Be Still and Know
God has a lot of competition in this world. There are even times when He has competition in our lives. What is it for many? For some, their own intellect supersedes God. For others, their talent replaces God. For still others, it may be their accumulation of possessions, their positions of power, their achievements and success, their own perception of indispensability.
In Psalm 46, we are reminded that God utters His voice and the earth melts. We are told that God makes wars cease to the ends of the earth, that He breaks the bow and shatters the spear. He gives us these assurances not to win the competitions. He gives us these assurances out of love, and to comfort us when we realize that we have been wrong about whatever else might be God.
In the First Commandment we are told, “You shall have no other gods.” That’s law. God has earned the right to demand this of us because of Who He is and because of what He has done for us. But wrapped in this commandment is a fatherly gift, given for our own good. Why should we have no other gods? Because they will all fail. Intellect, talent, power, success, popularity, indispensability, all of these will fail in truly being God, in truly giving what only God can give.
In our society today and the circumstances in which we’re living, amid confusion and fear, we realize many things. Perhaps one of the most important realizations is that we are not God, and that nothing we have is greater than God. “Be still and know that I am God.”
Prayer: O Lord God, we confess that in our lives we often find things to compete with you as God, and in our world, so many alternatives are found. Comfort us with the certainty that you are God, the Lord of Hosts who is with us, the God of Jacob who is our fortress. Amen.
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Finding Peace
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1
Peace. Take a deep breath, close your eyes, and think of what peace would look like in your life. Is it hard to imagine? No stress, no chaos. Sleep…plenty of restful, uninterrupted sleep. Relationships with family and friends that are healthy and whole. A calendar that has plenty of time for relaxation and fun. A checkbook with a cushion for life’s surprises.
Ok, back to reality! Peace seems so elusive doesn’t it? Anxiety – that I can picture. Craziness _ that I can point you to in my life. But peace?
Then again, maybe we’re looking at this the wrong way. And maybe, just maybe, the kind of peace that we need happens in the middle of the stress and chaos, the anxiety and the craziness.
Paul want us to know that we have peace with God. Because we’ve been justified by grace through faith, we are no longer enemies of God. By His death and resurrection, Jesus has made us right with God! The Creator of the Universe is on our side; the Lord of all calls us “friend.”
Does that mean the chaos and stress disappear? Nope. “In this world you will have trouble” says Jesus, “but behold I have overcome the world!”
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God’s Love Is a Gift
Prayer: Gracious Lord, may we be motivated daily in our love and service toward others not by what we might gain, but by the love you have already shown. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
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Love
John loves the word love. He uses it more than any other apostle, or prophet for that matter. It’s found throughout his Gospel, and here in I John he uses a form of the word love 44 times!
And – you’ll recall – the most famous of all of John’s love verses: “For God so loved the world, that He sent His One and Only Son…” (John 3:16)
God’s love for the world caused Him to send Jesus. And this, in fact, is how we know what love is! We are forgiven and granted eternal life because God sent Jesus for us!
And now, Jesus sends us: “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21)
You are a “sent one.” Sent to do what? Love. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love with the care, compassion, and forgiveness of Jesus. So ask yourself today: How can I thank God for showing me what love is? How can I love my neighbor today? Since I am sent, where should I go?
Gracious Father, we can’t help but thank and praise You for showing us what true love is by sending Your Son to die and rise for us for the forgiveness of our sins. As You sent Jesus in love, now He sends us with love. By Your Spirit, help us to show that love to our neighbor today and every day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Praying
Paul gives us an idea of something we should add to our prayers. And perhaps you already do this regularly. These days, God’s people are doing a lot of praying. We’re praying for those who are suffering. We’re praying for ourselves that we may remain healthy. We’re praying for more effective treatments and even a vaccine. We’re praying a lot these days. But here’s something we might add. In Colossians 4, Paul is asking for prayers that doors might be opened for the proclamation of the Word.
Paul had a lot to pray for too. He was writing to the Colossians from prison. Paul was probably praying for release. He was probably praying for the long awaited audience with Caesar. He was probably praying for himself, that he might have strength. But here, he is encouraging people, when they pray for him, to pray for opportunities. He wanted opportunities to share the Gospel.
There are so many Christians who are like this. There are those Christians in the hospital who hope for a roommate in their hospital room. A roommate? Yes, they want a roommate so that they could lean toward that person and give good news of Christ. A faithful woman named Judy, confined to a wheelchair would get a new caregiver every few months on purpose. Why? So that she’d have someone new with whom to share Christ.
In our current environment, there is much to pray for. But how uniquely you and I are positioned to bring Christ into such confusing times. Perhaps the opportunity to do that could be added to our daily prayers.
Prayer: O Lord God, in the midst of all we are asking from you, please open a door for us so that we may share the Good News of Christ with others…especially now. Amen.
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