UPDATED Today’s Spiritual Food for Thought is an updated version of AMI QT Devotional first posted on August 8, 2013.
Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend
“The Three Prayers”
Luke 3:4-6, 16
As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God’. . . John answered them all, saying, ‘I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.’”
Repentance has a number of different purposes. Prior to seeing God’s salvation, true repentance is needed. In Jesus’ days, many failed to see God’s salvation through Jesus. Some religious leaders were relying on their ethnicity and religious heritage (v. 8), and failed to repent. When the Holy Spirit reminds us of our wrongdoings, we must not procrastinate; we need to do something about it.
Pray that you will take immediate action followed by repentance in order to see God’s salvation (vv. 10-14).
It is comforting to know that no matter what we do, there is a limitation in what we do before God, and it would not suffice for God’s glory. For this reason, more than the external ritual, the true baptizer Jesus Christ has to come. He is the one who will baptize us with the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16).
Take time to pray asking the Holy Spirit to touch you in order to bear the fruit of repentance.
What is “good news”? Basically, that which we are incapable of doing, God provides the remedy for us (Matt. 19:26). We cannot truly repent of our sinful ways with our own strength; it is only possible when there is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. This is the reason why the prophet John concluded with the following exhortation: “And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them” (Luke 3:18).
Pray for the people around you who may be struggling with sin and need to be liberated.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to take immediate actions followed by repentance. The Spirt of God, touch me so that I may bear fruits of repentance. Lord, I pray for the liberation of sin-bound people around me. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Joshua 4