Devotion.al

Tag: faithful

  • Have and Need

    Have and Need

    “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting , .”
    – Isaiah 9:6 (NRSV)

    Okay. Be honest. Did you have your Christmas tree up at the beginning ofNovember? Anyonehave it up before Halloween this year? I mean, come on! We need the excitement and magic that Christmas brings. Right? After the yearwe have had?! We need Christmas. Maybe you are one of those who strictly doesn’t do the Christmas thing until after Thanksgiving is over…
    Did you still wait this year?

    I think we have all been anticipating this season. I know I have! We have been bogged down with COVID, killer bees, racial injustice, , and more. We need Christmas. We need . We need .

    As you probably well know – God made a well before Jesus came…that Jesus would come. That Jesus would be and bring the that we needed so desperately. That Gods people needed so desperately. Do you feel like this year you need that light? You need to be reminded of God’s promises in your ? Do you need to be reminded of the hope that Jesus brings to us in all the different seasons of life?

    It’s been a hard year. For so many reasons for so many people. Many of us have had anxiety, frustrations, cried, yelled, laughed, cried some more probably… I am thankful that God is . That God shows us His faithfulness through Jesus Christ. And that through Jesus and the promises that God keeps we can have hope. Because let’s face it. At the of this year and as we move into the next year – we need hope.

    Where do you see hope in your life today? Thank God for those glimmers of hope. Thank God for His continued faithfulness.

  • Prepare to Prepare

    Prepare to Prepare

    Psalm 80; Zechariah 13:1–9; Revelation 14:6–13

    If you’ve ever watched a professional chef (besides the competition ones), they will often have pre-cut and -measured ingredients so that when a customer orders a dish, most of the time-consuming work is completed. If you’ve ever ordered a sandwich at Subway, the meat and cheese are already pre-portioned. Ingredients have been prepared to better prepare your meal when you want it.

    Today is Thanksgiving (in the US, at least). A holiday that is culturally identified as involving overeating and family gatherings. COVID has changed that. Many, if not most, families will not be having extended family gatherings.

    Thanksgiving has also been the “gateway” to the Christmas season. It used to be that mere hours after people recovered from overeating, all the malls would turn everything over, and the Christmas (shopping) season would begin.

    Not every Thanksgiving, but this Thanksgiving is the beginning of the season. In the church year, one prepares for the Sunday to come. As this Sunday is the First Sunday of Advent, so it is time to prepare for Advent.

    What is Advent? We often shortcut it to mean the days before Christmas. This is certainly true. It is also incomplete. For the ancient church, Advent wasn’t just about the birth of ; it was about the of Christ. Depending on the era, there would even be an emphasis on the Return rather than the birth.

    There hasn’t been a year like 2020 in decades. This might be the time to look at Advent as something far more than Christmas.

    Asaph (the Psalmist) wants God to come back (not that God really left). Asaph is looking for a restoration of the between the people and God. Asaph recognizes that it really is that the people turned their backs on God, and yet he has faith in the faithful God. As Asaph was part of David’s retinue, we can imagine what must have still been going on around David, as David chose to follow God, and not the unknown gods.

    Zechariah’s words are strong, too. In them we see that the place of prophets and seers is nothing when it does not honor God. In fact, the implication being that the prophets and seers might even be “” idols, rather than faithful followers of and speakers for God.

    Zechariah’s and Asaph’s words still trust in God and expect God’s restoration of the people.

    While the Asaph’s and Zechariah’s words are full of trust in God, neither avoid a harsh reality. The people need . They needed to be the people of God again. In Zechariah’s time, the was being rebuilt. However, the people whose ancestors had lost their way (with God) were just as lost and needed something greater.

    Regardless of your perspective of who the Beast is, the vision in Revelation is that the people of God, the church, will go through trying times. The implication is of , being outcast, and even dying. All because they believe in Jesus.

    Whether you believe that Jesus is coming back tomorrow, or you are just waiting for 2020 to end, is part of that. Advent is the anticipation of something new, whether it is the birth of a child or the return of the King.

    ※Reflection※

    How do you prepare your life and heart for Advent? If you knew Jesus would come back on Christmas Day, what would you do?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, as we prepare our hearts for this Advent season, may we look to the innocence of a baby and to the of the King. Amen.

  • A Promise

    A Promise

    Isaiah 44:21–28; Ezekiel 34:25–31; Mark 14:22–26

    Remember. We are called on to remember things every day. Some have become so ingrained (putting undergarments, I ) that we don’t actually remember them; we just do them.

    Like many things that are ingrained, relationships aren’t. We might take them for granted, but that doesn’t make them ingrained.

    Isaiah’s to the descendants of Jacob was REMEMBER! Remember God, who formed them, called them and redeemed them. They needed to be reminded…again.

    This time, they are called to celebrate. Celebrate . Celebrate redemption. Celebrate a relationship with God.

