July 16 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

The law requires that we love God above all and our neighbors as ourselves. The tragedy is that we cannot do this. Even if we know God's will, that does not make us any more able to do it. The knowledge of what is right does not make people do the right. If we could print the Golden Rule on all the billboards of the country so that all people could read the will of God, it would not cure the country. The law is "weakened by [our] sinful nature." We just cannot do it, no matter how hard we try.

However, for those who are "in Christ Jesus," there are two tremendous benefits. First, there is no condemnation for them, because Christ has borne their condemnation. Second, in Christ Jesus they receive power to do what they could not do. The requirement of the law is fulfilled in them. They begin to love as they ought.

In other words, if we are in Christ Jesus, we share in his death and in his resurrection. In Jesus' death, God has condemned us for our sins. He condemned sin in the flesh of Jesus. That has happened. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. God will not punish us twice.

But the second benefit is equally important. We also share in Christ's resurrection power. That power comes to us by the Holy Spirit. From now on we do not live "according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."

With Christ we pass from one state of being—"the sinful nature"— into another—"the Spirit." First we had only human strength, which is no strength at all when it comes to doing the will of God, but now we have God's strength—the Spirit.

We may and we must walk in the new reality of the Spirit. We must and we can do the will of God. That does not require our best efforts. It requires faith. Let the Lord take over.

REFLECTION

Think of an example from your life of letting the Lord take over.

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.