A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD IS ESSENTIAL FOR BELIEVERS

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,
and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
(Romans 13:14)

MEDITATION:
Whenever we humbly come to the Lord and ask for His salvation,
we should expect (and even anticipate) some significant changes in our lives.
If not, then why would we admit our sinfulness,
and ask for His mercy and forgiveness?

When we come to the Lord, we are confessing to Him
that we want to change the direction of our lives.
Instead of being caught up in the flow of the worldly ways, we have
decided that we want to reverse our direction and pursue righteousness.

As we know, this is not just a ‘whim’ that can be easily achieved.
It is a huge change and will require divine assistance in order to be successful.
This is why Paul says we must, “clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ”.
Without “wearing” the Lord,
we are on our own and can expect failures in our efforts to change.

So, what are the benefits of ‘clothing ourselves in Christ’?
First of all, Jesus has known Satan a lot longer than we have,
so He knows the tactics he uses to lure, intimidate,
and sway us from our commitment to the Lord.

The Lord also knows the areas where we are weak and where we need His help.
He knows where we are overconfident, and how it can result in our vulnerability.
Overconfidence can give us a false sense of strength, and cause us
to assume that we don’t need the Lord’s help in some areas of our lives.

This is contrary to the changes we should expect when we surrender to the Lord.
Why? Because He wants our ‘dependence’ and not our ‘independence’.
‘Independence’ shows a lack of total surrender, commitment, and trust in the Lord.
This is yet another weapon used by Satan to mislead us,
and it is one that the Lord is quite familiar with, and knows how to handle.

The other benefit of ‘wearing the Lord’ is, it develops a close relationship with Him.
We begin to realize the value of depending on Him, and it endears us to Him daily.
We also experience and learn to appreciate the blessings only He can provide.
Clothing ourselves with Jesus, takes our attention away from
gratifying ourselves with the things that displease Him.
Jesus knows us, and we know Him better when we clothe ourselves with Him.

ACTION:
Forgetfulness is another weapon used by Satan
to stand in the way of our relationship with the Lord.
In 2 Peter, we are told of the characteristics a believer should have in their life.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to
goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control,
perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual
affection; and to mutual affection, love. (2 Peter 1:5-7)

We are also told that without these characteristics,
we cannot expect to be effective and productive in serving the Lord.
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you
from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. (2 Peter 1:8)

But look at the next verse – when we fail to develop these characteristics, then
we will fail to remember how the Lord has cleansed us from the sins of our past.
But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind,
forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. (2 Peter 1:9)
Remembering that we have been ‘cleansed’ is critical to our spiritual maturity.
If we continue to feel ‘dirty’,
then our desire of being close to the Lord will be damaged.

Take the time to reflect on your decision to surrender to the Lord.
Did your decision include the knowledge
that you would become more dependent on the Lord,
and less dependent on your own abilities to resist temptations from the evil one?
Since the scriptures have given you a better understanding of all that salvation
encompasses, are there some significant changes you need to make in your life?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, when I asked for Your salvation, I knew that I
wanted (and needed) You in my life. I knew that my life was going
in a direction that was displeasing You and I wanted to change. You
are the One I love and want to please with my life. I pray for Your
forgiveness for the areas where I have failed to surrender to You, and
for Your help in becoming more committed to You in all that I do.”

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