Tag: Devotional

Devotional

Down From His Glory

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John 17:20-23

Struggling for the right words in my devotional prayer, suddenly a wonderful old song came to mind! It is the gospel in a nutshell. It is also very appropriate for Christmas time, although not generally known as a Christmas Carol. Down from His glory.

Ever living story,

My God and Saviour came,

And Jesus was His name!

Born in a manger,

To His own a stranger,

A man of sorrows, tears and agony.

There is so much theology (the study of God) in these words. Jesus is God. He gave up His glory in heaven to become a man; not just any man, but the One who fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy in His sufferings (Isaiah 53:3). His sufferings were not just physical, but were also emotional and spiritual. He was ridiculed and rejected by the people God called His chosen children, to whom He was sent. His death on the cross caused a morbid separation between Him and the Father; it was something like dividing soul and spirit of the man who was uniquely God-man! This separation was necessary in order to bring together God and mankind, whom He created for a unique fellowship.

The lyricist knew Jesus personally as “My God and Saviour”. God’s saving grace had drawn him into the family of God. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, it is possible for Gentiles to be adopted into God’s Holy family, when they believe and receive the Lordship of Christ (John 1:12-13). Down through centuries of time people have responded to this remarkable “condescension, bringing us redemption”. The Creator God “laid aside His splendor, stooping to woo, to win, to save my soul” according to the second verse of this incredible praise song!

The Christmas association comes with the reflection that this babe, “born in a manger, to His own a stranger” ….”took the form of man, revealed the hidden plan”. From the moment of creation, God knew mankind would be unable to cope with the great gift of choice. Having been made in the image of God we have a will. How often does your will and mine conflict with the will of our Heavenly Father? So God’s plan of creation included a plan of redemption, and here we see it: “all God’s fulness dwelleth in Him”. What does that mean?

“Without reluctance, flesh and blood His substance, He took the form of man”. Paul wrote about this to the Philippian Church. “Christ Jesus Who being in very nature God….made Himself nothing, …..humbled Himself and became obedient unto death (Philippians 2:5-8). He died in your place and mine. “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours (wrote the Jewish Apostle), but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). This is the glorious mystery revealed in the man Christ Jesus!

Reflection:

There will always be a response to the life of Christ. The lyricist wrote:

“O how I love Him! How I adore Him!

My breath, my sunshine, my all in all!”

….and now I know Thou art the great “I AM.”

Sadly there are those who reject Jesus for innumerable reasons. Satan is quick to give any excuse for not following Him, this One who was born to die that man might live eternally with Him in heaven. This is “the reason for the season” is it not?

Remember Jesus’ prayer recorded by the Apostle John (17:20-23) “I have given them the glory that You gave me, that they may be one as we are one” (:22).

by Marilyn Daniels (MarilynDaniels.net)

Devotional

Execution of Hopes and Dreams

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Matthew 14:1-14

Isaiah prophesied about “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (KJV). In Chapter 53 (:3) he writes about the sufferings, fulfilled at the time of our Lord’s crucifixion. However, Jesus was not wrapped up in His own suffering; He grieved at other times. He wept when Lazarus died, and folks with Him marvelled at how much He loved Lazarus. Perhaps that was a small indication of how much He loved all His followers, then and now. Jesus also grieved over the city of Jerusalem because they would not receive Him as their Messiah (Matthew 23:37).

Today we are looking at another situation which caused him grief. Jesus had a deep respect for His cousin John. He described him as a man of truth, a shining light, bearing witness to His own entry into ministry (John 5:33-35). Matthew records words of highest praise: “Among those born of women, there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist” (11:11).

Just a short while later Herod had John imprisoned because John had openly rebuked his marriage to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife but had been persuaded to leave her husband, and to marry Herod Antipas. This was tantamount to incest (Leviticus 18:16). John called their marriage unlawful (Matthew 14:4).