    The unfolding of their redemption, eventually, results in a new covenant of peace. This new covenant was to the very face of the Promised Land.

    The promise of this covenant was delivered while talking about their return from captivity and exile. This makes the promise sure, as they were indeed delivered. So, where was the fulfillment of this new covenant?

    We Christians say that of course, it is Jesus. Jesus’ and personified the concepts of relationship and redemption. The is the exclamation point of the promise in Ezekiel.

    In the Kingdom of God, the lion and the lamb lie down .

    ※Reflection※

    For you, what is the most important fact about God’s promises? Why?

    ※Prayer※

    God, you have been faithful to us, even when we wander. We give you praise, , and thanks for your grace-filled . Amen.

  • Freely Abiding

    Freely Abiding

    Titus 3:1–11

    The next wave is coming. All around the globe, the next wave of COVID is coming. Countries that thought they were done are back to a true lockdown state. In the US, certain states are returning to more limited engagements.

    It’s hard for those of us in the US. We really do not understand, or even often accept, these limitations. So much of our cultural heritage is of movement for the and the freedom of association.

    Christians used to be known as the ones who would take care of the unwell. Christians would take care of plague victims. Christians are the reason that hospitals and care homes even exist.

    Now, however, we find ourselves in a weird place. Society has declared that the better thing is for us to isolate ourselves from one another. Society does have a point. Yet, humanity cannot exist for long in isolation without some sort of outlet. Christians have long stood in the gap.

    What has become the hot button US issue has become the impact upon the freedom to practice our . Like every other , our gathering sizes are being limited. We are not alone.

    What we have, though, is an interesting conflict. There are now heated exchanges within communities about what a witness is. The long-term ramifications of this situation remain to be played out.

    ※Reflection※

    When it comes to faithful witness, is your initial following the authorities, or freely expressing your understanding of freedom of religion? What are the weaknesses and strengths of both approaches? How can we the expressions of one another as faithful followers of Christ?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, help us to be faithful to you and full of , , and understanding of . Amen.

  • Moving Stone

    Moving Stone

    Mark 16:1-7; Ephesians 2:11–22

    The Resurrection was an event. Obviously. Yet, in many respects, we miss the extending of the Resurrection. Yes, the Resurrection shows that there is something after. It also shows us that there is something more.

    The event itself begins with what cannot be done alone. The stone being rolled away. This is not a one-, two-, or even three-person job. The stone that would go in front were HEAVY.

    The first “” to the Resurrection event was actually the stone being moved. An obstacle beyond a single ‘s ability to bear was removed. Perhaps it is a stretch. Yet, the biggest obstacle for the Marys and Salome to be was removed by God.

    This truly might be reading too much into it. At the risk of that, though, think of ‘s words to the Ephesians, “For he is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14).

    The dividing wall is not a small obstacle between two very different people groups who view the other as scum or dirty. The grace, mercy, , and of the Gospel are able to not just remove what separates them; it is able to join them together.

    The significance is that while their obedience and work is part of the process, it is who has done the greater work. The primary effort is not that of humanity; it is of God.

    When we are divided by seemingly impossible walls, we either try to stay on “our side”, try to scale the wall, or even try to destroy the wall. We often do this in our own power.

    The secular world continues to try to do this by attempting to “adjust” thinking through programs, training, and peer pressure. However, this too is only a work of humanity. It is, as the secular world continues to and forget, doomed to fail.

    For those of us who claim Jesus as our Lord and Savior, however, we are called to something greater. Regardless of your political leaning, the is to be an example of how to love. Currently, one of the biggest barriers in the US is political.

    ※Reflection※

    What is one specific thing YOU can do to help heal the divide? Why is it critical to know that the Gospel is the way to remove the divide? How does secular society try to emulate the Gospel?

    ※Prayer※

    Jesus, thank you for removing the wall that separates us from you, and us from each other. Help us to remember the grace, mercy, and love you have shown us, as we engage the world. Amen.

  • Dripping Prayer

    Dripping Prayer

    Proverbs 27:15–16; Luke 11:5–14; Luke 18:1–8

    Persistence is often a good thing. However, blind persistence can also be incredibly limiting. As my younger children are about to begin their college journey (yes, still a few months to go), I look back to my time in college. I chose a major I wasn’t skilled at. I chose a major that I would not be successful at.

    I chose the wrong major for a dream. For 4 years I pursued that major. The result? Another school, another (bad) major, and finally dropping out of college.

    But I was persistent, and I was a fool.*

    There is no doubt that some people find great in being persistent. What is often not recognized in that is their innate skill, , or support, which can make all the difference.

    Sometimes the persistence can be like a drip on a rainy day. You can’t get the sound out of your head, even though you “know” your roof is good. It beats on your head and in your heart. Sometimes it tricks you into thinking that your roof really is leaking.

    While the nagging wife could be considered persistent. That kind of persistence (whether it be wife, husband, mother, , whomever) is generally destructive. It destroys hearts, souls, minds, , lives. That’s not good persistence.

