Praise God! Happy new year!!!
One time, I was meeting friends for a game of badminton. When I arrived at the court, I noticed I had come with the wrong bag. I planned to play in shorts, but I played in trousers, and my very competitive friends were not merciful.
Peter described the Christian life almost like my backpack experience, except that he made the right switch. He picked the one that had all he needed for his journey.
In Luke's passage (Luke 5:1-11 NIV), he records Peter's first meeting with Jesus. It was at a time when he had toiled all night but couldn't catch any fish. So he parked his boat by the seashore. But when Jesus saw Peter's boat, he got into it and used it to teach the crowd the word of God - to meet their spiritual needs. Again, in displaying his divine miraculous power, he used the boat to provide much fish - to meet the physical needs of Peter and his friends. When Peter recognised the divine power of Jesus, he surrendered to Him as Lord. He gave up his boat and everything to follow Him.
Peter then says (in 2 Peter 1:3 NIV), having journeyed with Jesus, that in Him we have everything we need to live godly lives. The divine power of Christ gave us everything when we came to know Him. Did you know you already have everything you need to live for God? His Spirit and a new heart - one receptive to Christ's character and God's will. Like Peter, we can surrender anything unnecessary for godly living, knowing we have all we need to live in Christ. Choose the right backpack; choose Christ again and again this year and watch Him change everything!
Reflect & Pray
What has taken your focus away from God? How might surrendering those things to Him realign
your focus? What fruits could this bear?
Thank You, Father, that we have all we need to live for You in Christ.
God bless you exceedingly and have a great 2024,
Sam.