Devotion.al

  • Joy in Redemption

    Joy in Redemption

    Genesis 25:25-34, Exodus 15:12-18, Psalm 23

    The family of Isaac and Jacob—the patriarchs of the tribes of Israel—is not ideal. Favoritism of is shown. Despising of family and property is displayed through hunger. This is not a family form to follow. God’s often shows that the people that God chose to carry his and blessing weren’t perfect. In fact, some of them seem to have very few redeeming qualities. In other words, God chose to carry his name and blessing through people just like us.

    Moses’ exultation of God in Exodus can seem overbearing toward people who don’t follow God. The entire purpose of that overbearingness is to show God’s power and through a people despised and rejected. In fact, this is an echo of the passage in Genesis, for some of the people who are opposing of the Israelites (coming into their inheritance) are the descendants of Esau who despised his inheritance. God leads and loves those on the outside.

    Psalm 23 is probably the best-known Psalm, even outside of and Jewish circles. In it, God’s care of his people is first presented in the role of a shepherd. As the shepherd, God makes the sheep lie down and rest. When the shepherd (God) does lead the sheep, they are so confident and in God, that they followed through darkness and fear.

    The Psalm then transforms from sheep to a person for whom the table is set. In other words, the sheep has now become the guest. That is not a small transformation, to go from stubborn (won’t rest), to following (through fear and ), to guest.

    1) The family in Genesis is not great. How are the relationships shown between people: Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, Jacob? Think of how scripture shows and doesn’t show those relationships.

    2) is one of the biggest ways God shows his love. How is redemption shown in each of today’s passages?

    3) What imagery attracts you most in Psalm 23? What do you think that shows you about a need in your life that should be filled by God, rather than the world?

    KD) Why do you think that God uses the image of sheep when he talks about his people?

  • Abandoned to Joy

    Abandoned to Joy

    1 Chronicles 15:11-29, 2 Samuel 6:16-22, Luke 15:4-32, 1 Peter 1:3-9

    Have you ever leapt for ? David did. He and his men were proudly and joyfully bringing God’s Ark of the to Jerusalem. In Hebrew, the underlying emotion of all David’s celebrating/leaping/whirling/skipping is joy. David is so filled with joy, he expresses it in such a physical way that the of his youth despises him. We know little about Michal, but we can guess that she had certain expectations of how the King (oh, and her husband) should behave. David was having nothing to do with her expectations. His audience of joy was God. David did understand that others understood David’s behavior better than proud Michal.

    The shepherd and woman in ‘ parables also acted exuberantly. It was time to Holy Party and it was okay for them to party. They were “only” lowly people. The kind that Michal looked down upon. Jesus makes it clear, though, that Heaven doesn’t care about where they fit in society. To add insult to the Michals of the world, Jesus then tells a tale of the wealthy who dropped everything and gave a huge party for his wayward who had abandoned his family, but had now returned. It was disgraceful.

    David’s “inappropriate” joyful leaping and the wealthy father’s “disgraceful” party represent the unbounded of God and the inhabitants of Heaven as one more person turns to Jesus as Savior. Think of the mess that accompany the opening of presents by little children. The paper and tape and ribbon and…it’s everywhere. Undisguised and unabashed abandon at ripping off the paper and ribbons. Yep, God can’t to open the “present” of someone turning to him.

    Many of us were taught that God was angry, or vengeful, or judgmental, or unloving, or distant. Contrast this to the dirty shepherd hugging the missing , the woman who turned her house upside down to find a coin, a dignified king willing to be a fool, and a father who saw his son and not a failure. That IS God. We talk about joy during Christmas. Any (and hopefully every) day is “Christmas” for God as he opens another present of a person rescued!

    1) Why is it important to understand abandoning oneself when joyful?

    2) Can you think of a time you “forgot” yourself, and where you were, and just let go? Think back, and compare the feeling (body, soul, mind) of “abandoning” joy, versus a time when you controlled your joyful . Is there a difference?

    KD) What do you do when you are joyful? Do you dance, sing, scream, or run around? Do you think God does that when someone chooses Jesus? Why or why not?

