Read today together the song from Psalm 130 where the pilgrims going up from Jericho to Jerusalem for celebrations there sing as they walk and climb up the hills.
Psalms 130(ESV) A SONG OF ASCENTS. 1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! 2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. 5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; 6 my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. 7 O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. 8 And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Out of the depth of our despairs we cry out to You our God. Please Yahweh hear my voice as I call to You for the mercy that I need. There are no other ears that hear my heart.
I see my own heart in this cry of despair as I read. If God would mark down my iniquities I would be immediately condemned to death. The word in the Hebrew for iniquity here is the word “avon” or “aon”. This word is not just a sin against God where we make a mistake but goes to our bent nature or the perversity of our hearts. We have a rebellious nature that is at the root of our lives that can only be addressed by the ministration of our God by the application of a new heart that we receive when we accept Jesus as Lord.
In God’s Word do I hope. I have only a future and a hope of life to come if I trust in the Word of God which He has spoken. I may not remember all that I have learned immediately, but I am confident every day that God has forgiven me and given me life today and in the future.
What is the sin that we cannot atone for ourselves?
I look for Your help O LORD as the watchman of the night looks for the dawn to come. It is repeated for emphasis, give me hope for my heart, my God, who sees me as I am. Let me see the details of the world around me so that I can walk with Your guidance.
What is the spiritual nature of all that I see at the dawning of understanding?
Only in Yahweh is there lovingkindness (hesed) where God loves us unconditionally if we turn our hearts to Him. Only in our God is there any chance of forgiveness, which is only from His desire to save us and bless us. God is the only source of redemption which is the purchase of us back from the life of perversity we cannot root out ourselves.
How do we come to complete dependence on God for our lives?
Jeremiah 31:3-6(NLT) Long ago the LORD said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. 4 I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel. You will again be happy and dance merrily with your tambourines. 5 Again you will plant your vineyards on the mountains of Samaria and eat from your own gardens there. 6 The day will come when watchmen will shout from the hill country of Ephraim, ‘Come, let us go up to Jerusalem to worship the LORD our God.’”
Prayer
Our Father God, give us the lovingkindness of Your nature to comfort our bent lives. Bring us into Your presence by the intervention of Your Son and give us the intercession that we need to forgive us. Thank you Father for the life You have given us and the hope of a future to come. Help us O LORD as we call out to You the Father of us all. We pray for Your help in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
Today we are reading from Luke 12 where Jesus tells several parables concerning money and possessions. The first one we read is about a man who had a great farm and abundant crops.
Luke 12:16-21(NLT) Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops. 17 He said to himself, ‘What should I do? I don’t have room for all my crops.’ 18 Then he said, ‘I know! I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I’ll have room enough to store all my wheat and other goods. 19 And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ 21 “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
So what is the meaning of the parable? Don’t harvest all your crops and store them up? Or is it that our lives are short and we don’t know when they will end? Maybe it is that when our storage units are full we should build our own pole barn behind our McMansion?
Then in verses 22-34 Jesus gives us an expanded meaning of what he is teaching us. Our vision and a Godly direction of our possessions is for an honorable purpose.
Luke 12:22-34(NLT) Teaching about Money and Possessions 22 Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things? 27 “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 28 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 29 “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. 30 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. 31 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. 32 “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. 33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
What principles of life are in the parable?
Eating and drinking are important for our lives to sustain us, but God will supply the “bread of our need” today and always as we trust in him for our sustenance and strength. Our clothing is important otherwise it would be embarrassing for others to see us in our physical glory but the latest fashions and finery should not matter for our lives. Our physical clothing and appearance are important in that we want to be good ambassadors for Christ, but the clothing we have and use should be in moderation of style and presence.
Our thoughts should not go to what great restaurant we would be going to, what exotic foods and drinks we should try, or what elaborate setting to enjoy this all at. It is not wrong for us to sometimes have a great supper out at a five star place, but that should not be what concerns our minds and thoughts.
What does it mean for us to “seek the kingdom of God above all else”?
Jesus shows us that our minds and hearts should be focused on the things of God as the framework for the way that we live, work, speak and act. Our hearts should be straight to walk on God’s pathway, looking to please Him in our lives.
Jesus further states that it is God’s desire and pleasure to include us in His kingdom to come. What a comfort to read these words. We are so willing to fall back into religion and law where we want to draw a box around the people that we think should be part of the kingdom to come. This is true religion which is what man says about God and tells Him to do.
True belief and walk with God sees people the way that God sees them. He is loving and merciful ready to include and care for those who turn to Him. When we act in accordance with His love and purpose God promises that we will have the resources to accomplish His intentions. Jesus admonishes us to sell our surplus possessions and give the resources to those that have need of them. This is not to make ourselves destitute or not plan for our future with good investments, but rather that our hearts should be about God’s purpose and plan.
Then Jesus tells us that we should get storage units that mice don’t get into, that don’t rust and deteriorate. Where a thief cannot steal away our thoughts and beliefs. Our purses should be the ones that store for the future the things of God, ready for the day the resource is needed. If our purses are for God’s purposes they won’t wear out or fall apart.
What does it mean for our thoughts to be on the Kingdom of God where the thief cannot steal them?
Further on Jesus tells a parable about a faithful servant or steward of a household. He gives a picture of that person and how he should act and what he should do. Then leave it to Peter to ask a question which I think comes from all our hearts at times.
Luke 12:41-44(NLT) Peter asked, “Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 43 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 44 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns.
Is the parable really for us to follow or just a great story?
