Daily Devotion, March 13, 2021

 ^…that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15).

Paul reminds us of what we are called to be and what we can be as disciples of Jesus. As children of God, we are to be blameless and harmless and without fault. Even if we live in a society characterized by wickedness, we are to shine as lights in our world. How is this possible? I think there are two sides to this situation. 

First, how do we live blameless lives? As Christians, we know that we still fall short of God’s will and hence are not innocent. The answer is simple. When we know that we have offended God, we immediately repent and turn to God for forgiveness, asking Him to help us live in harmony with His will. As our sins are forgiven, we stand before God blameless. 

Second, we have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. As we live relying on His presence and power at work in us, our light shines even brighter. We can live life at a higher level as Christians. If we are not living a higher life than those who know not the Savior, our faith is suspect. So, let your light shine that others may be drawn to the Savior.

Dear God, I know that I am not blameless. Help me not to excuse my bad behavior by saying, “nobody’s perfect.” Help me to confess my sins to you and to receive your forgiveness and cleansing. I want to live my life at a higher level, that the light of Christ shining out from my life may draw others to You. In Jesus name, Amen.