  • Joy Refill

    Joy Refill

    Psalm 47, Psalm 48, Revelation 19:6-9

    “…God ascends among shouts of joy…”
    Psalm 47:5

    “…[God’s] holy mountain, rising splendidly, is the joy of the whole earth…”
    Psalm 48:1

    “Let us be glad, rejoice, and him because, the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his has prepared herself.”
    Revelation 19:7

    All around God is rejoicing. There is not only and glorifying, there is joy. While God is just, God wants to be surrounded by rejoicing, or joy-filled, saints. You and I are called to be those joy-filled saints. It is one of those strange things where it is our duty to be joy-filled. Dutifully joy-filled seems contradictory, as if we are being commanded (as in obeying the law or a vengeful dictator) to feel a particular way. It isn’t that. Duty acts as a check and balance. It is our duty to assure that we are joy-filled saints. When doing our duty of checking the joy in the tank (so to ), and we find it empty, we know that we need to refocus on God, giving thanks to Jesus Christ our Savior and surrendering (again) to the .

    The image of bride has been applied to the church since the beginning. In that image, there is a tension of collective (everyone) and being the bride (not in a gendered way) of Jesus. The bride prepares herself. While she may be crying as she walks down the aisle, the tears should be ones of inescapable joy, of love and of an bond. A bride that is not joy-filled walking down the aisle should really be rethinking the marriage.

    That is why it is our calling to be joy-filled. Every day we take one more step down the aisle toward Jesus. When it comes to Jesus, it isn’t good to be a runaway bride.

    Lastly, the populace of Heaven (of Heaven!) is rejoicing at this marriage! How amazing is that? Instead of viewing us as dirty or unworthy, we are the celebrated bride, and everyone is happy for the groom, Jesus!

    1) check. Are you joy-filled toward God?

    2) What things can people do to refill their tanks of joy?

    3) What practices or habits do you use to refill on your joy?

    KD) What does it mean to refill on joy?

  • Beyond Hope

    Beyond Hope

    Luke:1:46b-55, James 5:7-10, Hebrews 12:1-2

    Mary’s song/poem of praise is often called the Magnificat in the Protestant/Roman Catholic , or the Ode of the Theotokos (Bearer of God) in the Eastern Orthodox tradition. It is a joy-filled response to God by Mary that appears to be a response to Elizabeth’s joy-filled pronouncement of the Sprit-filled joy of John the Baptist (in utero, of all things) to hearing the voice of the Mother of God (Jesus).

    The double-meaning of Mary’s praise of “…my spirit rejoices in God my savior…” is the Jewish understanding of God (the ) as the savior of their people, along side the coming of Jew and Gentile through the of Jesus (God the Son). There is the reality of God as past, present and savior.

    The Jews knew many experiences of God as savior. The expectation for the coming Messiah was built upon an understanding of a God that was and would fulfill promises made.

    As a Jew, James had the same Jewish understanding as pregnant Mary, and he had seen fulfillment of the Messiah’s coming and salvation. Now James is passing the on. It is the expectation based upon God’s faithfulness that the Messiah will come again and the hope that remains strong in the face of adversity.

    In Hebrews, the author notes that Jesus went to the cross joyfully, not because Jesus was looking to the pain, anguish, and death. Jesus was looking beyond the cross, beyond the grave, and even beyond the . The author notes that Jesus’ prize was the throne of God. Though the author doesn’t say it here, the other prize was you and me before the throne of God, not in fear of judgement, but as Children of the Most High God.

    Elsewhere, the author of Hebrews notes that Jesus, our Savior, is continually interceding on our behalf and for all eternity. No matter how you feel about yourself being worthy, it doesn’t matter. As shirts and bumper stickers read, “I may not be perfect, but Jesus thinks I’m to die for.” That is our hope and joy.

    1) Are hope and joy the same thing?

    2) Why are having hope and joy important for a Christian?

    3) Why is it important to look at the Old Testament in regards to salvation?

    KD) Why does the author of Hebrews compare faith to running a race?

  • Joy and Expectation

    Joy and Expectation

    Job 33:14-30, Psalm 126, Luke 1:35-45

    In many respects, joy is both easy and incredibly difficult to truly understand. On one hand, we understand that joy is something much deeper than the feelings of the moment. Yet, on the other hand, we use the joy often when we really mean happy or maybe happier than usual, but still happy.

