Devotion.al

Tag: nation

  • Waiting in Trust

    Waiting in Trust

    John 16:5–15; Acts 1:1–8 (read online ⧉)

    Wait for the promise to be .

    directed his disciples to wait. They couldn’t even wait when Jesus was with them after the Resurrection. “Hey, Jesus, are we going to take over the world, now?”

    Of course, they really didn’t say that. Not even close. However, restoring the Kingdom of Israel was, from a Jewish , much the same thing. The Kingdom of Israel wasn’t just a . It was a God-blessed nation.

    When they thought of a God-blessed nation, they were thinking that power and wealth would be restored to the Jews. The Romans would no longer be the occupiers. The Jews would once again occupy the place the belonged on the world stage.

    Except, Jesus poked that balloon. “Sorry, the ‘s got something planned, and…you don’t get to know the entirety of the plan.” Can you imagine that? They don’t get to know the whole plan.
    Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Right now we are in the midst of trying to make plans while being undeniably confronted with the reality that all our plans are…fluid. We know that we don’t know what is going to happen. We still plan and dream, however.

    The disciples weren’t even really trying to plan. God was writing a new page, and they didn’t know what to expect. They had to trust.

    In a few weeks (May 31st), the (the whole church, the of Christ) will have a birthday…. That promised counselor would change everything. In the meantime, they had to wait.

    Sometimes we’re a little hard on them. We see what happened. These people, by and large, were the out-of-the-loop kind of folks. Nothing earth-shattering would happen with them. They were barely educated. They were not from the of Judah. They weren’t tied to the powerful. In fact, the powerful didn’t want much to do with them.

    We do know that there had been a false Messiah from the region prior to Jesus. So, there was also the likely weight of the false Messiah, plus this guy who rose from the dead. Everything was new.

    Just wait. Just trust. Be willing to trust and wait. Our world could use a lot of that now.

    ※ Prayer ※
    Lord, as the world twists itself in an anxious circle, help us to be the unanxious ones. Guide our hearts and minds to not be anxious and trust in your timing and your plan, not of which is ours. Amen.

    ※ ※
    1) What are you waiting for?
    2) Does your waiting require trust? If so, how’s that trust doing?
    3) What are you doing in your wait? Are you preparing and making plans for when the brakes are loosed?

  • Oath Busting

    Oath Busting

    Genesis 13:1–18; Numbers 13:30–14:4; Numbers 14:36–45 (read online ⧉)

    God had made a promise to Abraham. As God is the make of the promise, following yesterday’s devotion, it was an oath. Abraham’s descendants would flourish in the land that Abraham would walk.

    At the time of Lot’s and Abraham’s separation, the land that Lot had was the better land. The lesser, more difficult land was Abraham’s. Yet, it was on this lesser more difficult land that God would build a with God’s on it.

    After many years, Abraham’s descendants had finally arrived to “take” the land. The tribes that had flourished with the absence of Abraham’s descendants certainly weren’t going to be willing or eager to just hand the land over. As far as they, the current inhabitants, were concerned this was their gods’ land. The Israelites were nothing.

    Even those technically related were just as harsh to the Israelites. Yet, there was an oath made by God. Perhaps the oath was no longer valid. Perhaps God broke the oath.

    This is where it gets interesting for us, too. When God made the oath, there was no promise of easy or being able to just get the land. The Israelites had to work for it, too.

    This is also the case for us. God calls us to be his people. God made an oath to always be with us. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy. In fact, part of being with us was part of telling us that things would be hard.

    The Israelites, just like us, weren’t going to have anything to do with this difficult stuff. They wanted the easy street. At one point, God tells the Israelites about when they will and sacrifice with produce they didn’t plant, with labor they didn’t spend. They had to value the fulfillment of God’s oath.

    Instead, they decided that they were going to break the oath. It might sound a tad harsh. However, it wasn’t God that decided that the oath wouldn’t be fulfilled. They decided it.

    So, God “accepted” their decision, and gave the consequences. And they decided to try to break that, too. Moses also makes a point to them, that is also for us. God wasn’t with them. They would fail. If only they hadn’t tried to break the oath (that wasn’t theirs to break) in the first place.

