Studying this morning's four readings from the St. James Daily Devotional Guide (click to subscribe), I examined myself with these questions. Where is your self-examination leading today?
Psalms 99:1-9. Verses 3, 5, 9 KJV, what evidences of God’s holiness can I notice as I go through this day? In what practical ways can I be more holy today than yesterday? Why do the words “be holy” put me off?
Ecclesiastes 8:1-17. Verse 15, mirth and merriment. Does God really invite us to these, amidst all the “vanity and vexation” of this life? Where do they fit into the next 24 hours for me?
Philippians 1:1-11. Verse 6, oft quoted. Do I use this more as a proof text for my own plans, or as a patient submission to God’s remaking of me? In what specific ways do I remain a “work in progress” for him?
Matthew 22:34-40. In the last few days, what have I done (or not) that would cause God or my neighbor to ask sadly, “You call that love?”
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To go deeper, see interpretive notes by Bible scholar Patrick Reardon for many of this week's readings.