    It is time for us to claim joy. This is not a “name it to claim it” kind of thing. We must have a definition that makes sense within the context of Christianity and that helps us use the word in a similar way. Let us define joy as a deep-seated emotion that provides assurance, resolve, positive outlook, and is -giving through building up of self and , and is based upon the and nature of God—Father, and Holy .

    As we look through most translations of scripture, we can see where joy is not used in the above way and that’s okay. This word is for us to use when we especially talk about the joy of Christmas.

    Reminiscent of Abraham and Sarah, Elizabeth and Zechariah were expecting their first child in their advanced . This pregnancy was a result of God’s (not Zechariah’s) and was life-giving in two ways. First, Elizabeth and Zechariah were ashamed (life-taking) due to the lack of a child. Second, their child would go before the Messiah, announcing the Messiah’s coming (giving life and hope to others).

    Many years ago, I heard a Christmas Eve sermon that was startling. In fact, my family and I were appalled at the sermon. It started with, “Tonight, we are all pregnant.” It took me many years to actually understand—more than just intellectually—what he meant.

    With wanted pregnancies, the two biggest emotions are joy and expectation. These are the two (or should be) biggest emotions of Christmas. Not for the presents or family or food or parties, but for Jesus. The Savior of the world, and of you and me.

    1) Are you really looking forward to Jesus coming?

    2) Christmas looks: to the past when Christ was born in a manger; to the now for transformed lives; to the when Jesus comes again. How does that perspective how you view Christmas this year?

    3) It’s easy to get into the habit of “just” another annual celebration with Christmas (as with any holiday or observance). What will you do to keep it fresh this year?

    KD) If you knew you were not getting any presents this year for Christmas, would you still look forward to Christmas? Why, or why not?

  • The Grace God Gives

    The Grace God Gives

    2 Chronicles 30:13-27, Nehemiah 8:7-12, Jeremiah 15:16

    The passage in Nehemiah has some depth. First, the people (the Jewish people) were so ignorant of their own history and , that both had to be explained to them. As they learned what their God had instructed them on how to live, many began to weep (mourn) as they understood that because of their failures, they were separated from God. However, the Levites comforted the people, leading them to understand that this was not a time to , but a time for . God’s forbearing at work.

    We see same that same grace in 2 Chronicles. The people were celebrating Passover wrongly (they were ritually unclean). Yet, instead of condemnation, there was grace. In this case, the grace was after some affliction, but one can infer that the affliction was a result of not doing things as required. Yet, instead of being cast out, they celebrate with others, praising God. So much joy poured out into doubling the celebration!

    The experience of this kind of joy can only come through the awareness of just how much grace God gives. No matter how much grace God may pour out, the passages makes it clear, their hearts turned toward God first before they received grace and/or were healed. God called them first, yet, God’s , grace, and doesn’t show up until they turn to God with repentant hearts.

    Note also that while the people’s hearts may have been turned to God, there was still a need for intercession by others. This is important to grasp. We all need others to intercede for us.

    From our , the Jewish people were just minding their own business, where they were. They were trying within their contest to fit into the world around them. In fact, much of their problem was indeed that they were successful in fitting into the world around them, so much so, that they wandered away from God.

    1) Do you struggle with fitting into the world around you? Do you struggle fitting into what you think is the or Christian world?

    2) Why is understanding one’s starting point essential to feeling joy?

    3) What is the similarity between joy and happiness? What’s the difference?

    KD) What makes you the most joy-filled? How does that make you think about God?

  • Trusting Joy

    Trusting Joy

    Psalm 37:3-6, Joel 2:12-13, Isaiah 12:2-6, James 1:2-4

    , so it is said, is doing the right thing when nobody is watching. It can be tempting to do the wrong thing when no one is watching. It is often easy to do the right thing when everyone is cheering.

    It’s when no one is cheering, or people are even grumbling or threatening those who do right, that we come to the hard part of living out our .

    “Trust in the LORD, and do what is good…”
    Psalm 37:3

    “…I will trust [the LORD] and not be afraid…”
    Isaiah 12:2

    When it gets tough to do right, all we can do is trust God. Sounds easy, but how often do we fail to trust God, and instead trust ourselves, , or things?

    James calls on us to be filled with joy in these situations. Joy? Yes, even in these situations. Perhaps, joy is most critical in these situations. The freedom to feel joy is fully reliant on God.

