Theme of the Week: Your Mind
Bible Verse: “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13, ESV
Scripture Reading: Psalm 1:1-3
There is a wonderful appeal to the short essay, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. We recall classic lines such as “Play fair,” “Don’t hit people,” and my personal favourite, “Flush.”
Although life gets more complex past kindergarten, one could argue that the essay’s premise is sound: abide by the basic rules of society, and we’ll all get along.
Some would take things one step further. I’ve had discussions with non-believers who vehemently state the Bible isn’t necessary. “Why do we need a book to tell us not to murder? That’s obvious!” Basically, the argument is that people have an inherent understanding of how to live life, and God isn’t needed to tell us anything.
But such critics fail to understand that unbelievers “are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God” (Ephesians 4:18). It isn’t just about do’s and don’ts. Right from the outset, the problem is that the unbelieving mind doesn’t know God. The Bible doesn’t mean anything until one crosses the line of faith.
Notwithstanding the Bible contains do’s and don’ts, God’s word is so much more than that to Christians. We saw in yesterday’s devotional that the Bible tells of God. But it also speaks of us. More specifically, it tells us about God working in us. God’s word speaks to each one of us uniquely, guiding our secret thoughts and shaping our outward plans and purposes.
In the letter of 1 Thessalonians, we hear how the local church was a stellar role model church (1:7). In my reading of the whole letter, I consider one key verse to account for this. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 says they “received the word of God…which is at work in you who believe.”
The Thessalonian believers embraced God’s word personally, allowing it to change their lives substantially. We’re called to do the same.
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