do that, but I was so very glad that I did.  My joy at seeing their joy was special, and it wasn't my idea...it was Jesus'.  

~~~

Listen today, but not to the devil.  Don't let him "make us do" anything today.  

Let's listen to Jesus.  Let's be quiet enough to hear His voice, whether it is saying "pray for him"... or "buy tacos for them"... and then go for it.  Even if the number of times that we have done-that-thing before is zero.

Today's the day because Jesus said so.  

Today let's do things because "Jesus said so", and not because 'the devil made us do it'.  

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  ~James 1:22

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com

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