Luke 12:48b (NLT) When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
What is the greatest treasure that you have for your life?
I am many times so humbled and overwhelmed by the thoughts that God so loved me to have great teachers of the Word show me the pathway of life. The treasure that we have an immense surplus of is not eathly possessions but the wonderful truth of the Word of God to share with all the world. Jesus challenges us to change our hearts and minds to minister to the others in this world the words of life He has given us.
Prayer
Father God, help us to see others as You see them and to minister to those in spiritual and physical need using the resources that You have so freely given us. Father, change our hearts so that our words and actions may be Yours. Help us to overcome our fears and worries, casting all our cares on You and trusting You to give us the help we always need. Father, give us the bread we need this day so that we can be the faithful servants You have called us to be. We love You, Father. We ask these things in the name of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the gospels of Matthew and Luke the disciples of Christ ask him how they should pray. He tells them to pray as follows.
Luke 11:1-2(NLT) As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray:
Today we call it “The Lord’s Prayer”.
Luke 11:1-4(NKJV) Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.” 2 So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 3 Give us day by day our daily bread. 4 And forgive us our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.”
The Aramaic language translation of some of the phrases are “let it come, your kingdom”, “let it be done, your will”.
How would that change your perspective of the prayer?
Jesus tells us to pray to “Our Father”. This is completely new to Jewish people because they never had addressed God as their Father. This is the change that comes to us today as the children of God. Then he goes to the main part of the prayer. There are seven parts to the prayer. Three parts are for God, and three are for us to do for God. In the middle is the food we need as our daily bread. Think of this prayer as an inversion of statements.
Things that are for God
1.) “Your Name may it be holy”
2.) “let it come soon, your kingdom”
3.) “Let it be done, your will on earth as it is in heaven”
In the middle is bread
4.) “Give us the food of our need today”
Things that we need to do
5.) “Forgive our sins as we have forgiven those who sin against us”
6.) “Let us not yield to temptation”
7.) “Rescue us from the evil one”
“Your name, let it be holy”
does not give us any responsibility for making God’s name holy. We can no more make God’s name holy than we can make fire hot. The phrase “make the fire become hot” is not something we are able to do. The same is for making the name of God holy.
Isaiah 6:3(NLT) They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
God makes His name holy which is the center of who He is and is His nature. God demonstrates his holiness in His love for people and in the salvation that He brings to His people.
“Let it come soon, your kingdom”
Luke 17:20-21(NLT) One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?” Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. 21 You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.”
Jesus’ kingdom is not from here on earth but is from heaven. It comes to us in the person of Christ. It is both near to us and far away. It is soon but we do not know when. It comes alive when we obey God and do His commandments.
The help we gain by praying for the coming of God’s kingdom is that it gives us a connection with all past, future and present events and persons. It encourages us who are involved in the doing of God’s will in the current heaven and earth. Our prayer is for the will of God to be done here and now. And then we pray for the new heavens and earth to come..
“Let it be done, your will on earth as it is in heaven”
God’s will is done in heaven always but God’s will is not yet being done on earth except when His people obey Him. God directs all of history but gives each person the freedom of will to choose what they do and how they act. When we do God’s will now the kingdom comes alive today in our lives. Prayer connects us to God every day.
“Give us today the bread of our need today” (Aramaic translation)
It is in the middle of the prayer and is generally the focus of our daily lives. We are concerned with our food, but also all the things that it takes to live in this world. That is what the term “bread” means in the prayer. God is concerned with everything that we need to live.
It is not a prayer to get riches or wealth but to meet our needs in every way we need. Our food, clothing, shelter, and health are all in God’s care.
John 6:32-35(NLT) Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. 33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.” 35 Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
How can we change from the desire for physical bread to the desire for spiritual bread?
“Forgive our sins as we have forgiven those who sin against us”
See how Jesus connects God forgiving us of our sins to our forgiveness of others. This wasn’t the way that the Jews treated people at that time. In many ways they wanted God to forgive them, but they didn’t take any responsibility to forgive others.
What should be our attitude toward those who have wronged us?
Why is the forgiveness of others so important to our walk with Christ?
“Let us not yield to temptation”
These words are filled with difficulty: What is temptation? Or is it trials?
God doesn’t lead us into temptation or give us trials. We are tempted from our own selves, and this causes us trials in life when we sin and disobey God. Temptations are of our own making.
James 1:13 (KJV) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
Our human nature is to do what God has told us not to do. The prayer is then for God to help us to resist and then avoid the trials of the making from our own self-destructive nature.
“Rescue us from the evil one”
Can be translated as “deliver us from evil” or as “deliver us from the evil one”.
There is a personal and impersonal side to Satan. He does not have power to directly affect us when we are in fellowship with God. But we need God’s help for deliverance from the evil one. Our human failing and sin defeats us when we do not trust God in our lives. Fear defeats God’s promises and help.
Job 3:25 (KJV) For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. 26I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.
Job is almost destroyed by Satan because of his fear of God not blessing him. Our prayer to God is in the name of Jesus Christ and our trust that God will help us in every way is what will defeat the Satan in our lives.
John 14:12-14(NLT) I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!
We see a great example of prayer in Ephesians where Paul prays for the church and the people in it. This is a good guide for us to follow.
Ephesians 3:14-21(NLT) When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, 15 the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. 16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.
What can we do to improve our prayer each day as Jesus taught us and then trust in our Father in heaven to be with us?
Prayer
Father God our Abba, help us to change our hearts to be obedient to Your Word and direction. Thank you for changing our thoughts to be like Your thoughts. Thank you for changing our eyes to see like Your eyes and hear with Your ears. God, You have given us grace and mercy without measure and we love You. Thanks for the Gift of Your Son who has redeemed us and make us able. We pray in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ this day.
