Good morning! It’s Thursday, September 22, 2022. Today we continue our Reformation Tour of church history with exceptional insights and experiences. We leave England and fly to Germany to meet with Martin Luther as we travel to Wittenberg, where the Reformation was in full force in 1520. Martin Luther was like new wine in old wineskins. Read on …
Today's Reading:
Daniel 9,10; Psalms 123; Luke 5
Scripture
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new, for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’” (Luke 5:37-39)
Observation
This last phrase really got my attention. For the life of me, I couldn’t figure it out. Why would anyone be satisfied with mediocrity? Maybe they genuinely felt that the old wine was good enough, or perhaps it fit their lifestyles better. Or... did they settle because the new wine would challenge … no, require them to change!
Application
I so want to be a fresh wineskin! If God is going to bring new wine to me, I must present Him with a new wineskin heart daily! The challenge, however, is this — even new wineskins, which were once supple and receptive to new wine, will eventually become old wineskins.
So, how can I intentionally remain a new wineskin? The alternative is a natural evolution, a natural tendency. You don’t have to do a thing to become an old wineskin. But, to retain a new wineskin heart, you must be deliberate so that the aging process will not victimize the once-vibrant heart.
How do we keep our hearts like fresh wineskins?
- Realize the tendency toward atrophy and always be cognizant of its subtle yet debilitating forces
- Keep new wine in the new wineskins by taking in the Word consistently
- Renew your heart every chance you get
- Apply what you are learning
- Be involved where life is happening and God is moving
- Never allow yourself to go on “auto-pilot” — rip that option out of the console and stay vigilant
Prayer
Lord, the last thing I want in life is to be content with the mediocre. Thank You, Father, for refreshing my spirit! Lord, I so desire to be a fresh wineskin. Help me be intentional in my daily devotions and prayer life and readily apply the lessons You teach me. Please help me to stay vigilant and always have a teachable spirit.
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