SOAP Devotional 2014-02-05
Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer
Scripture:
Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen. (Hebrews 13:20, 21 NLT)
Observation:
A closing prayer to our God of peace, who raised Jesus, our heavenly pastor, from the dead and accepted his blood sacrifice for our sins. The apostle requests that God equip them with everything they need to do what God has for them to do and that God, through the power of Jesus Christ, would produce in them every good thing that is pleasing to God. And for all of this done in and for them and through them, the apostle recognizes that it will be God that gets the glory forever and ever.
Application:
This prayer is not only to God, but shows some very important aspects of God. He is the God of peace, the one who raised Jesus from the dead, the one who through his son guides our lives, the one who accepted the blood sacrifice Jesus made for our sins, the one who gives us our abilities to do what he calls us to do, and the one who produces every good thing about us that pleases him through the power of Jesus Christ. It also shows some important things for us. Because he is the God of peace, we can rest in his victory during times of conflict. Because of how he accepted the sacrifice Jesus did for our sins and raised him from the dead, we can turn to Jesus for guidance and live a new life in him. It is God himself that gives us the ability to do the things that he wants us to do and empowers us to live the way he wants us to live. No wonder all the glory goes to him forever and ever. He deserves all the credit for everything good that has happened to us and anything good that we are able to do.
Prayer:
Father, I recognize that all these things you have done for me also empower me to do the things you want me to do and to live my life in the way I should live. Do not let me take what you have done in vain by being disobedient or living in an ungodly way. Remind me what it cost you for my peace and help me to live in a way that gives glory to you.