“1“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says Yahweh.” (Jer 23:1, REV). Jeremiah isn’t called the “weeping prophet” for no reason, he is not only torn and anguished by the compounded sins of his people, but he’s distressed because there are prophets who are telling the people lies (See Jeremiah 14:14), bad shepherds. We see in that chapter that not only are the “prophets” lying in God’s name, but the people who are listening to these lying prophets instead of God are going to be penalized (See Jer 14:16). He is constantly and faithfully relaying the word of Yahweh to the people, a word of warning and a call to repentance, and the lying prophets are saying “there will be peace.” Of course he’s frustrated to the point of tears, these are his people, and God is speaking to them but they’re just not hearing it.
So while there is a woe that will befall the bad shepherds (this is also brought up in a few other places: see Eze 34:2 and Zech 11:17 for a couple other references to this theme), it should be very sharply understood by the sheep that if they choose to ignore God and have their ears tickled instead, it won’t end well for them either. For us. We are the sheep. So how do we know if we’re doing right, and following the right shepherd? How do we know we’re not galloping en masse toward the edge of a cliff, or about to be eaten by wolves? We, as sheep, need to take some responsibility for our own well being: because it’s our lives that are at stake.
Here are just a few suggestions:
Scripturational Awareness: “Turn to the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light of dawn in them. ” (Isa 8:20, REV). Situational awareness is very important, but scripturational awareness (yes, I know it’s a made up word, but it works so shh!) is even more important. Know your scripture. It is SUPER easy to believe something a charismatic smiling guy is telling you with a look of sincere conviction, even if the only reason he believes it is that at some other time some other smiling charismatic guy told him the same thing with a look of sincere conviction. Don’t fall for it. The scripture is our ruler, our standard. Not tradition, not guys in suits, not any specific denomination, but God’s word, and God’s word alone. I don’t need a guy in a suit telling me something that sounds beautiful if he has no dawn, I want to see the dawn.
Situational Awareness: “…You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you are not able to interpret the signs of the times. ” (Jesus, Matt 16:3, REV). I have watched someone I love happily and obliviously counting out a stack of money onto their lap while a street gang looked on with intensely growing interest behind her. Acknowledging your situation can save your life. Ok, look around you. Be honest. Does it look like we, as a people, are listening to the voice of God and humbly and obediently following His will? If not (spoiler alert, the answer is no) you should be reeeeeeeaaaally careful to not listen to anyone saying “peace, peace, tomorrow will be just like today, only better” because at least according to scripture (the testimony and the law), that’s just not how God operates. Read the room, because like it or not, this is the room that you’re standing in. Maybe clean out your corner of it before Dad comes home.
Relational Awareness: “The earth is Yahweh’s, and all it contains; the world, and those who dwell in it. ” (Ps 24:1). Since the beginning of time, when man was created in the image of God, man has taken that authority and ran with it. Sometimes a little too far and a little too fast. Yes, we were created in the image of God, but we were also created by God. So is everything else here on the earth. It’s all created by God, even us, and it all belongs to Him. We are all under the authority of God, but most of us have either forgotten or chosen to ignore this very simple foundational understanding that brings life: there is a God, and you are not Him. Know your role, and humbly seek to obey your creator. Pray, fast, humble yourself, and seek God.
This is all very concerning, for those who are paying attention, but there’s hope. Jer 23:4-5 says “I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them, and they will fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor will any be missing, says Yahweh. Behold, the days are coming, says Yahweh, that I will raise for David a righteous Branch, and he will reign as king and deal wisely, and will execute justice and righteousness in the land.” (REV). We believe that this righteous branch has come and will come again, our Messiah, the king, Jesus. Please also note that the word that is translated as righteous/ness here is (once again) “tzedakah”, do a search (just type in “tzedakah” in the search bar on this website) to get a fuller understanding of what that means and implies. It’s important.
This is of the utmost importance. In a world with thousands of shepherds, each herding their sheep in a different direction, we need to ensure that we’re listening to the Good Shepherd, the man God sent, our Messiah. Yesterday’s devotion touched on this a little as well. We need to listen to Jesus. There’s an ancient book called “The Didache” that deals extensively with the workings of the (very) early church. In it, one of the methods offered by which to discern a false apostle or bad shepherd was “do they ask for money? If they do, they’re a false apostle.”. Jesus never asked for any money, just saying. All I remember Jesus saying about money is that one cannot serve both God and money (Matt 6:24). Hrmm, interesting.
That means that even if someone else has a very melodious voice, even if they’re very handsome and charismatic, even if they preach at a mega-church (which are in and of themselves all fine things), even if they have thousands and thousands of followers: if they say anything other than exactly what Jesus was saying, it’s because they have no dawn. They won’t see the morning when the morning comes. The people who are following them blindly won’t either. Let that sink in.
We have a God that loves us intensely, whom we have grieved over and over with our disregard and misplaced priorities. Yes, God is love. He sent us Jesus as a way for us be be reconciled, to once again dwell with our God: we have one good shepherd that will lead us back to our God, and a thousand bad shepherds that will lead us to destruction. We only need to listen to the one that God sent.