John didn’t languish in prison long. The royals had a party to celebrate King Herod’s birthday. The stakes were high, as his step-daughter danced before the crowd. He promised her with an oath, to give her whatever she asked, because her dancing was so exotic. You know the story. Prompted by her mother, the girl asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. How gory is that?!

How did Jesus deal with sorrow when He heard about His beloved cousin? He withdrew into a quiet place to be alone (Matthew 14:13) – from His history we could assume He needed time with His heavenly Father. How do we deal with grief? Do we “take it to the Lord in prayer”? The lyricist goes on –

“In His arms He’ll take and shield Thee

Thou wilt find a solace there”.

However, the story doesn’t end there. Jesus was not allowed to grieve alone. The crowds discovered where He was. Most of us would have our friends drive them away. Not Jesus! He had compassion on them and fed them, healing their sick. (Matthew 14:15-16)

It was not an execution as such, but recently a friend was found by his young wife, dead in their bed. Another friends described it this way “She went to bed a happily married Mom and woke up a single Mom”. Her life, as she had known it had been chopped, a dreadful execution of all she had known. How will she ever manage such grief?

Reflection:

When we are in shock, can we acknowledge our feelings to God or do we try to hide them? The reality is no one can explain this kind of tragedy. Perhaps it doesn’t equate with what happened to John who perished at the hands of an evil man, but we can learn a lesson from the ways in which Jesus faced His grief. With Lazarus He shed tears. He listened to the weeping sisters and He spent time with them. He continued ministering the truths of God’s Word to crowds in Jerusalem, gathered at the temple, fickle as He knew them to be. At John’s death, working, doing what God sent Him to do, took precedence over His personal grief. Once again I am challenged by the life of my Lord!

by Marilyn Daniels (MarilynDaniels.net)

Devotional

The Battle is God’s

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1 Timothy 1:18

“Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them, you may fight the good fight.”

Apparently, as was the custom (Acts 6:4), Godly men had commissioned Timothy to ministry by the laying on of hands. At that time they recognized his particular gift to be used in the Lord’s service (1 Timothy 4:14).

When you read 1 Timothy 1:18 what do you understand about the battle Paul is warning young Timothy against? In daily life do you sometimes feel like you are at war? What is going to give you the victory over that feeling? Paul recommends holding onto faith and a good conscience will do it. To me that means I must live up to God’s expectations, not to qualify but rather to quantify what a Christian is. In Him I must live and move and have my being (Acts 17:28).

In his famous sermon on Mars Hill, the Apostle Paul reviewed all that God had done from the creation of the world in order for man to seek Him, and even find Him – this great omnipotent God! The Greeks were worshiping gold and silver, or stone – images made by man’s genius (Acts 17:29). Now Paul challenged them to look to someone far greater than they could imagine, One who would eventually judge the world through Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son.

The battle, even in Paul’s day was against false doctrine. Myths and endless genealogies promoted controversy. Is it possible to over-examine God’s Word? What considerations take over truth, if we do not take it at face value, trusting the Holy Spirit to make it clear enough for even a child to understand. Jesus warns we need to become like little children, humble, trusting (Matthew 18:2-4). The greatest defence a child or adult could have is trusting God. We sing:

In heavenly armour we’ll enter the land -The battle belongs to the Lord!
No weapon that’s fashioned against us shall stand -The battle belongs to the Lord!

The power of darkness comes in like a flood -The battle belongs to the Lord –
He’s raised up a standard, the power of His blood -The battle belongs to the Lord!

When your enemy presses in hard do not fear -The battle belongs to the Lord!
Take courage my friend, your redemption is near – The battle belongs to the Lord!

We sing glory and honor, power in strength to the Lord!
 Songwriters: Collins Jamie (sue)

Paul reminds Timothy that the weapon of prayer is to be used in this battle. When we pray for kings and all those in authority, it pleases God (1 Timothy 2:3). The battle for lost souls, whether they be in leadership or just your neighbour, concerns our heavenly Father because God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (:4). Let’s not forget God loves all people, [individuals in our families or communities, kings and bishops, of every tribe and nation] even more than we do.

