Devotion.al

Tag: Holy Spirit

  • Joy and Expectation

    Joy and Expectation

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

    In many respects, 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 word 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 “ 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 life- through building up of self and others, 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 age. This pregnancy was a result of God’s faithfulness (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 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 to Jesus coming?

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

  • 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 faith.

    “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, others, or things?

    James calls on us to be filled with 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 trusting 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, 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 season, stirring our hearts to not take Christmas for granted, but to be stirred into action of joy-filled of the Father, , and You. Continue to quicken our hearts and aid us in our journey of faith.

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

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

    Amen.

  • Stirring Up

    Stirring Up

    Psalm 71:1-9, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Matthew 12:9-21

    “Be a rock of refuge for me, where I can always go…”
    Psalm 71:3

    “I will put my in you, and you will live… I have spoken, and I will do it.”
    Ezekiel 37:14

    “The nations will put their hope in his .”
    Matthew 12:21 (also see Isaiah 42:1-4)

    When we read Psalm 71, we read chronological age (birth to old), and that is as the Psalmist intended. Let’s look at it differently today. Let’s look at it as our life in Christ. Most people (not all, and that’s okay) when they first come to know Christ are eager to about their new life in him. Often huge life changes occur that bear to the life- that is available through Christ. However, as our faith ages, often the enthusiasm goes away. We become “old.” In other words, our life in Christ is not very vigorous. Some people start out “old,” because they grew up in the church, and knew nothing different, and those around them (having been in the church awhile) were “old” already and were thus not very enlivening to a new believer. There are some who appear “old” due to their personality. They, too, need better ways and habits to invigorate their spiritual lives and the spiritual lives of .

    By God’s , we don’t have to rely on ourselves. The Spirit that was promised to each and every believer will help us with our spiritual lives and help us help others with their spiritual lives. When we, in partnership with the and each other, stir up our spiritual lives, the world will look at us and our hope, and the world will hope in His name.

    1) Why is a strong spiritual life an essential component to hope?

    2) What is one thing you can start doing to stir up your spiritual life?

    3/KD) No matter how young or old you are, you are important to other people’s spiritual life. What is one thing you can start doing to stir up others’ spiritual lives?

  • Free to Feel

    Free to Feel

    Psalm 42, 2 Samuel 7:18-29, Romans 15:7-13

    “…Put your in God, for I will still him, my Savior and my God.”
    Psalm 42:5

    “…Do as you have promised, so that your will be exalted forever…”
    2 Samuel 7:25-26

    The Psalmist and David have different emotions in their words. The Psalmist seems exhausted mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It would be reasonable to say that the Psalmist was very depressed. David on the other hand was joy-filled for God had made a to him that his family (his house) would forever have a place before God. In a culture where family was of greater importance than the , this was a big deal.

    Both Psalmist and David, regardless of circumstances, put their hope in God. Both understood that they were insignificant in comparison to God, but that they were not insignificant to God. That is hope built on solid ground. An individual’s daily struggles may be small in comparison to the big picture, but the God who continues to draw the big picture knows that every person has their right place in the picture, and because of that, they are significant to God.

    The social and cultural events that occur around Christmas (company parties, family get togethers, even activities) can often exhaust and overwhelm us. Many of these activities can feel more like obligations, rather than times of joy and warm-heartedness. The times around Christmas can find feeling like both the Psalmist (exhausted/depressed) and David (joy-filled and thanks-filled). Sometimes the in moods can catch us by surprise, and we might even feel guilty for our feelings. As long as our hope rests on/in God, we are free to feel. We are free in Christ.

    1) How can you strengthen other people’s hope in ? How will you?

    2) The best “tool” we have to feel hope is the Holy . How can you “use” the Holy Spirit to strengthen your hope?

    3/KD) Christmas is a time to give and receive gifts. Not everyone gets presents. How can you show and share that the best is Jesus?

    “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
    Romans 15:13