“If Yahweh does not build a house, those who built it labored in vain. If Yahweh does not watch over a city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. ” (Ps 127:1, REV). Please, be careful. Examine yourself daily, speak to God regularly, ask Him to reveal to you your own hidden faults, and seek His wisdom in correcting them. Act generously towards your fellow creation, and seek to the best of your ability to fulfill the tasks that we as servants of the living God have been given. Listen to Jesus, follow the only Good Shepherd, the one God sent.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Why do you think there are such a large number of bad shepherds in the world, and why do you think they are thriving?
If I gave you $100 for every bible verse you memorized, would you memorize more verses?
Why? (It’s a deep question. Think about it.)
PRAYER
Father God, Thank you for life. Please guide me, there are so many distractions here, so many things and theories that are not from you, please grant me discernment and wisdom and help me to follow Jesus alone, to your glory. Thank you Father, in Jesus name, Amen.
Ok, to be fair, in the target verse I took the title from there are only 2 “Martha”s, but every time I read this verse I think of the old Brady Bunch television show and crack up laughing. In the context of the show, Jan (a younger sister) would often complain that Marcia was receiving all the attention, leading to the whined repetition of her sister’s name. This is often (and incorrectly) quoted as “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!” (it’s actually “Marcia”, pronounced the same, spelled differently).
The sentiment expressed biblically is exactly the same though: hey, why are they getting all the attention, when I’m the one doing the work here? How often do you feel as if you’re going above and beyond when _______ (insert any name here) is really just not trying nearly as hard. I know I’m absolutely guilty of that at times, both at my job and at my home.
Here in America (where I live), we have a phrase: “phoning it in.”. It implies that the person in question is too lazy to even show up to work, and they are “phoning it in.”. I say with shame that I have on occasions in the past when I have felt like I was shouldering the majority burden of a load around the house called out to my wife “Hey, it’s 865.”. To which she’d go, “What is?” and I’d reply “that’s our area code, so when you’re phoning it in you’ll at least get close to where we live.” (I know, I know…).
The problem with that is, and I’ve said this many times: when we stand before the throne of judgment on the last day, what other people have done will not enter into the conversation. Each person’s actions are between them and God, when we make preliminary judgment we’re taking a dangerous action. Remember the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (in Luke 18)? The Pharisee was puffed up by all the things he had done, the Tax Collector just begged God for forgiveness, and only one of them went home justified that night before God.
The verse that the title is taken from is near the very end of this chapter, and says (Luke 10:41-42): But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,but one thing is necessary; indeed, Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (the REV translation is used throughout this devotion).
Like us, Martha is anxious and troubled about many things. Jesus tells her, and us, though: but one thing is necessary. What is the one thing? To listen to Jesus. To sit obediently at his feet and listen to the things that he tells us. Mary got to do this in person, to gaze up at our Teacher as he spoke. We have to rely on the scriptures, and the urgings of the spirit, but the one thing that is necessary remains the same. Listen to Jesus.
So backing up in this chapter, Jesus says and does a few things. Let’s listen to Jesus. If you flip back to the previous chapter (9) Jesus sends out the 12. At the beginning of this chapter, he sends out the 72, with roughly the same mission. One of the things he said to them stands out to me, in verse 3 he says “…I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”.
When I first began attending Atlanta Bible College, freshly come from life as a career criminal (yes, of course there’s a story there…), Kent Ross asked me about a week in how I was doing with it all. Kent was awesome. I had to think about it really hard, so it took me a second to answer him, and I said “Kent, I feel like a wolf among sheep.”. He just smiled and patted me on the shoulder and said “It’ll get better”, and he was right.
When the 72 returned, they marvelled that even the demons submitted to them. Jesus warned them not to rejoice in this, but to rejoice instead that their names were written in heaven (presumably in the “book of life”).
When a certain expert of the law (Jewish Orthodox Law) asked Jesus “What must I do to obtain life in the age to come?” (ie, the kingdom of God), Jesus replied, “What is written?”. The implication here is that the understanding and practice of what is written in scripture can lead one to life in the age to come, in the kingdom. The man quoted the Shema (Deut 6:4-5), the absolutely most important commandment, and followed it with Leviticus 19:18. Both are pasted below, since Jesus himself said that this was the greatest and the next greatest commandment both here and in other accounts (in Mark 12:29-32). You should know these verses and have them memorized, because according to Jesus these are the most important commandments:
The Shema, The Greatest Commandment (Deut 6:4-5): “4“Hear, O Israel! Yahweh is our God, Yahweh alone! 5Therefore you are to love Yahweh your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. “
The Golden Rule, the second greatest commandment (Leviticus 19:18): “Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you are to love your neighbor as yourself; I am Yahweh. “
In the parable of the Good Samaritan, just after this conversation, Jesus tells us who our neighbor is that we are to love. It’s everyone, every other vessel of clay that the Lord God Yahweh has made, which is all of us.
What else did Jesus say? Well, Jesus has a God, and tells us that his God and our God are the same God (John 20:17). He says that God has sent him and that he can only say and do the things that God has told him to (John 12:49). Jesus tells us that the Father, Yahweh, is greater than he is (John 14:28). Jesus tells us that he is the Christ, the one whom God has anointed, the man whom God has chosen to be the king (John 4:26). How has the modern church confused and altered such simple teachings? Like Mary and Martha in this story at the end of Luke 10, we need to understand that only one thing is necessary: to listen to Jesus.
If you really want to listen to Jesus, and want a concentrated dose of what Jesus said, I really think (ie, it’s my opinion) that reading and putting in to practice Matthew 5-8 are probably the most important things that we can do to become citizens of the kingdom of God, and to have our names written in the book of life. Please read it for yourself, and tell me if you agree.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Do you ever fall into this trap, of comparing yourself to another human instead of measuring yourself up against God’s expectations?
