“The one who says he abides in HIM, ought himself to walk in the same manner as HE walked.” 1 John 2:6

All Years’ Resolutions Part 3

Christ gave us the example of OBEDIENCE. “He replied, ’Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28).

We are not our own. We are bought with a price, the precious, priceless blood of Jesus. We are more valuable to God than we can perceive.

Jesus was completely, totally obedient to HIS Father. I remember as a child how I sang a song about being in the Lord’s Army. When we give our lives to Christ, it is like joining the military: He owns us. We belong to Him. We cannot call Him “LORD” and say “NO” to what HE calls us to do.

Christ came as an example of TRUST. “But I trust in Your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in YOUR salvation” (Psalm 13:5).

Jesus came here to show us the way. I remember a story that Paul Harvey used to tell every Christmas. It told of a man’s wife that left for Christmas Eve service at church, alone as usual. Her husband just could not believe that Jesus would give up His glory to come to earth to show us the way to be saved from ultimate eternal death. As he waved from their window, he noticed a group of little birds huddled together lost in the storm. It began to snow and they were confused and had no direction.

The man grabbed his jacket and boots and went out to help the little birds. He opened the double doors to the barn, turned on the barn light, and tried to shoo the little birds into the safety of the barn, but all his efforts were to no avail. They were frightened by him and did not understand he wanted their trust. He watched in dismay as they were freezing to death. In despair he thought if only he could become a bird himself, he could show them the way to be saved. As that revelation came to him, he fell to his knees and asked God to forgive him and asked Jesus to come into his heart as he now understood.

“Lord Jesus, help us abide in YOU and walk in the same manner as YOU walked. May we be totally obedient to YOUR word and YOUR voice. Help us to trust YOU as YOU showed us that YOU trusted YOUR Father completely in spite of circumstances around YOU that looked totally dismal. Yet YOU trusted and obeyed HIS will for YOUR life as YOU showed us the way to salvation. Amen.”