Reflection:

When you read about anger and strife do you read from a defensive position? Who is the enemy? Who is the protagonist? In November we remember those who were lost in the great World Wars, but let us not forget we also are in a battle against evil!

As a herald and apostle of the true faith, Paul knew what it was to fight the good fight. He brought glory to God by engaging, in love, with those who held him prisoner. Was it really God’s purpose to appoint someone to suffer (2:7)? How would you respond to such a situation? Would you, could you completely trust God?

by Marilyn Daniels (MarilynDaniels.net)

Devotional

Tokens of Love

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Galatians 5:22-23

A phrase of a song caught my attention, longing for “tokens of your love”. We spend a lot of time at Christmas and birthdays trying to think of ways to express our love to those who are close to us. How often is our choice determined by the response we hope to elicit?

What is a token? It is a thing serving as a visible or tangible representation of a fact, quality, feeling, etc., often given in appreciation, or as an expression of love, as the song goes. Have you ever thought about what tokens God has given to you, of His love? Perhaps while we are defining words we need to define love. What is love? One dictionary says love is “an intense feeling of deep affection”. Wikipedia expands on that:

“Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. 

Theologians try to explain Biblical love, by using many different words. “Love” in the Bible can’t be summed up with just a single word… “there are six different words that can be translated as love, and that doesn’t account for variants and compound words! The more literal translations of the Bible, such as the NASB, have more like 300 mentions of the word “love” because they often translate the Greek and Hebrew into more nuanced words than simply, ‘love’.”

The Apostle Paul devoted a whole chapter to describing what love looks like (1 Corinthians 13). It may be fair to say it takes a life-time to understand the complexities of love. However, one thing is made clear in scripture. “God is love” and “we love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:16, 19). Out of the abundance of His own character, God equips us to love Him. Once we have His love abiding in our hearts, we are enabled to love other people in the same way as God loves us.

Tokens of God’s love can actually be seen – they are visible qualities produced by the Holy Spirit living in us. We become more peaceable for one thing; we’ve already established our ability to love others takes on a new look. Does that mean we can love without expecting something back? Loving God’s way produces joy deep within our own hearts, because it is purely in the interests of another human being. How many of us have achieved this? Let us remember “With God all things are possible”. Those are the words of our Lord Jesus recorded by Matthew (19:26).

Have you ever experienced the deep inner satisfaction of doing something good? Perhaps you were gentle or kind when someone was troubled. This brings comfort and encouragement, tokens of love to another human being in distress. Faithfulness is also described by Paul as part of the fruit of the Spirit. There are many people living out their testimony of love in difficult circumstances, believing it is the right thing to do, for Jesus’ sake. I know someone personally who has dedicated her life to the ministry of faithfulness, which takes patience and self-control. One cannot accomplish this without God.

Reflection:

We don’t need to, nor can we, generate the love which is sourced in God alone. Anything else pales by comparison. Perhaps this is why love relationships in our world today are in so much trouble, extinguished by the smallest trifle. Biblical love “keeps no record of wrongs”. When God forgives He forgets our past sins, moving us forward into a brighter and better future. Will we do that for those who have wronged us? God’s love “rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:5b-7). Let us pray that we can pass on to others these wonderful tokens of God’s love for us!

by Marilyn Daniels (MarilynDaniels.net)

Devotional

A Message from the Lord

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Zechariah 12:1-13:1

Many years ago we used to sing a song:


I’ve a message from the Lord, Hallelujah!

The message unto you I’ll give.

‘Tis recorded in His Word, Hallelujah!

It is only that you “look and live”.

Refrain:

“Look and live” my brother, live.

“Look to Jesus now and live.

‘Tis recorded in His Word, Hallelujah!

It is only that you look and live”.

The song goes on, sharing that it’s –“a message full of love”, one that is offered unto you”…a personal message.

