NEW Today’s AMI Devotional QT is provided by Pastor Ryun Chang.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
Can Anything Practical Come out of the Doctrine of the Trinity?
“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in His hands” (Jn 3:35).
Can anything practical come out of the doctrine of the Trinity?
One surprising place to explore this is the theme of unity in the novel The Shack. In the story, God the Father—portrayed as an Aunt Jemima-like African-American woman who says of herself, “I am neither male nor female but a Spirit”—tells Mack, the protagonist: “Don’t ever think that what the Son chose to do didn’t cost us dearly. Love always leaves a significant mark… We were there together.” Perplexed, Mack replies, “I thought You left Him—you know, ‘My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?’” The Father gently corrects him: “Regardless of what He felt at that moment, I never left Him.”
Another poignant picture of Trinitarian unity appears when the Holy Spirit—depicted as an Asian woman—says to Mack, “Remember our conversation earlier about limitation.” Mack is confused because he had that conversation with the Father, not with the Spirit. The Spirit then reminds him: “You can’t share with one and not share with us all.”
I found that beautifully stated. The Three Persons are perfectly united in purpose and being. To speak to One is, in some sense, to speak to the Other Two. This relational unity is echoed in Scripture: “I and the Father are one” (Jn 10:30); “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit?… You have not lied to men but to God” (Acts 5:3–4). Here, note that Ananias’ deception is simultaneously described as lying to the Holy Spirit and lying to God.
Perhaps this is why the author of The Shack has the Spirit say, “You can’t share with one and not share with us all.” When Mack wonders how such unity works, the Father explains: “We are in a circle of relationship, not a chain of command or a ‘great chain of being,’ as your ancestors termed it. What you are seeing here is a relationship without any overlay of power. We don’t need power over the other because we are always looking out for the best.”
As I read this, something in me longed for the same kind of unity in my own family—an intimacy marked by selflessness, mutual concern, and shared purpose. Emotionally, I felt that the loss of any one of the Three would mean the loss of all Three.
Obviously, the theological implications of this isn’t addressed here; for now, let us imitate the self-giving love, togetherness, and mutual delight that exist eternally within the Trinity.
Prayer: Dear Triune God, draw my heart toward the unity and loving communion shared within the Holy Trinity, that I may reflect it in my life. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Judges 16
Lunch Break Study (Jabez Yeo)
Read Psalm 23:1-2 (ESV): “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.”
Questions to Consider
1. What is the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep?
2. With the nature of this relationship in mind, why does David conclude that he does not need to be in want?
3. Are you being a sheep of Christ today? Are you hearing His voice as your daily assurance (John 10:27)?
Notes
1. Sheep are known as one of the most foolish and clueless animals. Thus, the shepherd is responsible for providing nearly everything for the sheep, whether it is food, pastures for adequate rest or protection from wild animals and thieves.
2. As spiritual sheep, we do not know what is best for us without the Lord’s help. We also are unable to provide anything good for ourselves on our strength (James 1:17). Thus, we can conclude that we do not need to be in want; as it is futile for us to desire things when we have limited knowledge and are inadequate to provide anything good for ourselves.
Evening Reflection
Did you find yourself envious over what someone had today? How have you internalized the fact that God has blessed you with everything that you need? Let’s continue to fight the spiritual battle in our minds and reassure ourselves of God’s provision and faithfulness.