In my last contribution to the daily, we looked at the words of David in Psalm 40. In that section of scripture we saw that God opened the ears of David and reminded him that offerings and sacrifices were not what God desired but rather obedience.

Despite this revelation, and despite his love for God, David failed in acting out perfect obedience just as you, the rest of humankind, and myself have due to our sinful nature. However, today we have the opportunity to rejoice as we see Jesus quote the words of this Psalm and consequently live a perfect life of obedience towards the will of His Father, God - even to the point of death on the cross for us.

Friends, as we approach Christmas, let us both rejoice in the freedom we have to fail because of the beautiful, constant, pursuit of our God, and strive to live a life of obedience to our Savior and Lord, the new-born King.

[Hebrews 10.5-10]

5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,

but a body have you prepared for me;

6 in burnt offerings and sin offerings

you have taken no pleasure.

7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,

as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

[ WHAT ] is this passage saying and what is a key truth or thought that we learn?

+ What does God ask of us?

+ What happened that created a need for a Savior?

+ What is the result of Jesus living a perfect life of obedience?

[ HOW ] is the Lord calling me to action/obedience?

+ Is there sin to confess or a next step to take? How has it gone since last time?

+ How is God calling you to obedience?

+ What sin is God placing on your heart right now that He is asking you to turn from and living a life of obedience in response to?

+ How can we move forward in a posture of obedience knowing we will fail?

[ WHO ] am I walking with and praying for to discover Jesus?

+ What is my next step?

+ Who can I confess this sin to?

+ Who am I walking with that can hold me accountable to living a life of obedience to Jesus?

+ Who has God placed in my life that I can share the amazing truth that I am broken, but loved, pursued, and being carefully put back together, and that they can experience the same thing too?