A message was given to the prophet Zechariah. “This is the word of the Lord concerning Israel!” (12:1). This oracle begins by describing God’s wrath against those who attacked Jerusalem. “On that day” occurs 16 times in chapters 12, 13 and 14.

Judgment is the theme of Zechariah’s message. Immediate fulfillment occurred when Nebuchadnezzar captured Judah. The ultimate fulfillment is yet to come, “on that day” during the tribulation years. For our purposes today we will jump in towards the end of Zechariah’s prophecy.

“On that day” – a day yet in the future, Jesus will return to do battle with the nations who have persecuted Israel. Named “Faithful and True”, the Rider on a white horse will come with blazing eyes to make war (Revelation 19:11-12). Destruction of evil will be complete (29:20-21).

Zechariah informs us that at the second coming of Christ Israel will recognize Jesus as their Messiah. “They will look on Me, the One they have pierced and they will mourn….and grieve bitterly….On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great!” (Zechariah12:10-11). However the Lord doesn’t end the story there, but gives, as He always does a continued message of hope.

“On that day a fountain will be opened to the House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity” (Zechariah13:1). Note the promise is inclusive….“And so all Israel shall be saved” (Romans 11:26). Paul wrote further to the Roman Church: “Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments!” (Romans 11:33). You see, God had to remain true to His covenant with Israel. “They are loved on account of the patriarchs” (11:28b).

Reflection:

Note the simple message of our song captures all that will happen “On that day”. Folks who look to Jesus will live! As John watched his beloved Master dying on the cross, he was reminded of the ancient prophecy (John 19:37). This is the covenant, an everlasting, binding agreement with God’s people. Because He is faithful and True to His word, we have hope and joy and peace! Praise be to our God!

by Marilyn Daniels (MarilynDaniels.net)

Devotional

Can One Escape God?

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Matthew 25:31-34

Reading through the prophets, we distinctly hear the voice of God. Sometimes He is angry, sometimes He is pleading, sometimes He seems to be just biding His time. “I will remain quiet and look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.” (Isaiah 18:4-5) This is rather a pastoral view of God in His heaven, isn’t it?

Matthew Henry shed some light on this unusual passage. Apparently God’s people were being trampled on, but the perpetrator will find that in the end they are indestructible. God is waiting until the time is right to rescue His people. In the case of Cush [modern Sudan], God will show mercy. Eventually they will bring gifts to the Lord, when they recognize Him as the Almighty One (Isaiah 18:7). Ryrie suggests that these gifts will be the people of Cush, themselves.

This illustrates the day, yet to come, when the nations of the earth will be convinced that Jehovah is the true God, and Israel is His people, and unite in presenting spiritual sacrifices to His glory. Because the wicked seem to triumph for a while, let us take heart from this scripture that God does care for His people, for Israel as well as the international church.

There is a time and place for everything. Contrast this picture with the words of Jehovah in Isaiah chapter 62. “For Zion‘s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet until her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch” (:1). Note how important it is to keep verses in their context!

A Psalm illustrates not only the plan of God as seen above, but the presence of God. “You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise. You know my thoughts….You are familiar with all my ways”(Psalm 139:1-3). This can be rather disconcerting when we admit there are times when we do not understand ourselves. God knows. Amazing! Even more thrilling is God’s omnipresence. The Psalmist continues…”Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”(:7).

Scripture is full of promises of God’s faithfulness, of His abiding with His people, of the Holy Spirit now indwelling believers (Matthew 28:20, 1 Corinthians 6:19). These bring great comfort in times of distress and hardship.

In the end, both the saved and the unsaved will come before God. Jesus describes this event “When the Son of Man comes in His glory….He will sit on His throne…..All nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate the people……the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left…..Then the King will say – ” (Matthew 25:31-34). There is no escape! Those who follow Jesus have nothing to fear. Take heart! “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you”(:34).

