August 31 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Finally, the writer of Hebrews makes the main elements of his teaching the content of a prayer. And he lays this prayer on our lips. Most Christians understand that this is the way our Bible reading must have its fruit, and so they combine times of Bible reading with times of prayer.

But we should also try to make our prayers a kind of answer to what we have read in the Bible.

As long as the teachings of the Bible show one thing while our prayers express a desire for something else, we are not in a partnership with God, a covenant. But when the revelation of God has taught us what to desire—that is, how to pray—we learn to walk in the way of God.

This union with God, this partnership in a covenant, is a mystery. But it is no secret when and where this union is established and strengthened. It happens when the Word of God comes to us and when we turn to the God of this Word by means of our prayers.

There is much more to it, but Bible reading and prayer is the heart of it. It's the heart of covenant living.

Covenant living is made possible for us by the blood and the Spirit of Christ. By his blood we are saved, and by his Spirit we are directed to live according to God's will, until we come to the eternal city where we will live in everlasting union.

So let's now make the main elements of Hebrews the content of our prayer:

God of peace, in the name of Jesus our Shepherd, whose death was approved in the resurrection and whose blood is our salvation, equip us with the Spirit, so that we are able to do your will. Amen.

REFLECTIONS

Consider making the prayer that ends this reading your morning prayer for a time, until you know it well.

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.