    Persistent is different. Whether it’s the story of the friend or the story of the widow, the goal may originate with the self, but there are positive forces at play. In the case of the friend, hospitality is actually center stage. In the case of the widow, is at the center.

    We often focus on the people in the stories, and not the greater “ethos” that the story surrounds.

    Persistent prayer is not nagging prayer. Nagging God to get you a Rolls Royce would not be positive persistence. Persistent prayer for justice for our neighbors? Persistent prayer for their finances and spiritual health?

    Often, we will dress up our persistent prayer in “Godly” language, such as, “ me wealth that I may be more generous.” This can be positive. It is often quite negative, as the person is operating from a scarcity mindset, rather than generosity mindset

    Other times it could be, “Lord, let them get a speeding ticket.” The justice might be correct; the heart motivation might well be revenge or desire for their punishment.

    Persistent prayer may involve the self. even tells us that we are to bring our cares and needs to the Father.

    ※Questions※

    1) How would you define the difference between stubbornness, nagging, and persistence? How do you know when you are being one or the other?

    2) What are some signs or language that you can use to determine the intent behind our prayer (i.e., justice versus vengeance)?

    3) If God is faithful in answering prayer, why do we not always get what we want?

    ※Prayer※

    Lord, may our prayers be full of your – water rather than torrential waters of destruction; to lift up your people and the world to you. Amen.

    *Just for clarity, the fool part is my stubbornness regarding my major pursuit. Without that second college, I wouldn’t have found my wife; so, that part is a win. I did eventually go back to college and complete a degree. It just took a bit longer.

  • Saintly Ones

    Saintly Ones

    Matthew 5:1–16; Revelation 7:1–17

    ※ Q: What is a Saint? ※

    You would think that this question is easy. However, the meaning of depends on the context and even timeframe.

    Chasid (חָסִיד) and Kaddish (קַדִּישׁ) are the Hebrew words that are most often translated as saint (not always, though). Chasid (חָסִיד) means or devout ones (with the implication being toward the ).  Kaddish (קַדִּישׁ) means holy ones or people of the holy ones (yes, we could, but perhaps shouldn’t, infer the Trinity there).

    Hagioi (ἅγιος) is first seen in Matthew 27:52 and used to talk about those who rose from the dead upon ‘ . It is most used by to refer to the (what became) Christians in his letters. It became generally used that way by the other New Testament writers and the church. In Revelation, the word becomes expressly tied to those who died as martyrs.

    ※ Q: What does it mean to be a saint? ※

    If you’ve been in the church any length of time, saint can be applied to a person of significant . It is also applied to many that have been in the for a long time and have gray or white hair (the hair color, of course, is important 😉). However, that is probably a bad way of thinking about it.

    If we were to tie both the Hebrew and the Greek together, we would probably get an approximation of people whose relationship is with God through faith in Jesus Christ and for whom this is their primary identity.

    ※ Q: Are you a saint? ※

    ※Prayer※

    , guide into a relational identity with the Father, through the . Amen.

  • Living

    Living

    Deuteronomy 5:26–27; Ezekiel 33:11; Luke 20:34–40; John 5:39–40; John 8:56–58

    A God? To many people today, God is just a fairy tale who belongs amongst the pages of Grimm’s fairy tales and folklore. For them, God is no different than the ancient Roman and Greek gods, and of no greater value (perhaps even less) than the Hindu gods.

    Yesterday’s devotional was about the we are called to make. While the devotional didn’t talk about our common failures in being good and witnesses, most of us realize that we have messed up more than a few times.

    Being faithful often means being humble when we fail, requiring us to be honest with ourselves and others. That can be difficult. Being open (and thus vulnerable) about our flaws sometimes requires greater than we are capable of on our own.

    Our witness requires greater strength than it used to. Our witness requires greater vulnerability than it used to. Our witness requires greater transparency than it used to.

    The concept (our reality) of a living God allows us the to breathe in the pressure of the “greaters”. Our God is greater still than the greatest Created thing or person.

    When we understand that God is a God of the living it helps to put a few things into . It wasn’t a small thing that observed that God named Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph in the present tense. When we focus on the dead and what comes after, or even what came before, we don’t live in the fullness of the that has been given to us.

    This is, even more, the case when we talk about the . People dig into the Scriptures to know more about God. People dig into the Scriptures to deny God. Even those of Jesus’ day who knew the Scriptures well were unable to see the living God before them. While the Scriptures are living and active, they are living and active only because of the living God.

    A living God means that God is not sitting on the sidelines. God works in and among and through .

    ※Questions※

    1) How does God being living affect your daily walk with God?

    2) Especially when it comes to Jesus, but not only, why is “living” so important?

    3) Have you ever known someone who was “alive”, but who wasn’t living? Do you think they knew Jesus?

    ※Prayer※

    God of the living and breathing Creation, help to know to the depths of our souls that you are living and breathing in us. Amen.