Reflection:

Why would anyone want to escape God? It is impossible to hide from Him. ”Where can I go from Your Spirit O God?” (Psalm 139:7). David follows this question with several questions beginning with “if” demonstrating the omnipresence of God. There is no escaping One who is everywhere!

by Marilyn Daniels (MarilynDaniels.net)

Devotional

The Paraclete

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John 3:6-8

Paraclete is defined as an advocate; one called to aid or support; hence, the consoler, comforter or intercessor, a term applied to the Holy Spirit, who is invisible. In the world of the supernatural there are forces we contend with, some of which draw folks into the realm of fear. These fears might be dispelled if we have a true understanding of the supernatural. Wikipedia helps us with that term: The supernatural is phenomena or entities that are not subject to the laws of nature. Isn’t it amazing to think that they are under the laws of the great Creator, God! This also loosely describes the Holy Spirit who is the unseen “wind” which “blows wherever it [He] pleases” (John 3:8).

First we must note there are three forces which govern the supernatural. All other “beings” whether angelic, Satanic or otherwise, are created beings, designed by one God who is represented in three persons (Colossians 1:16). Most of us are familiar with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one in substance, but three in function. NB. Satan and his angels were created perfect by God who is holy, but they chose to challenge God and became His enemies. As created beings, the devil and his followers are still subject to the will of God (Job 1 & 2).

For our purposes today let us consider the Holy Spirit, One who cannot be seen and therefore falls into the category of the supernatural. Though we cannot see Him, but we know He is there, actually the source of all comfort, power and spiritual understanding, our Paraclete! Recently I heard a sermon which gloriously simplified what often we make complex. In His last words to His disciples, Jesus instructed them to wait for “the gift” promised by the Father and about whom He had frequently spoken as He prepared them for His absence (Acts 1:4). This gift could not be earned nor was it deserved; it is given only to those who received and believed Jesus, as Saviour and Lord.

When the Holy Spirit enters the life of a believer, we are actually receiving the Divine person and will. Now that is powerful! We are compelled to seek God’s will day by day because our lives are being transformed into the image of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are gifted with grace to love. We’re energized to enter into spiritual battle. This supernatural phenomenon is named the Holy Spirit. If we thought about it seriously, it almost defies imagination that part of the Godhead lives within us, shaping us into the image of Christ. What a gift!

We, as believers, are sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30). This gives us security. We are baptised by the Spirit into one body, of which Christ is the head (Colossians 1:18). This gives us community! God’s Sovereignty is at play when we see the working of the Holy Spirit. This gives us purity. As He did in the Old Testament, God sends the Holy Spirit specifically to accomplish His purposes today. Our goal is to live out each day in the fulness of what we have been given, by yielding all that we are and have to the control of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes we pray as if we thought God was out there to serve “me” and to supply “my” needs. In the broader picture, life is not all about me, but the Holy Spirit widens our scope and gives us opportunity to serve, to give of ourselves to others as Jesus gave of Himself, in His daily ministry. It is for this we are empowered! Whether we are sitting in a wheelchair or capable of great fetes of physical strength, the power is the same gift, given so that we might “be” what God wants us to be.

Reflection:

Have we ever thought of the Holy Spirit as a gift? Let us welcome the work of the Holy Spirit, listening to His voice as we yield ourselves into God’s service. We have the choice to believe and receive all that our Lord Jesus Christ has planned for us, but it must be done His way. The Paraclete waits to guide us day by day. Think of how the world was changed by 12 ordinary men who yielded their lives to the power of the Paraclete. Do we have the faith to believe this could happen again if we are totally committed to using the gifts given by the gift Himself?

by Marilyn Daniels (MarilynDaniels.net)

Devotional

God Save the King

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Romans 13:1-7

For most of my life there has been a Queen. I do remember the day King George the sixth died, the ceremony as the flag at school was lowered, but now, seventy years later the Queen is dead. There are many lessons to be learned from history. However, a few verses written by the Apostle Paul teach us where to place our trust in changing times.