What is the best way to avoid this pitfall, and how can we implement it in our daily lives?
How often do we just shut up, when we are praying, and try to listen? If we’re talking more than we’re listening, doesn’t that imply that we view the relationship in a skewed fashion?
PRAYER
Father God, please forgive my arrogance when I judge others. Help me not to do that, help me to avoid the things that can trap me in wrong thinking, and please create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. Teach me and help me to listen, guide me and give me the courage to follow, hold me and help me to know I am loved. Thank you God, in Jesus name, Amen.
Genesis 2:7 states that God made man from the “dust of the ground“, and the literal translation of “dust” in this could equally be translated as “dirt/dust/clay/mud/earth”. The literal origin of the species* happened at this time, according to scripture, when God made man (from the dirt/clay/mud of the earth) and “breathed into his nostrils the breath of life“. “Breath” in this verse is also the same exact word for spirit in the original language, by the way, so you could honestly say with accuracy that every human being who is living and breathing at this moment in time has a small piece of the “spirit” or “breath” of God in them. That’s what animates us all, and gives us life.
This is an important concept and it’s ramifications to our place in the universe are pretty extensive. We exist solely because God (1) formed us out of the dirt and (2) breathed into us His breath or spirit, which gave us life. This is a conscious act of creation, an act of will, an intentional making which caused us to be. It’s easy to forget sometimes, when we see some of the other tiny little humans walking about that are famous, wealthy, beautiful, full of pride, etc. Etc.; but we are all creations, jars of clay formed by our creator, God. We live solely because our lungs are filled with the “breath”, or “spirit”, of God. Regardless of our status towards the other humans, we are all the same before God: vessels of clay, which He has formed and animated, creations which He owns since He made it all.
There are a couple verses in Job that I like a lot specifically because they highlight these simple teachings. In Job 33:6 it says: “Behold, I am toward God even as you are. I am also formed out of the clay. ” when the young Elihu speaks to Job, and later in that same conversation, in 34:14-15 he says: “If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath, all flesh would die together and man would turn again to dust.“. Think about that for a moment. God, as the creator of the earth and all the things in it (even us) has absolute authority over all of it, because it is His. This is clearly stated throughout scripture, and most beautifully put in Psalms 24:1 “The earth is Yahweh’s, and all it contains; the world, and those who dwell in it.“.
In our Jeremiah reading today, we get a pretty clear restatement of this simple concept. Jeremiah 18:1-4 reads: “The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, “Get up and go down to the potter’s house and I will tell you my message there.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making a work on the wheels. Whenever the vessel that he made of the clay came out ruined in the hand of the potter, he made it again, into another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. “. It’s a very straightforward visual lesson: perform the purpose for which you are created or else back in the bucket you’ll go. God is the divine potter, we are his clay.
A while back, there was a famous (and now disgraced) comedian who had a great bit in his show about a parental warning that his father gave to his 7 year old self that went something like this: “I brought you into this world, and I can take you out. And it don’t make no difference to me, I’ll make another one look just like you”. Hilarious when presented in the comedy show, it’s a bit ominous and concerning when it turns out to be a scriptural accuracy that is clearly demonstrated in our reading today.
Here are a couple verses to compare and consider, from Jeremiah 17 (please note that ALL scriptures from today’s devotion are quoted from the REV translation, available free online):
“5This is what Yahweh says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in humans and makes flesh his strength, and whose heart departs from Yahweh.”
“7Blessed is the one who trusts in Yahweh, and whose confidence is Yahweh.”
“9The heart is deceitful above all things, and is incurable; who can know it?”
To trust in humans is a curse, to trust in Yahweh is a blessing, and our own hearts are deceitful above all things. This means that even if we really feel like something is right, we need to compare it to scripture and see if it meets the criteria before we can make a discerning judgment.
In my sabbath school class this morning, I heard for the second time a teaching I was unfamiliar with from scripture, the concept that Adam and Eve wore “robes of light” in the garden of Eden. It’s a common belief in the denomination of the church I was attending this morning. Everyone in the class was on board with this belief, but I was unfamiliar with it.
I double checked in scripture, and then raised my hand and politely asked about it. We all had a very respectfully polite and loving conversation about it; while there were some later verses that could be read in a specific way to imply that such a thing might exist (or come to exist for believers), nothing in scripture stated this specifically and more to the point in question, there was nowhere in scripture during the creation story that stated or even implied that Adam and Eve were wearing such a thing (and some verses which seemed to potentially contradict this belief).
As a result, and since scripture is the ruler by which we should measure all of our beliefs, we as a group came to the conclusion that while it was not necessarily detrimental to salvation and perfectly acceptable to be held as a personal belief, the belief that Adam and Eve wore “robes of light” in the garden couldn’t be found anywhere in scripture and therefore shouldn’t be spoken of with certainty when teaching (at least without a caveat mentioned). This conversation was all done in love and unity, with a common seeking an understanding of God’s word. We didn’t all agree on the “robes of light”, but we did all agree that scripture should be our guide.
I offer the above (true) story as a template to a loving and respectful way that we can, as a body of believers, seek after the truth of God’s word in humility and respect and to weigh the truth of scripture against what our heart may hold dear as it has been presented to us in the traditions of man. It’s ok to raise your hand. It’s ok to ask questions. It’s ok to lovingly request clarification on any specific belief or tradition. Then, it’s required to compare that to what the scriptures say, because trusting in men is a curse, but trusting in Yahweh is a blessing. Even if you really feel strongly about something in your heart, because the heart is deceitful above all else.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Think of a time when you really wanted something to be true, but it just wasn’t. How many things did you just think of?
