40 Days to the Cross - Day 6

Day 6 Doing the Will of the Father

Scripture

Matthew 21:28-32 (HCSB) ²⁸ “But what do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘My son, go, work in the vineyard today.’ ²⁹ “He answered, ‘I don’t want to!’ Yet later he changed his mind and went. ³⁰ Then the man went to the other and said the same thing. “ ‘I will, sir,’ he answered. But he didn’t go. ³¹ “Which of the two did his father’s will?” “The first,” they said. Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you! ³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him. Tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, when you saw it, didn’t even change your minds then and believe him.

Devotion

God’s ways are not our ways. We tend to put a lot of weight on “lip service.” Jesus seems to indicate that a person’s words are useless unless they are backed by action.

God is like the father sending his sons to work. He desires us to carry out His will. Some people are like the son who ultimately disobeyed. They promise but do not perform rightly and so are rejected by God. Some are like the son who ultimately obeyed. They rebel but later submit and so are accepted. Performance in the Kingdom takes priority over promise.

Questions

What have you promised God that you failed to follow through on?

How can you better make you actions match your promises?

What do you need to do today to be obedient to the Father?

Prayer

Dear God: Help me to follow through as an obedient child. Amen