Daily devotional, Dec 26, 2023 K.I.S.S.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."
John 10:10
One of the basic tips given to journalism and creative writing students is the acronym K.I.S.S. It stands for Keep It Short and Simple. Apart from ensuring that the message is delivered clearly, concise writing keeps the readers focused on the story and keeps them from getting bored with needless details.
If one was asked to sum up the Christmas story in two words, then it would most likely say “Jesus came.” After all, His birth meant that He assumed the form of a man, so that He can come to us, and save us from our sins.
In one of His conversations with the Pharisees, Jesus explained his existence by using the analogy of a shepherd and a door for the sheep:
“All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:8-10
Jesus came to us so that we could live life abundantly. By “abundantly,” biblical scholars explain that it is a life that is filled with peace and contentment from Jesus. While it is not a life that is over-abundant with material possessions, and not free from problems and personal tragedies, it is a life where we are assured that God can deliver us through it all.
“Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1
On the contrary, what is it that steals, kills, and destroys us? This Christmas break let us pause to reflect on what steals our lives from us? Most philosophers say that life is summed up as time on earth. To whom or to what do we give most of our time to?
A UK-based study has shown that for those who use at least two hours of social media a day (staggered or continuously), use up to 17 years of their life on earth staring in their screens by the time they are 90. Now can we all say that we will reach that age? What if we won’t? What if we log in for more than two hours daily? Are we ever OK to be at the end of our life and knowing we dedicated that much time scrolling a device in our lonesome instead of exploring God’s creations?
Biblical scholar John Piper has this interesting take on all of these: “One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time.”
How about “kill”? What kills us these days? Overworking? Overindulgence? Addictions? Unhealthy lifestyle? We may have forgotten that worldly pursuits will not benefit our mortal bodies at the end, because we are all bound to die. We should remind ourselves that our bodies are meant for worshiping God:
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
How about “destroy”? Lack or absence of peace of mind destroys the life rhythm of even the wealthiest, most powerful, or most prominent of men. Peace escapes us when we know that we lack something, when we are not feeling secured or protected physically or emotionally, when we regret or worry about something constantly. Unfortunately, living a worldly life runs contrary with the pursuit of real peace.
“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6
Sin ultimately separates us from a peaceful life that is marked with godliness and contentment. When we disobey the Lord’s commands, we have this inherent guilt that keeps on piling up until we either surrender it all to Jesus, or head towards self destruction.
While God does everything to protect us, He also gave us the free will to do what we want to do. This includes sinning. And as they say, while we are free to choose whether we would obey the Lord’s commandments or not, we are never free to choose the consequences of our actions. All of our sins come with natural consequences that destroy us, and until we come to Jesus and accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior, we can never make it through it all.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
This Christmas season, let us etch in our minds that Jesus Christ came to allow us live our lives fully. By surrendering our lives, and abiding in Him, we will experience the peace, that only He can give.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on Psalm 91 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Are you living the abundant and grace-filled life that Jesus promises? If not, what is preventing you from doing so?
Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, I praise and thank you for coming into our lives. Allow us to stay in your presence, and live a life of grace and contentment in abiding by you. Amen.
