October 3

The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. — John 6:63 BSB

God’s life is present in the words of Scripture. Just as planting flower seeds in a sunlit window box will soon produce lovely blooms, so planting the truths of the gospel in a human heart will result in a life that grows into the beauty of Christ. The evidence of this transformation will be seen in the person’s character, attitudes, actions, and conduct.

A common earthen jar was once sold for a penny at an auction. But the buyer, a seller of perfumes, filled it with attar of roses. Over time, every part of the jar absorbed the fragrance. Even long after the jar was emptied and broken, every fragment retained the sweet aroma.

In the same way, when even the most ordinary life is filled with the Word of Christ, that life will be transformed. Christ’s spirit will permeate the person’s heart, mind, and soul, filling them with love, gentleness, patience, purity, and goodness. Where the Word of Christ dwells, the Holy Spirit dwells, and where the Spirit dwells, heaven begins in that life. The effects of this indwelling are seen in the kindness, patience, and love that flow out of a Christ-filled heart.