    Let us pray:

    Dear Heavenly Father, we know with our heads that we need to trust you. As we are frail human beings, help our hearts to trust you further than yesterday, and even more so tomorrow. Grant us the peaceful assurance of your grace, compassion, patience and love. Help us to continue to seek the coming Messiah, and to be filled with joy of knowing you.

    Holy Spirit, be with us through the remainder of the Advent season, stirring our hearts to not take Christmas for granted, but to be stirred into action of joy-filled praise of the Father, , and You. Continue to quicken our hearts and aid us in our journey of faith.

    , Son of God, thank you for becoming like us. Thank you for experiencing a life like ours. We are thankful that you know temptation, yet did not sin, us to choose the God-lit path of faith that goes through the .

    Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we lift you up on our praise. Help us to joyfully sing your praise, for your .

    Amen.

  • The Hope Beyond Us

    Psalm 38, Isaiah 32:10-20, Joel 2:12-13

    In regards to their , many people struggle with two particular areas. The first is pride. Realizing that one’s salvation involves the surrendering of self, a person can stop right at the . Holding onto one’s self (one’s pride) can keep a person from taking the final step of into God’s salvation.

    The other area is sin. Often the struggle with sin goes hand-in-hand with pride. If we look around us at the world, however, we can see that the world’s definition of a “good” person might not God’s definition of “good.” You may have heard a phrase similar to, “good enough is the enemy of great,” usually used in the business world. Let’s take that with sin. Good enough could be “better than the other person” or “everybody’s doing it” or “no one else is getting hurt by it.” Great is God. If we’re “good enough” are we the enemy of God?

    It sounds harsh. David, according to the world, was “good enough.” He committed sins, just like other leaders. He killed people in war, just like others. He was, it seems, a weak parent. While he wasn’t an enemy of God, per se, at the end, his greatest project of building God’s was handed over to his because of the blood he had shed.

    There are consequences of doing wrong. Our legal system takes care of some things. Our social circles take care of other things. At the end of our lives, God takes care of the things, as we stand before the throne.

    The passage in Isaiah takes us through the good enough, through the consequences, and to the . The passage in Joel calls on us to be honest with ourselves, and what we have done, all in the context of God’s , , and love.

    To get to the best part of the story of ourselves, we need to dig into the ugly part of ourselves, hearts conflicted with pride and sin.

    1) Why do you think it is important to know the starting point of a journey?

    2) Does the starting point of a journey determine the end of the journey?

    3) Why do you think people judge/condemn others (or themselves) for the starting point of their journey, rather than focusing on getting to the right end?

    KD) What does it mean to you to be good enough? Why would you want to be better?

Devotion.al

Joy in Redemption

Genesis 25:25-34, Exodus 15:12-18, Psalm 23

The life of Isaac and Jacob—the patriarchs of the tribes of Israel—is not ideal. Favoritism of love is shown. Despising of family and property is displayed through hunger. This is not a family form to follow. God’s Word often shows that the people that God chose to carry his and blessing weren’t perfect. In fact, some of them seem to have very few redeeming qualities. In other words, God chose to carry his name and blessing through people just like us.

Moses’ exultation of God in Exodus can seem overbearing toward people who don’t follow God. The entire purpose of that overbearingness is to show God’s power and through a people despised and rejected. In fact, this is an echo of the passage in Genesis, for some of the people who are opposing of the Israelites (coming into their inheritance) are the descendants of Esau who despised his inheritance. God leads and loves those on the outside.

Psalm 23 is probably the best-known Psalm, even outside of Christian and Jewish circles. In it, God’s care of his people is first presented in the role of a . As the shepherd, God makes the sheep lie down and . When the shepherd (God) does lead the sheep, they are so confident and in God, that they followed through darkness and .

The Psalm then transforms from sheep to a person for whom the table is set. In other words, the sheep has now become the guest. That is not a small transformation, to go from stubborn (won’t rest), to following (through fear and death), to guest.

1) The family in Genesis is not great. How are the shown between people: Isaac, Rebekah, Esau, Jacob? Think of how scripture shows and doesn’t show those relationships.

2) is one of the biggest ways God shows his love. How is redemption shown in each of today’s passages?

3) What imagery attracts you most in Psalm 23? What do you think that shows you about a need in your life that should be filled by God, rather than the world?

KD) Why do you think that God uses the image of sheep when he talks about his people?