Devotion.al

Tag: fulfilled

  • Hope Fulfilled and Hope to Come

    Hope Fulfilled and Hope to Come

    Psalm 25:1-10, Jeremiah 33:14-16, Luke 21:25-36

    “…for you are the God of my salvation…” Psalm 51:5

    “In those days and at that time, I will cause a Branch to sprout up for David, and he will administer and righteousness in the land.
    Jeremiah 33:15

    “…they will see the of Man coming in a cloud with power and great .”
    Luke 21:27

    . It’s a big word for how small it looks. The Psalmist knows God is the source of his salvation, despite current circumstances. God’s words to Jeremiah provide for a hope that Jeremiah can guess he will not see, but they are still hope for the Israelites.

    Christmas is about hope. It is about Emmanuel, which means God with us. It is about God sending the Son down to us. , however, is not just about Christmas, and the singular time that God became man. Advent also looks to the next time God returns…at the of the story.

    Advent, therefore, is about both the hope for both Israelites and the rest of the world, and it is about the hope to come when Jesus returns. Hope is to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment. Hope was fulfilled when Jesus was born in a manger. We obtained hope through his on the cross and his resurrection. Then there is the expectation of the return of Jesus…more hope!

    1/KD) Why is hope important?

    2) Why do we easily think of the hope of Christmas, but not of the hope of Jesus’ return?

    3/KD) What is your hope this Christmas?

    4/KD) What is your hope a year from now?

  • The Family Story

    The Family Story

    Psalm 25:1-10, Nehemiah 9:26-31, Luke 21:20-24

    “All the Lord’s ways show faithful love and to those who keep his and decrees.” (Psalm 25:10)

    “But they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They flung your law behind their backs and killed your prophets who warned them.” (Nehemiah 9:26)

    “…Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are .” (Luke 21:24)

    It not a new thing that people God and then turn their backs on God later.
    Nehemiah recalls that people were inconsistent, following a Godly-ish , then falling away, falling to and oppression, then being restored. Could Nehemiah be wondering if the Israelites—finally returning home from Babylonian captivity—will last in their faithfulness, or if they will fall away…again. Throughout the bible there is an optimism that God is gracious and compassionate, and as bad as things get, God is still there.

    God also never intended the story to be just about the Israelites. Through , the whole world (the Gentiles) has the opportunity to be part of God’s and part of God’s redemptive story. So much of the story of God is about God seeking to restore right relationship between him and his chosen people, including us today.

    1) Christmas is culturally a family time of celebration. Who are some people who don’t have family around, that you could invite to be part of your family this Christmas season? Or, do you need a family, just for a short time this season? Do we need framily?

    2) God’s story is redemption and family. Is there a family relationship that needs to be restored? Is there a friendship than needs ?

    3/KD) We are called to be like Christ. How can we show others, especially during , what a redeemed life and a life with family (or framily) looks like?