September 24 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

The redemption through the cross is greater than the redemption through the Red Sea.

This is because the first exodus broke the power of the Egyptians, while the second exodus broke the power of sin.

Finally it is possible for God's people to do what God requires of them in his law. The new people of God are delivered from the power of the enemy within. Now the power of the Holy Spirit overcomes the weakness of their own flesh, so that the people of God are able to obey their God.

It's all summed up in Romans 8:1-4. We are delivered from the power of guilt because Christ died for us. We are delivered from the power of sin because the Spirit dwells in us.

Once the old covenant people of God had been set free to serve their Lord, they received the laws of God. That was a great privilege, but it became their downfall. Their disobedient hearts were never able to render acceptable service to God in accordance with his laws.

Israel was responsible for its own disobedience. Yet the law served a certain purpose in the plan of God: "The law was bought in so that the trespass might increase" (Rom. 5:20). In other words, God also used the giving of the law to prepare the way for giving Jesus Christ.

Those who have received Jesus Christ have received real freedom. Not only are we freed from death, we are taught how to live! Not only are we forgiven for what we did wrong, we are taught to do right!

And it is all God's work. God delivered us from the burden of sin by giving us Christ and delivered us from weakness in obeying by giving us the Spirit. The Spirit is the power to obey.

Between our exodus and our arrival in the promised land, we live for the glory of God. The exodus—our redemption—was the work of God through Jesus Christ. And our obedience is God's work in us by the Holy Spirit.

REFLECTIONS

"The Spirit is the power to obey." How have you experienced this power?

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.