    ※ A of Billy Graham ※
    …, we thank You for the promise and hope of [the ], and we look to it with expectancy and . This [we] ask in the name of our Lord and Savior, who by His death and resurrection has given us hope both for this world and the world to come. [Amen]

    ※ Questions ※
    1) Have you ever had someone try to break the oath or promise of another person? What was the situation? How did it work out?
    2) Why would a person try to break the oath or promise of another person?
    3) What can the short-, medium-, and long-term consequences of promise- and oath-breaking?

  • Throne of Hearts

    Psalm 47; Job 23:3–12; Job 26:2–14; John 1:43–51 (read online ⧉)

    The Stone of Scone is a stone that supposedly all the “legitimate” rulers of Scotland were/are crowned on. After one of the many wars between England and Scotland, the English King Edward I took the stone to England, where it generally remained until 1996 as the coronation “cushion” of the (soon) British Crown. One of the legends of the stone was that when the “real” heir to the Scottish throne was crowned, the stone would groan.

    The legend, of course, probably had more to “prove” that the English nobility had no “true” right to the Scottish crown than anything else. There was also the knowledge that the stone’s home was really Scotland, but became the cushion of the usurpers.

    Thrones were/are the symbols of legitimate authority over a or . There is still plenty of royalty who sit on thrones. As monarchies die off and lose their importance, thrones have been replaced.

    In the United States, the Oval Office could be considered at least a throne room. If you were to look at the arrangements of the Senate, the House of Representatives, and the Supreme Court, you will see similarities between the chairs of leaders and thrones. That isn’t by chance.

    We seek throne rooms and thrones. Not always for ourselves, but to understand who is in charge, and often who we can blame.

    Job seeks the throne of God to plead his case (another reason people seek thrones). Job believes that were he only to get there and plead his case, everything would get better.

    Job defends or describes God with many positive terms and observations of God’s . Yet, Job talks about God obscuring the throne. This could be an observation, however, where it is among Job’s words, it is likely a complaining observation (God is making it hard to find him).

    With God, though, while it may seem while God is far away or hidden, it is often our hearts that are truly far away. Job’s story is not about God’s lack of presence, it is more about Job’s faith.

    We see just how close God is to us through the life of . Jesus calls people into his presence. His throne is with him at all times. Jesus drew people to him that dismissed on the very outset (such as Nathanael). Sometimes the throne we are seeking is right there next to us, but we are looking for something that God does not always make known the way we want God to. God’s throne could be the sun, the Milky Way, the person next to you, in your and soul.

    The last “throne room”, though, is the one we like the least. It often reminds us of how small we are. It also reminds us of how spiteful or petty we are. That’s not the throne room we are looking for. It is also the throne room that tells us that we have far to go; we are not there yet.

    Dear Heavenly , help us to see the throne you occupy in our lives. May we see your majesty and royalty. Jesus, thank you for the cleansing work in our lives, help us to keep the Godly throne room in our hearts and souls clean. Spirit, guide our work so that we do it all for God’s and not our own. Amen.

    1) How do you envision a throne room?

    2) If you had to choose the most important throne room of the world, where would it be? Who would be in it? (Note: context of the world; God/Jesus is not this answer)

    3) What kind of person draws you closer to them? What does that tell you what you look for in regards to God? What way might that mean you are not looking to God?

  • In the Meantime

    Exodus 28:39–29:9; Exodus 32:1–21; Romans 5:1–11 (read online ⧉)
     
    The pomp, display, mystery, pageantry (and ) that surrounds the elevation of a cardinal (or, per rule, any Roman Catholic male) to the position of pope is pretty amazing and can be quite stirring. It should not be lost on anyone that there are “liturgical” steps that are followed for every pope.

    The Old Testament is filled with many “liturgical” steps itself, particularly for the priests. Aaron was going to be anointed and appointed High Priest of the entire nation of Israel. His sons would also receive the same. For a people that escaped and left Egypt through the miraculous works of God, this should have been a sure personal coup for Aaron.

    God was talking to Moses about this, in the meantime, Aaron was definitely acting as a high priest, just not of God. One could even see a foreshadow of the priests (High and other) during the time Jesus. No courage of conviction (or perhaps no real conviction) when confronted by the people.

    Aaron’s place as Moses’ second (we always have to keep in mind that Aaron was the mouthpiece of Moses) couldn’t be ignored. The people are too impatient to wait (What’s waiting 40 days in comparison to 430 years?) and are quick to abandon their God and their .

