Do It Anyway Devotional

Do It Anyway Devotional

1

Discover It

Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.

—Luke 10:39

My father, Bishop Fritz Cobbs, was a man of very few words. He was an eloquent and moving speaker when he gave messages behind the pulpit and a constant encourager to the members of his church. But I knew that since Dad was a man of action rather than words, it was that much more important to take in the lessons he taught me. One, which I’d heard from childhood, was, “Baby, stay at the feet of Jesus.”

This counsel comes from the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. Jesus had arrived in Bethany, and Martha invited Him and His twelve disciples into her home. As the one managing this household, Martha wanted everything to be perfect. Jesus wasn’t just any ordinary houseguest; He was the Son of God! So she did what she thought she needed to do: worked hard to host a special meal for their guests.

However, Martha’s younger sister, Mary, chose to do something different. She sat before Jesus to listen to His teachings. This upset Martha, so she went to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me” (verse 40).

I can picture Jesus smiling at Martha when He replied, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her” (verses 41–42).

I believe that so many times we open the door and invite Jesus in to be a part of our lives, but when He shows up, we don’t take the opportunity to sit at His feet. Instead, we feel as though we have to keep working and moving and acting. I know my purpose and I gotta move toward it, we tell ourselves. But then we act without hearing from God and knowing what He wants from us.

I know that before I move toward my purpose, I need to sit before Jesus to hear from Him. This is why my father gave me this instruction repeatedly over the years. He knew it was the best advice he could give me.

We need to focus on coming before Christ to hear what He wants us to know. We need to kneel at His feet and worship Him. We need to fix our eyes upon Him first and foremost, and then worry about everything else afterward.

Have you discovered the importance of sitting at Jesus’s feet? Do you find it easy to come before Him, or do you keep your hands and your mind so busy that you forget to do this?

This devotional is all about this very simple illustration of sitting at the feet of Jesus. What does this look like daily? It’s not just about listening for His Word. It’s about worshipping Him. It’s about honoring Him. It’s about praying to and pleading with Him. It’s about boldly and confidently living out the instructions and wisdom He gives us.

Pray

Heavenly Father, thank You for letting me come before You to listen and to learn. Forgive me for the times I’m too busy to focus on You. In Your name, amen.

2

Pursue It

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.

—Matthew 4:18–20

“Follow me.”

I can visualize Peter and Andrew on the shoreline, standing with their dirty nets and their sweaty brows. I imagine them watching Jesus as He walks up to them and tells them to follow Him so they can learn “how to fish for people.”

It seems as if they instantly dropped those nets and did what Jesus asked. Was it that simple and easy?

For the disciples and others to whom Jesus spoke, it seems that making the decision to follow Him was easy. As Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” Such a simple decision to make. Of course, Peter and Andrew demonstrated that following Jesus comes at a price. Their lives testify that “the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult” (Matthew 7:14).

Jesus doesn’t say that following Him will be easy, but He still asks us to do it.

My song “I Will Follow” speaks to this sort of faith. I can imagine those disciples saying to Jesus the very same words: “I’ll follow where You lead. Your hand I trust completely. You can lead me. Where You lead I’ll go.”

Can you say that?

If Jesus walked up to you today, could you easily drop whatever nets you’re holding?

Could you suddenly, without any fear or reservation, say that you will follow your Lord and Savior?

“I’ll follow where You lead.”

Along with the rest of the disciples, Peter and Andrew trusted Jesus wholeheartedly. For three years, Jesus took His disciples on an amazing journey. They saw miracles, watched wonders, learned truths, and witnessed the glory of Jesus. They saw Him nailed to the cross. And then they saw Him risen.

To come to the feet of Jesus, we first must follow Him. We must trust in and obey Him.

Pursuing Jesus wholeheartedly is a decision we make today and again tomorrow and every day after. And we know that someday we will see Jesus in His full glory, seated at God’s right hand.

Pray

Dear heavenly Savior, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for allowing me to follow Him. Help me follow You with all that I am, and grant me Your mercy when I fail to follow You. Help me be bold and pursue Your feet, Lord. In Jesus’s name, amen.

3

Read It

Righteousness guards the person of integrity,
but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

—Proverbs 13:6, NIV

Many things in life come with instructions, but how many of us actually read those manuals? We buy a new dishwasher, plug it in, and start pressing buttons. We get that new flat-screen television, grab the remote, power it on, and never look back. Or we purchase a new vehicle, leaving the five-hundred-page manual unread in the glove compartment for months—until one of those little warning lights pops up on the dashboard.

A few years ago, one study revealed that only 25 percent of people read the manuals for the products they buy. Not only that, but the study also found that consumers don’t use all the features on these products.

My pastor likes to refer to the Bible as a manual from God that guides us through our lives. It’s our how-to book on living life well—living righteously. The problem is that many of us don’t focus on righteousness in our walk with Christ.

I realize that the word righteousness may sound high and mighty—something unattainable, something we can’t touch. But Scripture is our manual for righteousness. Righteous living is evidence of a God-loyal life. I love how The Message describes this in Proverbs 13:6: “A God-loyal life keeps you on track; sin dumps the wicked in the ditch.”

We may be heading in the right direction, but something suddenly distracts us. It leads us off the right path and may try to put us in a ditch—or in a dark place that’s difficult to get out of. A God-loyal life keeps us on track.

I want to encourage you that the Word of God is where you’ll find exactly what you need. The Bible is our instruction manual to live righteous lives so that we won’t find ourselves in that dark, sunken place where it’s hard to recover.

Pray

Dear sovereign Lord, thank You for providing me with a manual that shows me all I need to live a godly life. Help me use your Holy Word as a daily guide. In Jesus’s name, amen.