18 September 2015

Scripture:

• Luke 12:13-48
• Ezekiel 8
• 2 Samuel 18
• Psalm 48

Observations:

In the Luke passage, we have a very pointed question posed: where is your value stored? What is the point of stockpiling material and wealth when your soul may be called into eternity this very night? Does not God provide the needs of the sparrows and the lilies? Instead, be ready, doing the work given to you, for God may decide to come at any time.

In Ezekiel, we see God showing Ezekiel the defilement happening in the temple, the reason, amongst others, for Jerusalem's fall.

In 2 Samuel, we see the geographic expansion of Israel under David's rule and the wealth of Israel as it grew from tribute and spoil.

The psalm today extols God for his majesty and presence. His power is such that other rulers see it and quake.

Application:

Again, like the last few days, it is the Luke passage which speaks more to me. I swear, God is trying to prepare me for a life in poverty, serving others from what little I have, relying on God for everything, as I show God's love for my neighbours, those poor, in need, or without access to medicine and the Gospel. This is something I need to pray about, along with my wife.

Prayer:

God, this message I seem to be receiving from you is indeed something honourable and praise-worthy to do, albeit, perhaps, slightly foolhardy to many today. I need confirmation that this is what you're calling my wife and I to. First, I ask that you'd put a very similar passion on her heart, to prompt a conversation with me as confirmation. Second, I ask that you would confirm this through my schooling, that either one of my classmates or professors would bring up this very subject to me on Monday.

I also pray for my wife, that you would restore her to health and bring her to a point better than where she was.

I pray, too for the rest of my family - give my parents wisdom in their decision, my sister guidance in turning to you, my brother endurance and recollection for his exams, and my other brother healing for his arm.

Be with my dean as he battles cancer and with the mother of my classmate, as she battles a bizarre illness.

Give me the wisdom to lead according to you and to reflect you to those around me, in school and in church.

Amen

17 September 2015

Scriptures:

• Luke 11:37-12:12
• Ezekiel 7
• 2 Samuel 7
• Psalm 47

Observations:

• Ezekiel 7:26

So, in this first passage, in Luke, we see Jesus dining with a pharisee, who calls him out on a small facet of the law that he did not observe. Jesus' response, however, targeted the hypocritical nature of the pharisees and teachers of the law in that they made such an ado about keeping to the appearance of not just the God-given law,  but their own, extraneous law for the appearance of holiness and to the revilement of the common man who would not be able to keep these extra laws. 

In Ezekiel, we see, the fall of Jerusalem, steeped in her sin and death.

In 2 Samuel, we see David, out of a willing heart, desiring to build God a temple, as he already had a nice home in which to live, but God's ark was still in a tent. God commended David for his heart and promised that, while he would not build the temple, his heir would and that his heirs would always be on the throne.
The psalm is praising God for being God, the Most High, who reigns over the earth, who chose Jerusalem and Judah amongst all the other nations.

So, here, we have Jerusalem and the Israelites, at their end, fallen state, and at their beginning. Once, they were seeking after God, praising God for his nature and how he chose Jerusalem, but, by the time of Ezekiel, Jerusalem was condemned to destruction as punishment for her sins and after the exile, in Christ's time, we see the proliferation of legalistic self-righteousness that grew out of the reaction to the punishment and exile and how it brought about a seeming of righteousness, but the sinful heart was still in place.

Application:

I think the application I can take from this is to do as Christ warned the church in Ephesus, to not forget my first love, to not lose sight of Christ as I grow in him, to not become empty and religious as a response to hardship, but to lean on him continually, having the whole, complete faith as a child.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for this reminder to remain in a whole love with you. Help me keep this love open, that it would not wither into an empty husk, but would remain vibrant.

Teach me also how to do the same for my wife.

I also pray for my wife as she's not feeling 100%. Bring her healing and grant the doctor wisdom tomorrow, that a solution would be reached.

