anglican devotional

The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 11 January 2021 – What Shall I Do?

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Topic: What Shall I Do?

Read: Luke 3:10-20 (NKJV)

  1. So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?
  2. He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”
  3. Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”
  4. And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”
  5. Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”
  6. Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ [or] not,
  7. John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
  8. “His winnowing fan [is] in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”
  9. And with many other exhortations he preached to the people.
  10. But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,
  11. also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison.

The Message:

John responded to the same question asked by three different sets of people. The question is what shall we do? In the first response, John told them to share their clothes and food with those who did not have. The best way you can show that you love.

God is to share what you have with the poor. John also told the tax collectors not to collect more than they were told to collect. Today, many staff of Inland Revenue departments give people outrageous assessments and convert the proceeds to their personal use. The same applies to public servants, school principals, etc. John also told the soldiers not to take anything from any person by intimidation, and that they should be content with their wages. Some members of Nigerian security forces like soldiers, Road Safety personnel and police threaten and extort whoever comes their way. This is wrong. Some rich men are not contented with what they have, and that’s why they fall into many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:6 tells us that godliness with contentment is a great gain. Do your job with integrity; shun bribery, hypocrisy, extortion and intimidation. Ask God to help you to be content with His blessings so you can have peace.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, incline my heart to keep your word. Deliver me from extortion, exploitation, greed and covetousness, and give me peace in Jesus name Amen.