Day 2: Come to the Source
James 1:16 So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. 18 He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
Every phone or piece of technology has a source of life. It can have a great battery. It can have amazing apps. It can have more storage than you'll ever use. But eventually, the battery runs down and when it does, the phone doesn't need another app. It needs the source. The same is true for us.
We spend so much of our lives trying to find strength, satisfaction, peace, purpose, and joy in things that were never designed to be our ultimate source. We look to people. We look to possessions. We look to success. We look to entertainment. We even look to our own strength, but everything good ultimately comes from somewhere else. The ultimate Source is God and our relationship with Him.
James reminds us that every good and perfect gift comes from above. Your ability to love, your relationships, your talents, your opportunities, your provision, your strength, your creativity, your very life, all of it is ultimately a gift from the One who created you. God is not just a source of good things, He is the source of all good things
Check out what Jesus says in John 15:
John 15:1 “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. 3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
A branch doesn't produce fruit by trying harder, it produces fruit by staying connected to the vine.That's the picture of this 21-day journey. We aren't trying to become spiritually impressive in 21 days. We're learning to plug back into the Source.
Prayer isn't about informing God of something He doesn't know. Prayer is connection.
Worship isn't about making God feel important. Worship is recognizing where our help comes from.
The Word isn't merely information. The Word reconnects our hearts with God's truth.
Fasting isn't about proving how disciplined we are. Fasting helps us disconnect from lesser sources so we can hunger for the greatest Source.
Today, don't just ask God to give you more, ask God to be more to you. Come to the Source. Plug in. Stay connected. Because when you are connected to the right Source, you don't have to manufacture the power yourself. God supplies what you need to become who He created you to be.
Today’s Prayer
Father, I recognize today that You are my Source.
Every good thing in my life ultimately comes from You. Forgive me for the times I've looked to other things to give me what only You can provide. I don't want to simply ask You to charge my life. I want to stay connected to You.
Be my source of strength when I am weak.
Be my peace when I am anxious.
Be my wisdom when I don't know what to do.
Be my joy when circumstances are difficult.
Be my purpose when I feel directionless.
Today, and during these 21 days, draw me closer to You. Teach me to depend on You, listen to You, and remain connected to You. I don't want to run on my own power. I want to be plugged into Yours.
In Jesus' name,Amen.