James 1:22-25 But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does.
When used as a main verb, the small two-letter word do carries the weight of significant action. It includes performance of an action as well as finishing or bringing an action to completion. It is the concept of continuation until fulfillment. When I look at the James passage, I find the idea that while we are to listen to God’s Word; proof of listening is found in the action—living it out throughout all the days of our lives. It’s not intended as a once-in-a-while or when-it’s-convenient option. Living out God’s message of salvation and love is our daily mission.
Jesus included the emphasis on the continued action do in his teachings:
Luke 6:46-49 Why do you call me “Lord, Lord,” and don’t do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and puts them into practice—I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep, and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came , the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the person who hears and does not put my words into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against that house, it collapsed immediately, and was utterly destroyed!
What is the message? And what are we to do throughout our lives?
Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the LORD really wants from you; He wants you to carry out justice, to love faithfulness, and to live obediently before your God.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion: Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
Today’s Prayer Suggestion: Thank our Heavenly Father for the provision of the written Word. Ask for wisdom and guidance as you read. Ask for faithfulness to live daily as an example of God’s message.
The devotional Do appeared first on Write From My Heart at
https://writefrommyheartblog.blogspot.com
Email: Dotty Willmon, writefrommyheartblog@gmail.com
The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® http://netbible.com copyright © 1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
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