Of all those times you just thought about, how many times was your mistaken belief because you were deceived by others compared to you deceiving yourself?
Do you find yourself sometimes thinking that your jar of clay is better than someone else’s, or vice versa? Why? Do you think that’s scripturally accurate?
PRAYER
Father God, you have created not only me but all things here on the earth. You are my maker, I am your creation. Father forgive me when I fall short, please mold me to serve the purpose which you intended for me. Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me, for your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
*-The question of the origin of the species can be boiled down to a simple and single binary question: is the existence of man(kind) planned or random? Mathematical Physicist Robert Pemrose has calculated that the probability of a life-supporting universe arising by chance as 1 in 10^10^123, which is an infinitesmally small percentage. This in turn suggests that the precise constants required for life make a random origin of our existence statistically impossible, thereby increasing the likelihood of a conscious creator to near certainty. Just some math stuff for you nerds.
We live in a world that takes a soft view of sin. Our highest virtue is acceptance. We believe that a person is noble if they are flexible on their boundaries. The person who is the most “loving” is the one who is willing to conform their beliefs to what is trending in culture.
Isaiah 65 speaks to the same tendencies. The people are “obstinate” and pursue “their own imaginations” (v. 2). They say they are holy (v. 5), but they are actually doing the most base and unclean acts (“burning incense in altars of bricks,” “sit among graves”, eating the “flesh of pigs” (v. 3–4)). Quite simply, they call good evil and evil good (Is. 5:20).
Though the sins of the people are different from those we see today, the heart behind it is the same. Pastor Adrian Rogers said, “We may not have metal idols, but we may have mental idols.” And when we choose to pursue these idols, we exchange the good things of good for the “dirty” things of sin.
Romans 1 describes this downward slope into sin that comes from a heart of rebellion. It is the great exchange. We exchange the almighty Creator for these simple and unfulfilling created things. That ultimately results in a life that is debased and defiled.
The beauty of the gospel is that we are rescued from this even if—on our own—we would never choose it. Is. 65:1 says, “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’”
God calls us to him. He beckons us.
We may be caught in the downward spiral of sin, but even there, God meets us and invites us back into relationship with him.
The ending of our reading in Isaiah today points to our great and glorious hope. We see God’s sovereignty over all of time and space (“The heavens are his throne and the earth his footstool” (Is. 66:1)). And we see that the sovereign plan of God is ultimately to bring redemption to the world.
God sets before us a choice—echoing that of Deuteronomy 30—in Is. 66:17: “‘Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,’ declares the Lord.”
Under the New Covenant, we don’t have to worry about what we put into our bodies (other than making sure that we choose things that are healthy). But we do have to worry about what is coming out: our speech, actions, and attitude.
Will we choose to follow the right, holy, and righteous path of God? Or will we pursue idolatry? Will we choose the unclean act of sin?
May we choose the path of life!
If we do, we will dwell in the new heavens and the new earth. We will see the beauty, delight, and joy of the promises of Isaiah 65:17-25. There will be no more death, no more grief, no more mourning, no more scarcity.
God will dwell with us. We will be His people. And He will be our God.
What a wonderful hope!
Cayce Fletcher is a wife and mom of three. In addition to homeschooling and other ministry projects, she writes and podcasts atamorebeautifullifecollective.comabout faith, motherhood, and theology.
Reflection Questions
What are some of the idols that people pursue today?
What is the relationship between sin and uncleanliness or impurity?
How does your future hope help you to live for God now?
Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you so much for the gift of your Son. Thank you for the ability we have to take off the clothes of sin and unrighteousness and be dressed in the perfect, white clothes of righteousness. We look forward to your Kingdom. Help us to glorify you in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
-Devotion by Kyle McClain (originally posted for SeekGrowLove on Dec 5, 2019)
In Luke chapter four, we finally get to see the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. However, before we get there, Jesus spent forty days and forty nights in the wilderness by himself with no food. He was led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. We are never told the purpose of the Spirit leading Jesus to the wilderness, but I imagine it served as a great time for Jesus to focus in on God all by himself before he began his earthly ministry.
While Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days, the devil came to tempt Jesus. Three times the devil tempted Jesus, but he had zero success. To combat the temptation, Jesus responded each time with scripture (verses 4, 8 and 12). Scripture offers us a great way to combat temptation, as Jesus demonstrated here. Psalm 119:11 supports this notion, as it states, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Whenever we are confronted with temptation, as we all are, a great way to resist and combat that temptation is by quoting scripture. Now, this is only possible if you have scripture memorized in the first place. This is a big reason why it is important to store God’s Word in our hearts.
After Jesus withstood the temptation of the devil in the wilderness, Jesus officially began his earthly ministry in his hometown of Nazareth. He did not have quite the warm welcoming, as the Jews tried to throw him off of a cliff (Luke 4:29). This was just the beginning of the Jews seeking to end and kill Jesus. They were constantly taken back by Jesus’ bold claims that he makes. In the end, the Jews send him to the Roman government to have him killed because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God (Matthew 26:54). The Jews seldom got along with Jesus because they did not believe that he was the Christ, the Son of God.
Luke chapter four ends with Jesus telling us his purpose, as Jesus states, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent,” (Luke 4:43). Jesus himself stated that his purpose was to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. From the very beginning of his ministry, he preached all about the Kingdom. The message of the kingdom was at the heart of Jesus’ ministry, and it should be at the heart of our ministry as well.