    That whole thunder on a mountain, pillar of smoke by day, pillar of by night, annihilation of the world’s biggest army,…meh, too much time. And then, eventually, there was a new nation, a bunch of prophets, exile, ,…and silence for another 400 years.

    Another 400 year period of silence, then John the Baptist showed up. The time of silence was over. Jesus, the Son of God, walked on the Earth…

    …in the meantime, people lived. People died. People sinned, and sinned, and sinned. Jesus died.

    It was “finished” on the cross that day. Jesus Christ died for people who were sinning right up to that very moment, and Jesus Christ died for all those who sinned afterward.
    Aaron’s had very little to do with Aaron, and everything to do with God. Jesus’ on the cross had little to do with us, and everything to do with God.

    That last sentence probably jarred you a bit. We are taught (and the Scriptures state, such as this passage in Romans) that God died for our sins. Yet, in many respects, God died to be true to God’s self…self-sacrificing for others. In other words, while our sins were the trigger, God’s very nature was the reason.

    Prayer

    O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people; Grant that when we hear his we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the , lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [BCP]

    1) In the case of Aaron and us, God is doing something great for us, while we are often doing something against God. What does that tell us about God and ourselves?

    2) Why is it critical to understand that Jesus Christ died for all sins through all time?

    3) How does Romans 5:1 relate to Aaron’s consecration?

  • Ends and Returns

    Psalm 126; Acts 1:3–11; Revelation 1:4–18 (read online ⧉)

    I believe in Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
    He was conceived by the of the Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.
    He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
    He descended to the dead.
    On the third day he rose again.
    He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
    He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
    From the Apostle’s Creed

    “You are going to hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, because these things must take place, but the is not yet. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines,s and earthquakes in various places. All these events are the beginning of labor pains.”
    Matthew 24:6–8

    In the current COVID situation, life is a mess. It feels like an understatement, doesn’t it? A mess seems such a placid way to describe it. As usual, there are plenty of politicians, rabble-rousers, and religiousesque folks that are stirring up emotions in people. There are those that are convinced that this is a government (US, state, China, UN, etc.) conspiracy. There are those convinced this is Mother Earth getting her revenge. There are those that are convinced that this is the wrath of God.

    The real answer? The only answer? COVID is proof that the world is a fallen world, separated from God. Sadly, that is often not an acceptable answer, even by those that call themselves Christian. We want . We want reasons and even responses that we can hold onto. Life is often not that way.

    Jesus warned his followers that there would always people stirring things up. These people would use even rumors to influence, guide, and even gain power. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

    There is a hope that this will end. Jesus will come back. That is the hope. Even that hope, however, is often used to manipulate people.

    The angels told the disciples that Jesus would the same way he left. The disciples probably still hadn’t recovered from their emotional valleys and mountains. Yet this was a hope they would rely on. John made it clear that he, even in his exile on the Isle of Patmos, was still hopeful and expectant that Jesus would return. John, by this point, had outlived all the other disciples, and knew many who had been martyred. He still held onto hope. By this point, it was likely that he no longer expected Jesus to return in his lifetime, but that didn’t that he knew the person (Jesus) and trusted him regardless.

    Jesus, Savior of the World, Savior of my soul, I you thanks for the given to me through your disciples. May we be inspired and driven by your example to be ever better versions of ourselves, and looking toward our final unification with you, whether you return, or I go. Amen.

    1) Which do you think is better, Jesus returning now, or Jesus returning later? Why?

    2) If you had witnessed Jesus’ ascension, and heard the angels’ words, what would your have been?

    3) Why do end times always attract our interest?

  • Knowledge and Knowing

    Psalm 119:9–16; Isaiah 43:8–13; 2 Corinthians 3:4–16 (read online ⧉)

    The predominant view in the Old Testament is that human holiness can only be obtained by thoroughly understanding and internalizing God’s ways can walk in concert with God. The psalmist discusses guarding one’s way, treasuring God’s in one’s , seeking God whole-heartedly, meditating on God’s precepts, and delighting in his statues. While all of this is good, it still falls short, as it relies on our efforts and will.

    It is human tendency to look side-to-side for a savior. It also often the case that people will pursue over claiming some sort of savior role. Both have been common throughout human history. However, sometimes a or people claim power over the way of the world. Today’s passage in Isaiah is an answer to those nations.