The first King over the Jewish nation was chosen by God. In fact the first 3 were specifically appointed by God. Saul, because he rejected God’s ways was replaced by David, whose son Solomon became famous as the wisest man on earth. Their histories are recorded in the Old Testament books of 1-2 Chronicles and 1-2 Kings. Since then many kings have projected the thought that they were chosen by God, but the truth remains to be seen. Certainly many of David’s descendants did not live lives which glorified God.

The Bible says “Everyone must submit himself [herself] to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established”. Do we believe that? Apparently submission to ruling authorities was important to Paul since he also instructed Titus to “remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good” (Titus 3:1). It is interesting to note that Titus’ ministry took him to the former Yugoslavia (Dalmatia) as well as to Corinth and to Crete, where he died.

Peter also was concerned that followers of Jesus would “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God”. Part of that entailed submission – “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men, whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by Him [God] to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right” (1 Peter 2:12-14).

“It is important to recognize that God establishes and upholds the principle of government even though some governments do not fulfill His desires” (Ryrie). These rulers appointed by God are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrong-doer (Romans 13:4). We must recall incidents in the Old Testament when the Jews were dispersed because they refused to follow God. The land God had given to them was over taken by pagans. In recent history we have seen the promise of God to restore them to their land, coming true when they gained their independence in 1948.

Today a new King sits on the throne of England. Queen Elizabeth was a follower of Jesus and her faith in Jesus is being celebrated as an integral part of her life. King Charles 3 has already declared his faith nurtured in the Anglican Church. Let us pray that his life, going forward, will bring glory to God as his mother’s did. For her 90th birthday a book was published “The Servant Queen and the King She Serves”. She was pleased to call herself a “servant” of the King of Kings!

Reflection:

God has a purpose in everything He does. He remains actively engaged in the affairs of men and women here on earth. We may not always understand why He allows suffering, sickness, famine, flood and fire, but we must never forget He must remain true to Himself. He is a God of love, but He is also the God of justice. When He warns us that judgment will fall He means it. We need to review, from time to time, what we actually believe about God. If we believe He hears and answers prayer, let us pray that God will save the new King!

by Marilyn Daniels (MarilynDaniels.net)

Devotional

Meditate

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Joshua 1:8

Looking in my Bible’s concordance the words meditate, or meditation seem to be all in the Old Testament. One of the best-known examples of this would be God’s instructions to Joshua as God placed him in leadership of the Israelite nation, following Moses. Three times God tells Joshua there is nothing to fear; God calls him to be courageous ( Joshua 1: 6a, 7a, 9). The basis of Joshua’s confidence is two-fold. The promise – “The Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (1:9). As well the law would protect him. “Be careful to obey all the law….do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth” (1:7, 8).

What does it mean to meditate? Synonyms for meditate are  muse, ponder, and ruminate. While all these words mean “to consider or examine attentively or deliberately,” meditate implies a definite focusing of one’s thoughts on something, so as to understand it deeply.

In 1 Timothy 4:15 Paul uses the Greek word for meditation. He did this because he knew that it was not immoral for the Church member to do so and because he knew that they could relate to this language.

“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress”

Writing to the Philippian church he admonished them with a final thought: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4:8). Oh that the media today could be trained to bring us this kind of news! Our hearts grow weary hoping for some good news as wars and hatred, sex and violence , graft and corruption dominate the news. Satan has ways of drawing our thoughts far away from things that are holy.

Sadly Christians are sometimes led astray, hoping to have quick and easy devotions. Books have been written to give us just a thought for the day. Is this enough to know our God, to know either His character or His laws? David, known as a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), wrote about mediation at least twelve time in the Psalms.

He found God’s unfailing love irresistible (Psalm 48:9). Along with that He also praised God as he meditated on all His works and wonders (Psalm 77:12, 119:27, 143:5, 145:5). David mentions God’s precepts, decrees and statutes as worthy of his focus (Psalm 119:15, 48, 99).

