Devotion #2: The Christ-Follower’s Obligation
If you have been a believer in Jesus Christ for any length of time, you have been blessed. You have most assuredly experienced His love and His peace in your life. These things are a result of becoming part of God’s family. They result from the salvation we possess through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus. God has reconciled us to Him and made us an object of His blessing. So, what happens in our life when we experience the goodness of God?
In Romans 15:26, Paul notes a contingent of Gentiles in Macedonia and Achaia, who he describes as people who were “pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.” In the same verse, he also says the Gentiles owed it to the Jews in Jerusalem to serve them because of the blessing they were able to share. As God’s ambassador to the Gentiles and an instrumental founder of the early church, Paul reminded the Gentiles that they had been blessed beyond measure to be part of the salvation originally set aside for the Jews. Because of that blessing, they had an obligation to bless the Jews, in turn, meeting their needs as their spiritual brothers and sisters.
Romans chapter 15 mentions the obligation of a believer multiple times. Paul is making it clear that we, as believers, receive the blessing of salvation from the Lord so that we can bless others in the same way. When you are at a church gathering on Sunday morning, do you walk in the door knowing you have an obligation to be a blessing to other believers? It is a disposition that does not happen by accident. It is all too easy to become complacent and take on the mindset of a consumer rather than an important member of the body of Christ who He has placed there to represent Him by blessing other people. This is a big part of our calling as Christ-followers.
Our gatherings as a church are a critical time to bless others with the love of Christ that He has poured onto us. We need to actively look for ways to bless other people in the church. We should want to find out what their needs are and how to meet those needs or find someone who can. As you attend your gathering this week, take a moment on Sunday morning in prayer before you leave your home. Thank the Lord for blessing you, then ask Him to show you who you can carry out your obligation as a believer on. It is your obligation to bless others. I do not know who God will use you to bless, but intentionally make yourself available for Him to use to do so. I do know that He will use you in a powerful way when you fulfill your obligation to be a blessing to others in the body of Christ.