Give wisdom to my parents in their decision they have to make

Amen

16 September 2015

Scriptures:

• Luke 11:1-36
• Ezekiel 6
• 2 Samuel 6
• Psalm 46

Observations:

• Luke 11:13
• Luke 11:34

The Luke passage today is a collection of small encounters, but the two passages listed above stood out to me. Part of it is because there is a very real, palpable spiritual struggle going on that I am battling. The other part, well, one is a word of hope that we, though we are sinful know how to give good things, so how much more would God, who is perfectly good be able to do so, and the other is a caution and warning to remain spiritually healthy, to not allow your spiritual eyes to become occluded. This is something that I am reminded of today, as I attempt new strategies to not simply run from sin, but to engage it and move past it, relying on God to see me through. These strategies, I am coming to realise will and do put me in the line of fire, so there is ever more reason to carry with me the shield of faith.

In Ezekiel 6, we see the results of generations of sinfulness, of increasingly hardened hearts and occluded eyes. 

Incidentally, in 2 Samuel, we see both a hardened heart and a tender heart. David, brought the ark into Jerusalem with singing and dancing, himself leading the throng. Michal, his wife, however, scorned David for his self-abasement, not recognising his worship of God and was never blessed with any children throughout her marriage.

In the psalm, we see praise given to God for his strength, refuge, and victorious nature - something that is always good to remain mindful of.

Application:

Well, I need to keep my eyes on God, keep in God's word, first of all. Secondly, I have the reminder from the psalm of God's victoriousness. As I engage in warfare, I can and should be confident of God, just as I should be spending time with him daily and throughout the day to be equiped to wage war. I see the example of Michal and the punishment of Jerusalem and recognise that I want my sin to be relieved from me, that I would not be weighed down by my sins, to risk falling back into them, but I desire freedom.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for your victory. Thank you for the strength you provide.

As I engage more seriously in spiritual warfare against my own sins, I ask for wisdom and insight into the deep-seated causes, facilitators, and enablers of my sin. Enable me to more effectively combat my temptations by pressing onward towards you, not focusing on myself, cowering behind your forgiveness. Help me to face my temptations and quell them instead of running, but let me do so with wisdom, not by simply allowing myself to gratify the temptation as a means of desensitising or deflating the temptation, but the rather see the temptation, acknowledge it, and rebuke it. I'm still trying to decipher what this means in practice anyways, but give me wisdom.

Grant my wife patience as well. This is likely to be a long process and trying to her. Help her to persevere with both jobs and to be able to serve you. Give her opportunities to connect better within the church and to engage in ministries tailored to the skills you have given her.

Be with my parents, Lord. Grant them the wisdom about their future. Do they stay overseas or return to the USA? Do they remain with their senders or become independents? These are answers they need to questions that feature very prominently right now.

Be with my sister, Lord, as she's engaging in choices that do not reflect you or truly honour you. Help her to find the stable root in you that she's been without.

Amen

15 September 2015

Scriptures:

• Luke 10:25-42
• Ezekiel 5:5-17
• 2 Samuel 5
• Psalm 45

Observations:

• Ezekiel 5:7-9

Ah, I love this passage in Luke. Here, we have one who is familiar with the law and who understands it asking Christ for some interpretation. He knows that the summation of the law is to love God and Love your neighbours (paraphrased), but he's asking for clarification on who his neighbour is. Jesus' response: the person in need. Period. End of story. (it really plays off of yesterday's reading, but I'll get to that later).

In Ezekiel, God gets real serious. In a complete opposite tone, we see God explaining the reason for Jerusalem's punishment. Not only are they wicked and breaking God's law, but they are so wicked, they make the surrounding nations, already very wicked by God's standard, look good. In response, God is about to unleash a punishment on Jerusalem which he had never done yet and never would do afterwards.

In 2 Samuel, we see David's coronation and the strength of his rule, as God was with him (note, this is all pre-Bathsheba). In the psalm, we see, somewhat differently, a praise given to the king, for he follows God and is honoured by God.

Application:

So, it's really interesting to see the contrast from the psalm and beginning of David's reign to the destruction wreaked upon Jerusalem for its wickedness - shows how far something that was started off well can fall.