I’ve just completed a study of the Pentateuch. The laws of the Lord are so detailed, covering every aspect of life. What does this tell us as we mediate? God cares about every detail of our lives – Jesus said that even the hairs of each head are known (counted) (Luke 12:7). When misfortune falls we want to know that God understands the minutiae of our situation. When we turn to Him, the Creator of our minds and bodies, we pray with confidence that He knows above and beyond what we can see with our mortal eyes and understanding.

Meditation is intentional. God told Joshua to “be careful” (1:7). The success of his mission would lie in his personal obedience to the law of God, if he took the time to ponder, to muse on what Moses had received from the lips of God, and had carefully written down. We know that God’s promises to Joshua held true. Because he made the right choices “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15), his life made an impact on the nation he served. “Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him” (Joshua 24:31).

Reflection:

What glorious truths do we miss when we scan over a scripture, rushing to get into our day? How exciting it is to find thoughts which permeate each moment of our day with the greatness of our God! These are the thoughts which prepare our hearts to share His presence, His love and His watch-care with others whom we meet during the day. May God bless you as you meditate!

by Marilyn Daniels (MarilynDaniels.net)

Devotional

The Privileged Life

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Philippians 4:4, 10-13

How many of us have compared ourselves to the rich and famous from time to time, and wondered what it would be like to have no material needs? Let me share the story of a young woman I once knew. Her job took her to many countries around the world; money was not an issue in her home. Which one of us wouldn’t like to be rich enough to travel? We might forget to count the cost – consider how difficult it was for her to leave her children behind for days at time. Her health suffered from lack of proper rest and eating. She was always running, always fatigued, always feeling guilty because she couldn’t give the quality time she wanted to either her job or children, and suddenly she found herself considering suicide. Things are not always as good as they look.

Poverty comes in different packages. Some folks are rich in spirit. I remember being hosted in very humble homes in Kenya, homes where the joy of the Lord reigned over a simple cup of Kenyan tea. Yet how impoverished are the rich, who like Zacchaeus had spent his lifetime robbing folks in order to gain wealth.

What is it then, that gives us a sense of privilege? God created human beings with everything necessary for a good and happy life. Adam and Eve didn’t need clothes in order to be fashionably trendy. Their diet was very simply vegetarian. They were surrounded by beauty, and they walked with God. If it wasn’t posh, it was a privileged life.

Perhaps we need to examine our expectations. What is legitimate and what is unfortunate? The thing is – God has placed each one of us in circumstances from which we can and will, learn and grow. What we learn is up to us. Will we become bitter or better? Will we spend time regretting the past, blaming and shaming others, or will we take the gifts God has given to us and make them into something that blesses His heart?

Each one of us has been given gifts of personality and temperament. We choose what characteristics we allow to shape us, by using the strength of will God has also given to us. The whole issue is one of choice. There are heroic testimonies of folks who have overcome terrible odds – super heroes in the Para-Olympics, for example. Why are they different from another human being who moans and groan their way through daily life?

Made in the image of God, we have the privilege of choosing what we will be remembered for. Have we been generous and kind, or do self-centered habits alienate us from others? I learned from the poorest of the poor that sharing what one has, makes one feel rich.

Reflection:

Jesus challenges us today to love others as we love ourselves, because He loved us enough to die for us! This is the privileged life! God knew from the beginning that the plan of salvation included not just His chosen people, the Jews, but also included the Gentiles. He prophesied to Abraham thousands of years before Christ came to earth, that his seed would bless the nations. I am a Gentile, as probably most are, who read this. Consider the privilege we have of being grafted into the Branch, the Lord Jesus Christ! (Jeremiah 23:5) I want the whole world to know that joy and peace come from our relationship to God through the Lord Jesus, don’t you? It is my privilege to share Jesus with others, as He shared his life with me. What is your privilege?

by Marilyn Daniels (MarilynDaniels.net)