Daily Devotional
Are You Studying the Mirror?
“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”
James 1:23-24
September 3, 2021
Ponder This
This passage contains the idea of a person who simply glances into the Word of God. He gets up in the morning. He’s in a hurry. He just runs past the mirror. And then he’s gone. As a result, he quickly forgets what he saw. We often do the same. Have you ever looked at your watch casually and then immediately forgot what time it was? We are prone to do the same with the Bible. We open the Book. We glance at it. We say, “I’ve done my duty.” And then, we’re on our way, but we have not really looked into the Word of God. We take only a quick look in the Book.
James reminded us in verse 25 that it is the person who continues in the Word of God who understands and lives according to the truth. The point of reading the Bible is not simply to check it off of our list, but to truly behold what God has said and to continue in it each day.
- Would your regular time spent in the Bible better be described as “glancing” or “beholding”?
- Why is it insufficient to glance at the Word of God as preparation for dealing with the daily challenges of life?
Practice This
Take intentional time today, not only to glance at the Bible but to behold what God says and to turn these truths over in your mind through meditation and prayer.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