On another bent, I really, really want to focus on the Luke passage. Yesterday, we were seeing the qualities of what true missional action looks like and last week, we saw what exactly love looks like. Today, we see where love and selfless missional living meet. Who is your neighbour? The person living next to you, the guy in the car in front of you, the random dude on the other end of the phone at the call centre, the random person living on the street on the other half of the globe. These are all your neighbours. So, we must love them, we must go and teach them about God and share his love to them. That is missional living. In this passage, a Samaritan, who was reviled by and reviled the Jews came to the aid, at his own expense, of a Jewish man. There is so much we can learn here, if we only live and walk in obedience.

Prayer:

Lord, give me the heart of this Samaritan. Help me to grow in my understanding of your love and in both showing your love to others and in actually loving others as you love them. Give me the boldness to go out and witness as you commanded, and give me the heart to love sacrificially.

Lord, spread this love and understanding around me. As I grow, help others to understand and to join in: the kids at youth, my classmates, my wife. Help us to come together in your word and in our love to make a difference here.

Be with my parents, Lord, as they are praying over a life-changing decision. Communicate your will to them - whether they should stay or go, whether or not their ministry field is changing.

Be with my wife as we prepare for some next steps in our lives, getting ready for her to return to school. Help me to understand and appreciate her better. Give me the wisdom to speak well, and the love to love passionately. Help me to better support her in this.

Amen

14 September 2015

Scripture:

• Luke 9:51-10:24
• Ezekiel 4:1-5:4
• 2 Samuel 4
• Psalm 44

Observations:

• Luke 10:13-14

Let me just say this: the whole Luke passage is phenomenal. I wish more people read this segment. 

Missions is selfless, is harsh, it lacks the comfortable amenities of home, and yet, there is power that comes from Christ. If you want to see faith in action, go speak to a missionary; ask them their stories.

Seriously, I could just leave the devotional here, but I'll continue.

Ezekiel, conversely, is prophesying the siege of Jerusalem (and by the description, it looks to be a rough siege). The 2 Samuel passage clearly shows David's character. Many kings in the day, especially if they were of a different dynasty, would kill off every other possible heir. Here, David punishes the men who sought out Saul's family and killed them, where most kings would have rewarded them. In the psalm, it appears as though the psalmist is asking God why, though he and those with him are following God faithfully, others deride, slaughter, and mock them and is asking for God to rise and come to their aid.

Application:

Really, I see a call to live differently. David is recognised and commended for his difference in attitude. Christ sends out 72 disciples with instructions that set them apart from everybody else. In the psalm, David is persecuted for following God, yet in Ezekiel, God is punishing Jerusalem for disobeying him and becoming like the cities and nations all around her.

Knowledge of and a relationship with God demands difference. We cannot say we know God and continue our lives unchanged from the world. James describes those who hear God's word and do not act as those who see themselves in a mirror then, when walking away, forget what they look like. It should be absurd for a Christian to not be affected by his relationship with Christ.

We'd think it should be absurd, and yet, we so often sell our faith short because of what others will think. We make the mistake of Jerusalem and try to fit in. I know. I, myself, am included in this group. Too many times, I have passed up on the opportunity to show Christ boldly, to evangelise to my friends, to make an active stand for my beliefs, instead, taking the easy route to basic acceptance by implicit agreement, non-action, and passivity.

Living out the gospel is difficult and has high demands, but it's how we should be living.

Prayer:

God, I'm sorry. I really don't quite know what to say or how to say it. I'm easily complacent. I mistake my timidity in actively standing apart for the meekness which should make up a follower of you. You know where I stand, Lord. I'm looking at my past and current states, disappointed and ashamed with my track record, but willfully hoping that I'll be bold and outspoken in the future. I know what they say, that the future starts today, but yet, I feel like I can put off this change for countless tomorrows.

Lord, replace my spirit of timidity and fear for one of boldness. Help me to step out and go, do, as you command. I thank you for my wife, to whom such boldness, despite her shyness, comes so easily, but I ask that I would not become so complacent as to let her do and work, but to grow in myself, to put aside what is for what should be. Change my heart, Lord, please.

Amen