Daily Devotionals
Devotional: 1st of Adar
A New Covenant, the essence of which is not a written text but the Spirit. For the written text brings death, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:6).
It is a common fault to separate what God unites. This distorts his revelation. Scripture tells us much about the Word and the Spirit. "For out of Tziyon [Zion] will go forth Torah, the word of ADONAI from Yerushalayim [Jerusalem]" (Isaiah 2:3). The Word was breathed out by God through the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) in order that we might receive training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Holy men of old spoke the Word as they were "moved by the Ruach HaKodesh" (2 Peter 1:21). Today's Scripture passage indicates that when we separate the Word from the Ruach (Spirit), and seek to follow him by our own efforts, we become engaged in the practice of legalism; for "the written text brings death." On the other hand, when we take our focus from the Word, we end up floundering in subjective error and imbalance. Human beings cannot be transformed or live a life that is pleasing to God without his Word. God wants us to depend on the Ruach and to know his presence, so that the Word might be fully effective in us. By meditating on the Word and by submitting our lives to it, we find ourselves transformed by the power of the Ruach. The balance must be struck for us to grow strong in the Messiah. We "know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed" (Romans 12:2).
...be fully committed to living by God's Word and knowing the power of his Ruach.
DJ