Reflection Questions
Why do you think Jesus fought temptation with Scripture? What Scriptures could be most helpful when you are facing temptation?
What Scriptures do you already know and have memorized? When do you bring them to mind? How have they been helpful? What verse would you like to memorize next?
What is your God-given purpose? How will you seek to do that today?
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father – Thank you for Your Son Jesus who You gave to save the world including me. Help me learn from him and follow in his steps. Show me how to be victorious against temptation. Guide me in fulfilling the purpose You have for me, that I might be faithful to You in all things. Protect me from evil until that glorious day Your Son returns to earth. In his name I pray, Amen.
Today’s reading is one of those instances where digging deeper into the scripture really pays off, when you should really be rooting around in the original languages because if you like easter eggs, here are some juicy ones. I don’t want to spoil all of the surprises, as some of these things will also be covered tomorrow in the devotion in greater detail.
First off, let me clarify: “easter eggs” is the term that is used to describe a hidden surprise, usually in a video game, movie, tv show, etc. The term was coined in 1979 by Steve Wright of Atari, who named hidden surprises in the game Adventure after the holiday tradition of hunting for eggs. There are a couple in today’s scripture that are huge. It starts immediately in Isaiah 56:1 “This is what Yahweh says: ‘Maintain justice and do righteousness, for my salvation is soon to come and my righteousness is soon to be revealed.‘” (REV).
In the above verse, the word that is translated as “righteousness” is tzedekah. You’re going to hear me a lot talking about “sedeq” or “tzedakah”, the word that is normally translated as “righteousness” or “justice” and sometimes “charity” throughout scripture. This is because it is SO PREVALENT throughout scripture (it or it’s root word occurs over 500 times) and yet almost no practicing Christian understands it, or the concept. To translate it simply as “righteousness” is truly a disservice.
Simply put, tzedakah is the understanding that our extremely generous God is the creator of all things and all people, and that as his representative you are to reflect that generosity as a form of religious obedience to the rest of his creation. This is the heart of what Jesus calls the second greatest commandment “loving your neighbor as yourself”, and it also is a way to perform the greatest commandment of loving God with all of your heart (See Mark 12, starting at verse 29). It can be translated as righteousness, justice, or charity. All are applicable, and all at the same time.
I like to translate this verse in Isaiah like this: “Maintain divine law (mitzpah) and do tzedakah, for Yeshua is soon to come, and MY tzedakah is soon to be revealed”. To put this another way; the reason that we should obey God’s word and to be obediently charitable, is because Jesus is coming soon, and then God will show us HIS charity. The word charity here falls short of the full meaning of the word tzedakah, which will be an intense focus for tomorrow’s study, but I feel like it most accurately reflects a good portion of the meaning.
When Jesus was asked what to do to gain eternal life in the age to come, he answered the man and told him to keep the commandments (this is told in multiple accounts, and can be found in Matt 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22, and Luke 18:18-23). The “mitzpah”, justice or divine law, as it can also be translated, are necessary and critical components to pleasing God. The root of all growth as a servant of God is to do this: maintain divine law (also translated as “justice”), that is, obey God’s word. If you don’t start there, you don’t have life.
I’m not going to belabor tzedakah, because tomorrow’s devotion focuses on that very thing, but I will say I think it is one of the most important, and one of the most overlooked, aspects of Christian obedience in scripture, and one that we fail at consistently. Look it up on wikipedia for a full “flavorful” understanding of the word, and know that there are a huge number of teachings in the Jewish faith on specifically that term which I’ve found extremely enlightening. It’s a critical aspect of salvation, it shows your trust in God.
Here’s the coolest thing: the reason that you should be maintaining divine law and being justly charitable is that JESUS (Yeshua) is coming soon and then the just charity of God will be revealed. If that doesn’t make your toes tingle it should. Most of the time when you see “salvation” in the bible, it’s probably an easter egg, and Yeshua (Jesus) is probably inside. Yeshua, Jesus’ actual name in Hebrew, means “the salvation of God”. You can determine if this is the root word used by digging in to the original language, any time you see “salvation” in the old testament. It’s all over, once you start digging, lots of folks would call that “foreshadowing”.
Isaiah 56:2-7 “Blessed is the man who does this, and the son of man who holds it fast: who keeps the Sabbath, not profaning it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil.” Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to Yahweh speak, saying, “Yahweh will surely separate me from his people,” nor let the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” For this is what Yahweh says, “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths and choose the things that please me and hold fast to my covenant, to them I will give in my house and inside my walls a memorial and a name better than that of sons and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. Also the foreigners who join themselves to Yahweh, to minister to him and to love the name of Yahweh, to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it and holds firmly to my covenant—even those I will bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”
Scripture is full of clever word plays that sound even better in the original tongue. Did you catch some of them just now? “Let not the foreigner who has joined say Yahweh will separate me…”. Did you catch the assurance to the faithful eunuch who will be given an everlasting name that will “not be cut off”? That’s probably pretty reassuring to a recently made eunuch. Another thing I notice in the above portion of scripture is that the Sabbath seems to be a prevalent and recurring theme of importance, even for the foreigners. Interesting, isn’t it? Just something to think about.
