January 16 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

A person commits suicide when he or she rejects the Christ.

The church does not always give the impression that its work is so serious. Parsons and politicians seem to be forever smiling and shaking hands. The world is getting used to friendly young people handing out tracts. If someone wants attention, he or she can have people of the church come to the door nearly every week with the same polite invitation. In the local newspaper, the church on the corner claims to be "The Friendly Church," and the church downtown assures you that "A Big Welcome Awaits You." They all seem to be interested in You. If You would only show a mild interest in them, chances are that You would be courted for years.

I hope we all agree that friendliness and genuine personal interest ought to mark our congregations. In the cold, concrete jungles of our cities, lonely people should be able to find true fellowship among Christians. But it is not impossible that in the midst of the courtesy and advertising, people outside the church are missing the point: anyone who rejects Christ commits spiritual suicide. Anyone who places herself above the Word of God judges herself unworthy of eternal life. Not intentionally, of course. But this is how Paul and Barnabas interpret what people are really doing when they turn down the gospel.

The Word of God is and remains the Word of God. Even ordinary human beings of reasonable integrity will honor their word and their signature. But it is totally unthinkable that God would say one thing and do another. God's Word and his signature are in Christ Jesus. When you honor him, you receive all that God has promised. God will back up both his promises and his threats without fail.

Reflections

Reflect on your own approach to the Word of God. Do you sense both its promise and its threat?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.