    Prior to today’s passage, God (through Isaiah) had called the Israelites to task (as if on trial) for not being the spouse of God as they were called to be. Yet, now the Gentile nations were called before the judge (God), and Israel was now the witness against the Gentile nations. Called to witness against the other nations who the true power is in the world and in history.

    What makes this passage particularly interesting is that the Israelites are being called to be witnesses not to judge the Gentiles, but so that they (the Israelites) know and believe God, and that God is their true savior. Here, God’s motivation isn’t to judge but to be known.

    When writes to the Corinthians, there is an echo of Isaiah’s blind and deaf comment. According to Paul, the non- Jews have a veil over their minds. The law makes them, in a way, blind and deaf. Yet when they know God through Jesus Christ, the savior, they are no longer blind and deaf.

    1. Why is it, do you think, that hearing the law caused “a veil” to be over the Jews of Paul’s day?
    2. During church, group meetings (Sunday School, small group, group), conversations in the world-at-large, do you ever experience “a veil”, shutting out others and even God?
    3. How does Jesus’ on the cross “the veils” we wear?

  • Glorious Cleanliness

    Exodus 19:1-9; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Psalm 19 (read online ⧉)

    Have you ever had a period of that seemed completely crazy and unbelievable? The Israelites were it! It was a hard life in Egypt, but it was still home for generations. They left. This big sea to cross to freedom, and a powerful nation’s army coming after them. The sea splits open and they cross on dry ground. And a powerful nation’s army disappears forever. They have their first military battle and unbelievably win! They have a weird food that just appears with the morning dew, then disappears.

    Then they take a .

    Moses meets with God, and God explains. God is calling these people to be his priestly . They are his treasured possession, above the of the earth, which is God’s, too.

    God’s requirements are simple, obey God’s voice and keep the covenant. This is foundational to relationship between God and the Israelites. Their lives are to be aligned to the covenant, and the relationship it represents. In the same way, Peter calls believers in to have Jesus as their cornerstone, so that they (we) become the spiritual home of the Holy , and become a holy priesthood.

    Just like the Israelites, followers of Jesus have a task. Theirs (ours) is to proclaim the acts of God who called them (us) out of the darkness we were in.

    As the psalmist writes, all of pronounces the of God. We, too, have our part in declaring and showing the glory of God and being the (reflectors of God) in the world.

    1) What has kept you from believing you are called to and capable of declaring God’s glory?

    2) The covenant represents a type of cleanliness. You house the Holy Spirit. How do you keep the Holy Spirit’s home in you clean?

    3) What more can you do to keep it clean, or get it cleaner?

    4) How does this cleanliness help to declare God’s glory?

  • Trust, Truth and Restoration

    Daniel 9:16-19, Psalm 25:1-10, 2 Timothy 4:1-5

    Daniel knows that God is and righteous. Daniel knows that the people of Israel are in exile and hopeless because they chose to ignore God and the many prophets that He sent. They chose to follow their leaders who looking to earthly things to personal value and . Daniel understood that the current situation was a consequence of unfaithful behavior.

    Yet, Daniel had enough in God to know that God would listen and that God, ultimately, wanted Israel restored, not just as a nation or people, but as a people of God. Daniel understood that it would only by God’s mercy that Israel would be restored. He was confessing on behalf of an entire people that they had missed the mark, yet he still asked.

    1) In Psalm 25:6-7 (NIV), the psalmist writes, “, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, LORD, are good.”
    Just like Daniel, the psalmist was appealing the consequences based upon God’s mercy and love, knowing that both preexisted the errors of the psalmist. Daniel, too, that God’s mercy and love existed long before he did, or the tribe and nation of Israel existed. The underlying thought here is that there was something that needed to be forgiven; there was something that needed to be repented of. Is there something that you think could be a problem, but aren’t certain that it is a problem that God is concern about? Bring it to God, anyways! That small thing could very well help you heal in other areas in your , or God may use it to show you what is really hampering your with Him.

    2) In 2 Timothy 4:1-5, is warning Timothy that people will get to a point where they will not listen because they don’t want to. It is no different than what the people of Israel had done for generations prior to their exile. The very things Daniel was repenting of. We are often quick to say that there is false teaching all around us, even in our !

    Have you thought there was false teaching? What did you do?

    Do we ever something false teaching that does not conflict with scripture, but appears to conflict with our understanding or traditions?