May 16 | Galatians 5:19-21

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DAILY READING

Galatians 5:19-21

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Eat One Frog a Day

by Mary Kate Hipp

I will admit that when I read this passage in preparation for this devotion, I was less than excited. The two verses right before and the four directly after would have been much easier to "deal with." But maybe that is the point. What we read in Galatians 5:19-21 is a bunch of "gunk." The "gunk" that each and every one of us willingly chooses to partake in each day. Much like writing a devotional on this passage, it is not fun to deal with. We would rather skip to the good stuff--the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-26) or learn how to walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-18). But to work through this gunk, our sin, what lies before us in this passage? Not so much fun.

We need to address the "gunk" in our hearts. Each week we confess our sins at church. The other six days of the week though it can be easy to forget to confess or to recognize our sins. Perhaps we even begin to excuse our sins because we confess them on Sunday anyways. Scripture is clear though: those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. In other words, those who live in unrepentant sin will not have eternal life (John 3:16).

Spend time today working through the gunk. I once read a book that used the metaphor "eat one frog a day." If each day a frog appears on a plate, we have two choices: let the frogs build up, ignore their croaks until we have 30 frogs to eat at once, or eat one frog a day. Eat one frog a day. Deal with the gunk/sin each day. Do not hide from the croaking of sin and deal with it all when you are overwhelmed. Come to Christ each day in all humility. Eat those frogs! It may not be fun at the moment, but oh how sweet is the freedom from bondage to sin found only through the blood of Christ!

PRAYER PRACTICE

God, we come to You today in awe of You. We praise You that Your blood has permanently washed away our sins. We thank You that because of the sacrifice of Your Son, we have eternal life, the Kingdom of God. We come to You now in confession because we are sure of this: that when we confess our sins, You who are faithful and just will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Amen.

May 15 | John 10:1-18

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DAILY READING

John 10:1-18

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REFLECTION

The Great I AM

by Pr. Dave Mann

In today’s passage, we read two of the seven I AM statements found in John’s gospel.

• I am the bread of life (6:35).

• I am the light of the world (8:12).

• I am the gate/door (10:7).

• I am the good shepherd (10:11, 14).

• I am the resurrection and the life (11:25).

• I am the way, the truth, and the life (14:6).

• I am the true vine (15:1).

Folded into these seven I AM statements is a clear link with the God who revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush – I AM WHO I AM. The voice said to Moses, “This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you'.” (Exodus 3:14)

There are two other times in the gospel of John when Jesus used the phrase “I AM” to clarify that he was more than an ordinary human being, that he was and is the eternally pre-existent second person of the Trinity.

1. Before Abraham was born, I am (8:58). In response to this proclamation, the Jews took up stones to kill him, because they understood this statement to be blasphemous.

2. Following Jesus’ time of prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, he was approached by a cohort of soldiers and religious leaders. Jesus asked them who they were looking for, to which they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am he.” Then, something bizarre happened – the whole group fell backward to the ground (18:5-6). This can best be understood by the fact that the word “he” in Jesus’ reply is in italics. This indicates that the word “he” is not in the original Greek. Jesus actually said, “I am” -- claiming the divine name of God for himself. The human show of force to arrest Jesus was insignificant before the power of I AM. Jesus was not forced to comply with their will; he was voluntarily giving himself up to the cross. He was laying down his life for the sheep. In today’s passage, Jesus states four different times that he has the authority to lay down his life (10:11, 15, 17, 18).

If Jesus were not the Son of God, the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity, these I AM statements would be at least total foolishness, or at worst audacious blasphemy. But because Jesus is who he said he was, these statements make complete sense. May we all be inspired to fall down in worship to declare our full allegiance to The Great I AM!

PRAYER

O Great I AM, you who have existed for all time and will exist into eternity, may your name be understood for all it is. May my life fall before you in humility and awe and wonder. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

May 14 | 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

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DAILY READING

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

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REFLECTION

Ambassador to Those I Encounter

by Elaine Pierce

What would it be like if the President called you and say, "I'd like to appoint you as one of my key ambassadors. Please choose the country you'd like to represent." I would spend a lot of time dreaming about where I would like to go, wouldn't you? I'm thinking somewhere warm...or maybe an English-speaking country so I can talk to people...maybe somewhere with beautiful scenery... it's fun to daydream about something that will never happen - to me at least.

In today's passage, Paul tells the members of the church in the city of Corinth that they have been designated Christ's ambassadors (v. 20). And what is our role as his ambassadors? It is to persuade men and women that Christ died for all - take a look at how he describes this in verse 15.

"And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."

US Ambassadors live in foreign countries and help maintain a positive relationship between the US and the host country. As Christ's ambassadors, we are called to be in the world but not of the world. (John 17:14) Ambassadors are tasked with negotiating on behalf of their government, but they don't operate autonomously: they represent the wishes of their president. So, too, ambassadors for Christ have one goal, and that is to reflect Jesus.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone the new has come!" (v. 17)

I may never be a US ambassador, but God has called me - and he has called you - to be his ambassador. Through UALC, we share God's Good News here in Columbus and around the world. Our oasis community is serving our neighbors right here, and we send our people to serve in Honduras, in Haiti, in Ethiopia - to name just a few places. To those whom much has been given, much is required. Thank God for our many blessings and ask him to show you today how you can be his ambassador. He will lead you; he will guide you.

PRAYER

Lord, you have given us the privilege of being your ambassadors. What a joy it is to serve in your name. Give us boldness and confidence to share your name with those we love and those we serve. Amen.