Here is the heart of the matter: to be effective servants of God, there are just a few things we need to do, and to do fully. We need to follow the commandments (mitzpah). We need to represent God to the rest of His creation, and be righteous, just, and charitable (do tzedekah). We need to love the Lord God with our whole heart, and love our neighbor as ourself, and commit ourselves to obeying God wholeheartedly. These are the things that please God.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
The commandments are listed as a critical aspect toward attaining salvation, according to Jesus. Have you got them all memorized, and do you follow them all specifically as stated in scripture? Why, or why not? (the “letter” of the law)
How effective are you at loving God with your whole heart, and loving your neighbor as much as you do yourself? What can be done to increase either? (the “heart” of the law)
If you were to give yourself an honest exam, based on the criteria of scripture, how well are you obediently doing the things that lead back to God and to redemption? (the “purpose” or “intent” of the law)
PRAYER
Father God, I need you. Please keep me from getting distracted, and fill my heart with your purpose. Please let me see and hear clearly when you speak to me. Teach me with hidden wisdom. Speak to my heart, and write your laws within it so that I can please you. Help me, Father. Thank you, in Jesus name, Amen.
For many of you “of a certain age” that grew up watching kid shows on TV, you might remember a cute little sock puppet named “Lamb Chop”, a creation of childrens show host and puppeteer Shari Lewis. Lamb Chop made it’s debut on the “Captain Kangaroo” show in 1956, and starred in “Lamb Chop’s Play-Along” show through ’97 (which won 5 emmys), in addition to appearing in a number of other shows.
On the “Lamb Chop’s Play-Along” show, they’d play a certain song at the end of every show to play them off, and if you’ve seen it you’re probably way ahead of me here. The song was called “The Song That Never Ends”, and I’ve included it here for your amusement and a tongue-in-cheek punitive action. If you’re young enough to have never heard it, look it up on youtube, and I’m sorry (because it will be stuck in your head forever).
The Song that Never Ends
This is the song that doesn’t end Yes, it goes on and on, my friend Some people started singing it not knowing what it was, And they’ll continue singing it forever just because …. (repeats, ad infinitum, ad nauseam)
When we read Psalms 119, the longest chapter of the bible, it seems like it doesn’t end. In my bible, it takes up about 3 full pages for this one chapter, with 176 verses in it. About midway through reading it today, I heard the Lamb Chop song in my head and transliterated it “This is the Psalm that doesn’t end…”. Good luck getting that out of your brain now.
All joking aside though, this is a great study with one overwhelming and pervasive message about God’s word. It should be a very interesting point of study that the longest chapter in the book of God’s word is about the importance of God’s word. The author uses about ten different terms for Scripture such as law, statutes, precepts, commandments, etc. to highlight its perfection and necessity.
Psalms 119 portrays the author’s deep love for and obedience to God’s instruction, presenting Scripture as a lamp and light for guidance and a source of comfort and strength during persecution, affliction, and trials. It emphasizes that meditating on and living by God’s Word brings joy, wisdom, and spiritual renewal, serving as the ultimate refuge and authority for a believer’s life. There are a couple very well known and often quoted verses that you’ll recognize as you read this Psalm.
It seems like there have been quite a few additions made to God’s word, starting just a few generations after Jesus was resurrected. Traditions, theories, and speculations. These are dangerous, and everything you hear from the pulpit should be carefully weighed against the word of God. 1 Corinthians 4:6 warns us “…not to go beyond the things that are written… ” (REV). Jeremiah 8:8 laments: “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of Yahweh is with us?’ But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.” (REV). Revelation warns us in chapter 22:18-19 that: “I testify to everyone hearing the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book, 19and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, which are written in this book.” (REV). Seems pretty important, right?
Jesus says in John 5:39: “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have life in the age to come …” (REV) so yes, it’s super important, if you want to enter the kingdom of God. 2 Tim 3:16-17 says “All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the person dedicated to God can be fully capable, thoroughly equipped for every good work. ” (REV). Jesus himself (in Matt 4:4, and quoting Leviticus 19:18) declares that humanity lives not by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
So if the word of God is that important (as we patently see that it is, as exhibited throughout scripture), if the understanding and practice of it can grant us life and literally be the difference between life and death both now and eternally; why don’t people read the bible more? Why don’t we study it, dissect it, and spend almost every waking hour trying to love it as much as the author of Psalm 119, and to implement it into our lives actively? We have a God who loves us and seeks to redeem us. According to the scriptures there is also an adversary, who desparately seeks to distract us and draw our attention to other things.
Here’s the thing: we are not promised tomorrow. We live our lives as if they will never end, because we are so short sighted it’s hard for us to even accept that our bodies are finite. We go through our lives blindly assuming that tomorrow will be just like today, only maybe better, but the reality is: God has set a timeline for these things, from creation to the time of the establishment of His kingdom. We do not know that timeline, the angels didn’t know it, Jesus didn’t know it, only God knows it. The point is, our time is limited, we don’t have forever; it would behoove us to do what we can while we’re able to study God’s word and to do His will.
The below verse highlights this concept perfectly, taken from a portion of our other reading today: Isaiah 55:6-11: “Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked person forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and let him return to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” says Yahweh. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow comes down from heaven and does not return there, but waters the earth and makes it bring forth and bud and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so will my word be that goes forth out of my mouth; it will not return to me void, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.“
Each of us goes through different seasons in our lives. Sometimes, we prioritize different things during these different seasons. Psalms 119 tells us clearly that we need to prioritize the word of God, always.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Right now, in this season of your life, what is your priority?
What is the potential gain that you possess by making this your priority?
What is the potential loss that you possess by making this your priority?
How can we shift our priorities to properly align with the design God has for us?
PRAYER
Father God, thank you for caring enough to give us your word, to send us your son, and to continually reach out towards your creation for reconciliation. Please help us to seek you while you are near, to seek understanding in your word, and to listen when your spirit guides us. In Jesus name, Amen.
