“Not until we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God’s holiness and sovereignty…acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts, and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours.” ~ J. I. Packer
If you are reading this daily devotional, then you are reachable and teachable. Daily devotionals are not writings you read but instead writings that read you. None of us pick up spiritual literature and commit to spending time with God unless we are at some level willing and able to be reached and taught. Congratulations on exercising humility, for it takes a great deal of humility to surrender our lives to God and put our will in line with God’s will.
While spending time in the Catskills Mountains of New York to celebrate the marriage of two incredible people Steven and Anna, a small group of us spent the morning of the wedding in a community time of prayer and meditation. Participants shared many powerful prayers and memories. One of those people was Marybeth, who shared a prayer and memory and reminded us of an old friend, Rev. Ed M., from Iowa, who shared with her the wisdom. “always remain reachable and teachable.”
“Keep the corners of your mouth turned up. Speak in a low, persuasive tone. Listen; be teachable. Laugh at good stories and learn to tell them. For as long as you are green, you can grow.” ~ Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa is right; only green things are growing. Our task is to remain green, and the only way to stay green is through surrender, humility, and developing a passion for loving God and others more than ourselves. We must live other-centered lives if we are to be reachable and teachable in the world of the Spirit. We aim to grow in understanding and effectiveness.
Great Teacher and God, thank You for allowing me the opportunity to listen, follow, and apply Your wisdom and teachings to my life. On this day, I surrender my thoughts, ideas, plans, schemes, and design for living over to You. Please remove from me the pride, fear, uncertainty, and doubts that are rooted in my extreme self-centeredness from my life. Please help me forever, remain green, reachable, and teachable all the days of my life. In Your Spirit and Name, I pray these things. May Your will not mine always materialize, now and forever. Amen.
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