I've Witnessed It - a 7 Day Devotional by PassionSample

ALL ABOUT YOU

We are living in a time that tends to promote self-reliance and self-worship above all else. We’re taught that our happiness matters most of all and our success determines our value. This selfish agenda is pervasive, sneaky, and at times, aggressive. It’s a story that puts you and me, and what we want, at the center by leading us to believe that we can manifest our own destiny and control the future. The bottom line is…it’s all about us.

This is not a new storyline, in fact, you could even say it’s the oldest one in the book. This lie fueled the fracture between God and man in the Garden of Eden, and it’s fueling all of humanity’s sin to this day. To be clear — this is the Enemy’s plan and it’s in direct opposition to the kingship of Jesus and the rest He promises.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, there is a greater and truer story unfolding all around us. This is the story of God’s kingdom. In this kingdom, Jesus reigns as king on an eternal throne. He rules with grace, power, wisdom, and kindness. He is our Maker and He has our best in mind. He’s the kind of king that gives His life for His people. He is unlike any other king. The story has always been and will always be about Him.

“For by him, all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him, all things hold together.” – Colossians 1:16-17

So how do we resist the cultural current, clear the surface and get connected to what really matters? How do we fold our short time on earth into the eternal story of God? How do we find peace and a sense of being in a world that runs on striving and doing?

It starts with pursuit. Every relationship is built on this. We chase after what we want and it’s the same when it comes to our relationship with Jesus. James 4:7-8a says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.”

To align with God’s heart we resist the enemy and come near to Him through humble prayer and repentance. We submit to the authority of His word. We are then transformed by His patient love and gentle presence. This pursuit adjusts our perspective and aims us back toward what matters most. Jesus also knows that life with Him at the center leads to the kind of joy, peace, and rest that life apart from Him can never provide. We get purpose and peace when we get Jesus!

So, let’s take a step toward Jesus today. And then let’s do it again tomorrow. One day at a time. We have this promise in His word that He will meet us there and we will be changed and fulfilled.