Daily Power #17

[Jesus] replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)

I heard a story about a pastor who preached this incredibly powerful message to his congregation. The next week, he preached the exact same sermon. His congregation was confused but didn’t want to embarrass him, so they didn’t say anything. The third week, though, they were shocked and even angry when he delivered the exact same message, almost word for word. Finally, someone asked him why he kept giving the same sermon. The pastor replied, “When you start living it, I’ll stop preaching it.”

I wonder sometimes if this might be how God feels about the way we listen to him. It’s one thing for us to study our Bibles, memorize verses, and hear teaching and preaching at church and in our small group. But it’s another thing when we absorb the truth of God’s Word into our hearts and act on this truth. He wants us to obey him by following the example set by his Son, Jesus.

If we love our Father and want to please him, then we will do more than just hear what he says. We will continually return to his Word and obey what he asks us to do for him.

Power Lift

Father, I’m so grateful for your Word. Allow me to be more than a hearer of your truth—I want to be a doer. Today I want to obey you in all that I do.