March 5

Luke 2

Luke gives his account of Jesus’ birth and early life.

INSIGHT

To Jesus, nothing is more important than doing His Father’s will, even at the age of 12. When His parents miss Him on the trip home from the Passover, they return and find Him in the temple. “Did you not know that I had to be about My Father’s business?” He asked. “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me,” He later said in John 4:34. Absolute single-mindedness! We are to have the mind in us which was also in Christ Jesus. We are to have absolute single-mindedness about doing the will of the Father. Most of us don’t feel very single-minded. We feel distracted and pulled in the direction of the world, the flesh, and the enticements of the devil. But the goal remains unchanged: absolute single-mindedness in serving the Father. Make that your purpose and your prayer.

PRAYER

Offer your praise in these words to the God who is worthy of unceasing devotion:
O Lord our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens! (Psalm 8:1).
I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works (Psalm 9:1).

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord,
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

Now pause to pray this affirmation to the Lord:
So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:

• Greater love for others
• The work of missions in the former Soviet Union
• Your activities for the day

Offer this closing prayer to the Lord:
The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-26).