Romans 3:21-24

Babies have the wonderful ability to fall asleep in the midst of great commotion. They close their eyes, untroubled by worry or fear. Our heavenly Father’s desire is that we would have the same sense of security about our life in Him. He wants us to live certain of our everlasting relationship with Him through Jesus.

Have you ever noticed that when babies become toddlers, fear begins to enter their minds? Many cry over small disturbances or become unwilling to leave a parent’s side. They seem unable to accept their mom or dad’s reassurance that everything is fine. Much of the time, their situation has not changed at all—they have the same safety and protection they had as babies—but they’ve lost their sense of assurance. They will not believe the one who knows the truth: their parent.

This is just what some of us do. We fail to believe the assurances given by our heavenly Father. At the moment of salvation, we entered into a permanent relationship with God through Jesus and received eternal life. But at times, we have trouble trusting that it’s true.

Certainty about salvation doesn’t come from applying human logic. It is a matter of faith. Do we believe what God tells us or don’t we? Assurance grows as we believe God’s Word and no longer rely on our own thinking. First John 5:13 says, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” Believe the God-breathed Scripture and rejoice.

2 Peter 1:1-4

Galatians 5:1 tells us “Christ has truly set us free” (NLT). The reason we can know genuine freedom is that Jesus “has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us” (2 Peter 1:3).

Oftentimes people say, “I would like to become a Christian, but I don’t dare start because I know I couldn’t live up to all that is required.” Of course they couldn’t. And that is precisely why this generous assurance is given. God says that you and I have been granted everything we will ever need to live a triumphant Christian life.

The Lord’s glorious provision, however, begins only after we trust Christ for salvation. We have to take the plunge of faith before His divine power is released into our life. Once we’ve taken the step of believing in Jesus, all things are available, including courage, forgiveness, vision, wisdom, and a deepening trust in God.

Such a promise is hard to comprehend because it seems too good to be true. Many people pass it by with hardly an acknowledgement. Others look askance and wonder what needs to happen for it to become a reality in their life. As with all of God’s promises, you must accept it before you can act upon it. And while recognizing the promise as yours is one thing, applying it in daily life can be quite another matter. Ultimately, the promise is realized by the full experiential knowledge of Jesus as we hunger and thirst for the living water He supplies. Only when we refuse to be content with the world’s broken cisterns (Jer. 2:13) will we find the fullness of this promise working in us.

Colossians 1:15-20

Who is this Jesus? It’s a question that has been asked by countless individuals for more than two millennia. And, to be sure, it is the most important question that can ever be asked—or answered. How would you reply?

You may say, “He’s my Savior.” But is He more? “Well, He’s the Lord.” But is He more?

Yes, He is far more indeed. Jesus did something for us that had never been done before: He enabled us to see the Father in a new way. In Colossians 1:15, Paul explains that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God.”

No one has ever looked upon the face of the Almighty. In the Old Testament, some people found themselves in His presence, but they were never able to look fully upon His glory. For example, even Moses, who is described as God’s friend (Ex. 33:11), could not look directly at Him. At best, he had the opportunity to look upon “God’s back” as the Lord passed by. But Moses never saw His face (vv. 18-23).

However, Jesus came to bridge the gap between the Father’s pure, holy glory and mankind’s sinful nature. As God’s “image,” Jesus is the exact, flawless replica—the perfect reflection—of His Father. Therefore, Jesus could say, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

How do we know what the heavenly Father is like? By knowing Jesus. He is the only full expression and explanation of God. Now are you prepared to answer the question? Then ask the Father to reveal His Son to you in a fresh way today.

Colossians 1:10-14

Let’s continue using Paul’s prayer for the Colossians as a model. Yesterday, we studied his first two requests—understanding God’s will and living a worthy life. Now let’s consider the other four:

• To bear fruit in every good work (v. 10). The Lord desires for our actions to bring Him glory. We all seem to be very busy, but are the activities that fill our time eternally valuable?
• To grow in the knowledge of God (v. 10). Through books, sermons, and technology, a wealth of information about the Bible is available. But the apostle’s request is not only for believers to gain facts regarding Christ. He speaks of an understanding in the heart, not simply a mental grasp of knowledge.
• To be strengthened according to His power (v. 11). We are weak when relying on our own strength. Sometimes it takes being driven to our knees before we will relinquish control and instead trust in the Lord’s awesome power. Maintaining endurance and focus in the midst of our difficulties requires energy beyond our own.
• To walk in gratitude (v. 12). When we realize where all good gifts originate, we can live with thankfulness. Contentment and joy come from a grateful heart, not from circumstances.

In the busyness of today’s world, prayer often gets squeezed out of our schedules. But communion with the Lord is vital to a healthy, vibrant relationship with Him. Remember that lifting our loved ones before God’s throne is far more important than many tasks which seem more pressing.