Welcome to Monday Minute With God. A place to start the week right and tools to keep you in the word all week long.
Spiritual Passport
Nehemiah 2:7; Romans 9:9-10; Romans 3:23; John 15:17; John 14:6; John 4:24
Did you know that the book of Nehemiah records the first ever mentioned passport? Nehemiah 2:7 informs us that he asked the king for letters to be able to pass through certain provinces on his way to Judah. Those letters were his traveling papers. No longer a nobody, he was identified by the seal on the letters and could safely travel.
Those letters of request did not become really popular until Louis XIV, the sun king. At that time they became known as “passe port”, literally meaning passing through a port. Thus the term passport today. It is not until World War 1 that passports became a requirement.
Why do we need a passport for today? That important document not only allows you to travel to a foreign country but also and most importantly allows you to safely come back home. It can also be used as a piece of identification and last but not least it serves as a tool to prove your citizenship. If you are American, you will have an American passport.
The process to get a passport is fairly simple. You pick up an application at the post office, make an appointment, get your picture taken, bring the necessary paperwork (i.e. expired passport, form of ID, birth certificate etc..). After a few weeks, you receive your passport in the mail and are free to travel the world. No matter where you are in the world, you will be identified by your passport.
Did you realize that when you became a Christian, you applied for a spiritual passport. Our decision to believe Jesus’ death and resurrection and our public declaration of that belief made us heir of His kingdom (Romans 9:9-10). Romans 3:22 clearly tells us that we have all fallen short of the glory of God. We are all sinners. Not one of us is worthy of entering the Kingdom of God. Not unless you have the proper passport.
Your physical passport may state that you are American, German, French or Japanese but unless you have a spiritual passport, you will not enter the kingdom of God. Jesus told us that we are not of this physical world but that we belong to the spiritual world (John 15:17).
Core concept: Your identity is rooted in Christ and the work He has done of the cross.
If you own a passport, I know that you take very good care of it. You do not want it to fall into the wrong hands and you keep it in a safe place. The same needs to be done with your spiritual passport.
Protect it. Treasure it. Guard it. Never take it for granted.
Think about it:
- Do you have a spiritual passport? If you do not, do you know how to get one? Talk to a chaplain, pastor or Christian friend. They can help you with the process.
- How well do you take care of your spiritual passport? Is it something that you treasure?
- Do you worship God in spirit and truth?
5 day reflection time:
Day 1: Read Romans 3:22-24
How does this truth affects your life? Do you take that for granted? Where would you be without it?
Day 2: Read Romans 8:16-17
List the one thing that jumps at you from these verses? How can you live your life differently, understanding that you are a heir of God?
Day 3: Read Ephesians 1:5
How does the concept of adoption change your relationship with God? What are some practical ways you can live His purpose for your life?
Day 4: Read Ephesians 1:13-14
Write this verse on a flashcard and highlight the words that speak of your salvation. Reflect on this truth as you go through the day. Keep the flashcard handy so that you may refer to it and meditate on it.
Day 5: Read 2 Timothy 1:13-14
Take a walk today or simply spend 15 minutes of listening to God. Seek His voice. Record any insights the Holy Spirit gives you in your journal.
