Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

“For the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.â€�¹

In his Thought for the Day in June 02, 2006 devotional, Alan Smith said, “Perhaps you have heard about the latest invention. This report came through the AP news service this week:

"If you think keeping fit is merely mind over matter, Lester Clancy has an invention for youâ€"a cordless jump-rope. That's right, a jump-rope minus the rope. All that's left are two handles, so you jump over the pretend rope.

"And for that idea kicking around Clancy's head since 1988, the U.S. Patent Office awarded the 52-year-old Mansfield, Ohio, man a patent.

"It's perfect for the clumsy, Clancy said, 'If you’re still jumping, you're still using your legs as well as your arms, and getting the cardiovascular workout. You just don't have to worry about tripping on the rope….'

“As one professor pointed out in the article, you could accomplish the same thing using two toilet paper holders!"²

Naturally we laugh at such an absurd invention, but as Alan Smith points out, “And yet, there are things in the spiritual realm that are just as ridiculous. There are some who want to hold on to the handles of ‘faith’ without a rope of ‘works.’ There are others who want to hold onto the handles of ‘a God of mercy and grace’ without a rope of ‘a God of justice and holiness.’ There are some who want to hold onto the handles of ‘Christianity’ without a rope of ‘love.’ There are some who want to hold onto the handles of accepting Jesus as ‘Savior’ but want to leave off the rope of accepting Jesus as ‘Lord’ of their lives.â€�³

In the end, as today’s Scripture reminds us, we will be rewarded by God on the basis of what we have done and how we have livedâ€"not on the basis of what we professed. Some of us may be holding only a couple of “religious sticks.â€�

“Dear God, please help me to become all that You envisioned for me to be when I accepted Jesus as my Savior, be genuinely committed to You, live in harmony with Your will, and enthusiastically serve You with my life. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’s name, amen.�

1. Matthew 16:27 (NIV).
2. Alan Smith, “Thought for the Day," June, 02, 2006,
   http://www.tftd-online.com
3. Ibid. 

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