Passage: Romans 1:1d
...and set apart for...
Devotion:
This is an interesting choice of words. Paul writes that he
was "set apart for". This basically means he was separated from what
he was doing "for" what he was meant to do. His thoughts, behaviors,
practices, and beliefs all were changed. So what caused this huge
transformation in Paul? We all know it was a result of his encounter with Jesus
on the road to Damascus. A relationship with Jesus set him apart and separated
him from his old life -- "for" his new life in Christ Jesus.
When we became Christians, Paul, you, and me were all
"set apart for" something that God had planned for us. In Jeremiah
29:11 the Lord declares, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to
prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." The
problem with plans is they only prosper us when we act upon them and if we
follow the plan.
I have a young friend who became a Christian, yet none of
his friends knew because nothing significant changed in his behavior. He still
went out, cussed, drank, and even laughed at the same jokes -- then felt guilty
inside. His public and private lives were in conflict. Over time, my young
friend gradually began to separate himself from his old life as his new life in
Christ took hold of him. (Philippians 1:6, "... he who began a good work
in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.")
However, the process of separation continues to this day. Why? Because, just
like all of us, he will fight a battle with his sinful nature "until the
day of Christ Jesus." Hopefully it gets easier with time but it is a
struggle we must all endure.
Questions to Ponder:
What
are you struggling with right now? If you understand you have been set apart
for Jesus, what do you need to become separate from? Is it an activity, a
relationship, or something else? Where is your focus, on the world and its
distractions or the eternal?
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