God has taught me to read Scripture and listen for ‘rhema’
which means God speaking to my need for that day or even that moment. One of
the things that help this process was an exercise taught to me by several
mentors.
They said to read a passage and when something stops me
(or hits me between the eyes!) then ponder it. What is God saying to me in that
portion? How does it convict me of sin? What does it show me about God? About
Jesus Christ? About the Holy Spirit? How does it teach me about life? Each time
I did this, I was laying myself open to ‘rhema’ and God used these exercises to
help me listen to Him and help me grow in my faith and knowledge of Him.
Some portions of Scripture are particularly helpful for
such reading. They are rich in various ways. The devotional passage for today
(which I have expanded to cover more verses) is one of those. Even though “All
Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be
complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16–17) this passage
bundles all those elements into just a few words:
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.” (Colossians 3:1–10)
The very first phrase calls for personal examination. Am I
really a Christian? Do I have the new life that faith in Him produces? If so,
then I ought to be thinking a certain way and living a certain way.
The next part tells me why. I am dead to that old life and
going back to it makes no sense. Then the passage gets specific. Am I
struggling with any of these things? If so, I need to remember their end; God’s
wrath! I used to live like that — and ‘rhema’ will tell me which ones need my
special attention — but also remind me that these things are put off. Christ
has changed me; I have a new life and my thoughts and behavior ought to show
it.
This is God’s way of renewing, of teaching reproving,
correcting and training in righteousness. He wants to complete or perfect me so
that I am able to do everything and anything that He might ask of me. This is
not about God being a task-master who cracks a whip, but God as a mentor, a
life-guide, a life-changer. He wants me to become the very best person that I
can possibly be and as I listen to Him, He shows me every detail of what to
think, how to talk, and how to live, that will not only bring out the godliness
He has put in, but will also be helpful to others and bring glory to His Name.
^^^^^^^^^^^
Jesus, I cannot thank You enough for speaking into my
life. You do it every day, sometimes more than once, and as I am learning to
listen, I’m also learning to be more like You. I know how stubborn I’ve been,
how blind, and often how deaf, but You persist and in that persistence, You are
saving me and changing my life for good. Thank You, thank You!
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