Day 11

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land…”  — ISAIAH 1:18-20

What makes the Christian life work? Is it Christ? Is it ourselves? Of course, it’s both. We are workers together with God, and like the engine in a car, Christ is the indispensable ingredient. He works in us to motivate, direct and channel us, but we have to learn to become the driver and to exercise those disciplines that keep us in touch with God. The driver’s job is to enable the power of the engine to make contact with the wheels that turn the vehicle down the road. So the responsibility of our walk with God is to enable His indwelling power to make contact with our lives as we bring Him into every situation. 

There are two big problems Christians have. There are those who think the Christian life is like learning the rules of the road. They know them all, and they’ve gotten into the car, buckled their seat belt, placed their hands on the wheel in the proper position, and then look out the window and say, “I’m doing everything right. Why am I not going anywhere?” They haven’t learned there’s an engine under the hood, so they haven’t engaged it. Then there are other Christians who get excited by the engine, but that’s all they know. They sit behind the wheel, put their foot to the accelerator and wonder why they’re not going anywhere. 

For the car to go anywhere it isn’t simply a matter of exercising the rules of the road or of knowing there’s an engine under the hood. It takes both the driver and the engine functioning together to go anywhere. Similarly, we cannot say, “As long as I discipline myself and keep all the rules the Christian life is going to work.” Neither can we say, “The Holy Spirit is taking charge of my life, and that’s it.” 

As Isaiah 1:19 says, if we are to ‘eat from the best of the land’, we must be willing and obedient. The Christian life will only work in disciplined dependency on Christ. That’s why obedience to Him and dependency on Him cannot be separated. Obedience without dependency will lead to legalism, and dependency without obedience will lead to strange forms of mysticism. But obeying God and depending on Him will lead to dynamism!

PRAYER: I am willing, Lord, to commit everything I am to You. Help me to always work together with You, not ever taking control of any situation, but acting in obedience to You and dependence on You. Thank You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

TO REFLECT UPON: Are there times when I have taken control of situations without bringing Christ in? What measures can I take to ensure that I am always working together with Christ?