A Devotion May Be Someone's Only Bible
The peace we find in the presence of Christ is like crawling under a warm blanket on a cold winter’s day or feeling the soft breeze on a warm spring morning. Seeking after God is a continual process that grows us into a deep and long lasting relationship with Him. Come into His presence and find peace.
I love how C.S. Lewis sets the scene of Gabriel’s announcement to Mary. Lewis says that God’s great plan “narrows and narrows until at last it comes down to a little point, small as the point of a spear— a Jewish girl at her prayers.”
Later, after she’s had time to ponder it all, Mary bursts into song at what she has learned about the goodness, power, and faithfulness of Israel’s God.
My soul magnifies the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has looked upon the humble state of His slave,
For behold, from this time on, all generations will count me blessed.
For the Mighty One has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
He has done a mighty deed with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his seed forever.
(Luke 1:46-55 LSB)
In the moments leading up to Gabriel’s appearance, Mary would have had no idea that the time had arrived for God’s ancient promises to come true and that she was to play such a pivotal (and painful) role in fulfilling those promises.
In the moments before Gabriel appeared and changed her world (and ours), all Mary knew was that Yahweh had made lavish promises to her people and that He had demonstrated His fearsome power in delivering His people from their bondage to Egypt.
We are all Mary. In the dark circumstances of this moment, in the utter chaos of our world, we, like Mary, may never find outward security. But we can know this much: God keeps His promises, and His timing is always impeccable.
We can also know that when He calls us to play our role in His work, He will give us the grace and strength to say, with Mary, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.”
Whatever God asks of you, say yes.
During the years I lived aboard ships, I knew that whenever I heard the “all hands on deck” order, it was intended for every crew member not already engaged in essential work.
No one questioned whether to report for duty. Often, extra help was needed to load provisions delivered to the dock. Men and women dutifully formed a long human chain that wound over the decks and down to the food store. We hefted boxes from one person to another. The job was accomplished swiftly and with good-natured banter. After all, we knew we would all benefit.
When we become followers of Christ, we are, in effect, signing aboard a ship that will eventually carry us to heaven. Christ paid a big price to make this possible, and there is no free passage. Each of us is assigned duties to help the ship sail, and we are glad to perform them out of love and gratitude to our Captain. Additionally, we can expect times when “all hands” are called to a particular task. The Captain often challenges us to get involved with opportunities above and beyond the routine.
Christ did not give His command to carry His Good News to the world to just a handful of followers two thousand years ago. He still waits for some of us to obey. None of us are exempt. And until we take part, we cannot expect to receive His “well done” when we finally reach port.
Be grateful for the privilege of serving under God’s command, then commit to obeying His orders, whenever and wherever they lead.
Each fall, ladybugs inundate us, with thousands showing up and doing their best to get into our house to survive the winter. I spray the outside of the house with a special product I bought online. It does a great job but leaves the windows with a transparent stain that’s difficult to remove, especially from the second story. I can spray the windows with an outdoor cleaner, but I can’t reach them to squeegee the cleaner off. Hence, we have spotty or streaky windows on the second floor. I must respray the windows with the cleaner. Although annoying, my wife says closing the drapes isn’t an option.
I often fail at something because I’m in a hurry and really don’t want to read directions or think things through—like putting the kids’ Christmas gifts together when they were young or fixing something motorized or mechanical. Even when I write these devotions, I must read them a few times to ensure I don’t say anything lame.
God reminded Job of people’s frailties and limitations and that God does all things without any limitations. Job responded as we all should. And God’s perfect purpose for us is that we are redeemed.
That’s the difference between us and our Lord. He does everything perfectly the first time, every time. During creation, He created something new every day and said it was good. He put everything into motion so that the world and its creatures could maintain and sustain in the circle of life. Such as the rotation of the earth, the revolution of the earth around the sun, the perfect amount of elements in our atmosphere, the complexity of our bodies, and how every organ interacts perfectly for us to live. It’s all good.
Determine to live like a redeemed child of God. After all, God bought you with the price of His perfect Son.
One day, years ago, I walked out of a department store carrying a dust mop I hadn’t paid for. I had slung it over my shoulder while shopping for other items. I had not set out to steal the thing, but when I returned to my car and realized I still carried it, I felt justified in keeping it. After all, someone should have noticed me leaving without paying. I actually felt good about getting something for free.
Later, my outlook on right and wrong changed when I became a Christian. I studied Scripture and attended church regularly, learning what Jesus expected of us. I eliminated a few choice words from my vocabulary—ones I’d often used when frustrated—and decided certain television shows and movies were not appropriate for me to watch. I also developed a conscience.
One August day, I forgot to pay for a case of soda I’d stuck under the grocery cart. I knew returning to pay for it was the right thing to do. Yet I rationalized that it was the clerk’s responsibility to have noticed it when I checked out. Besides, it was an honest mistake. The temperature was 95 degrees, and I was hot and tired. No one would know what I’d done. Well, no one except God. So, I trekked back across the parking lot to pay.
Paul proclaims that those who accept Christ are made new. As representatives of the one who made us, we’re supposed to emulate Him as much as possible. I was no longer the person I had been and could no longer behave like my former self.
Our human nature will continue tempting us to do wrong, but if we listen to God, He will guide us to do what’s right. Being a new creation in Christ is worth millions of times more than a case of my favorite soda.
Determine to let the new change the way you speak and act.
No documented cases exist of an adult being what-n-why’d to death by the incessant inquiries from a small child, but that doesn’t mean it’s never happened. Anyone who’s spent time around children knows they are the fount of never-ending wonder and questions.
In the future your children will ask you, “What is the meaning of these laws, decrees, and regulations that the LORD our God has commanded us to obey?” God gave this verse to parents to prepare them to address a specific category of whats and whys: those concerning faith and religious practices. As the children of Israel prepared to inhabit the Promised Land, God equipped them with laws, decrees, and regulations for success and prosperity in their new home. He instructed them to catechize their offspring in these truths at every teachable moment and answer inevitable questions their children would ask.
Imagine the questions those children had as they watched their parents prepare Passover, bring offerings to the Tabernacle, and honor the Sabbath. What amazing stories their mothers and fathers had to share. They would recount suffering slavery in Egypt and a hard-hearted Pharaoh who refused to release his slaves.
After devastating plagues, the Israelites finally escaped in the dark of night, only to be nearly recaptured before God parted the Red Sea, allowing them to cross while Pharaoh and his army drowned. They dined on manna from heaven each morning and received the Ten Commandments from atop a mountain that burned and quaked with the presence of Yahweh. They had experienced such an incredible journey under the longsuffering Moses to the land that flowed with milk and honey.
When God instructed parents in the old days to be prepared for future questions, He expected them to faithfully keep His commands and lovingly instruct their children to do the same. Scripture reminds us that younger generations are listening to our words and watching our actions—especially as they relate to the things of God.
Consider your example and the experiences you share. When your children ask you, enthusiastically respond with the hope that lies within you. Instill the same love and awe of God that those Israelite parents did by sharing God’s testimonies, laws, and decrees with your little ones for them to pass down to future generations.