Eager to obey
The Lord was right,
but I refused to obey him. ~ Lamentations 1:18a (CEV)
God gives peace, and he raised our Lord Jesus Christ from death. Now Jesus is like a Great Shepherd whose blood was used to make God’s eternal agreement with his flock. I pray that God will make you ready to obey him and that you will always be eager to do right. May Jesus help you do what pleases God. ~ Hebrews 13:20-21a (CEV)
KEY IDEA:
We are at our best when we're eager to obey God.
PRAYER:
Just yet merciful God, you call us to obey you. It's for our own good and I thank you for your concern. I've been somewhat obedient. But I would not describe myself as "eager to obey." Please show me what that eagerness looks like. In your mercy help me to do what pleases you. I want to become your eager servant. Amen.
TRANSLATIONS
ABP = Authorized Boydston Paraphrase — my own freestyle biblical adaptation — somewhere between paraphrase, commentary, and sermon
CEB = Common English Bible (©2011, the Common English Bible)
CEV = Contemporary English Version (©1995, American Bible Society)
MSG = The Message (©1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson)
NIRV = New International Reader's Version (©1996, 1998, Biblica)
NIV = New International Version (©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011, Biblica)
NLT = New Living Translation (©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, Tyndale House Foundation)
