Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on”... Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel.
TO PONDER
The key here is, ‘coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel.’ Before we go there, I want us to look at verse 15. “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.” Imagine an army captain and Lieutenant on a battle front. Both well trained, both leaders. The captain has years of experience, but the lieutenant has no battle experience. There are expectations on both officers according to their respective ranks. The younger officer, in the face of battle for the first time is disorientated, as we may expect, and keeps going to the senior officer for direction and clarification. After a while, the captain becomes a little irritated. We can imagine his response, ‘Lieutenant, you know your orders! Remember your training! Get it done!’
This is the picture I see as Moses fuddles around in his first battle front conflict. ‘Moses, you do your job, and I’ll do mine’. The desired outcome of this military tactic was to slow Pharoah and his army before Israel reached the Reed Sea. There are, in the Hebrew text, many references to Egypt as the land of the dead, materially and spiritually. There are over 10,000 bodies buried in the Valley of the Kings and theirs was the worship of the gods of the underworld. God was in the process of raising his people out of death.
God also desires to come between us and the danger and death that that pursues. As harsh as the Commander in Chief’s words may have seemed in the heat of battle for Moses, they were saving words. Words that buoyed him up, gave him focus and purpose, and gave Israel success.
PRAYER
El Shaddai, God Almighty, we praise and thank you for guarding us from harm and danger and for equipping us to face the foe, buoyed up by your power and grace. Continue to train us and guide us so that we may be battle ready to save as many as you send our way.
Today's devotion provided by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra Site Pastor
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
TO PONDER
This is the question that asks, ‘Will I take the easy road of self-indulgence today, or will I submit to the way less travelled?’ The way of Jesus. There are several different words that are translated as ‘sin’ in the bible; rebellion, trespass, debt, and some concepts that are understood as sin, like ‘giving in to temptation’, but they are all summed up in the Greek word ‘hamatia’, which means to miss the target. That’s the word for ‘sin’ in today’s text.
How often are you satisfied with a shoddy job? I expect you are not satisfied with yourself when your efforts are ‘half-assed’, nor when others supply you with similar mediocrity. Missing the target of love, which is sin because God is love and God is the target, is a life of unhealthy and broken relationships. Sad, broken, distressing, unsatisfying and unfulfilled, that’s what sin means for our lives. Jesus, through the waters of baptism and the daily infilling of the Holy Spirit, calls us into exciting and fulfilling lives.
Surely it makes no sense to deliberately keep on missing the target of love when we have Word and Spirit, and since we have been washed clean.
Sunday, a week ago, we learned that the Zero Gravity of a life in Christ is also typified by Focus. When we focus upon our old self and its wilful desires, we miss the life God has planned for us. When we focus on Jesus, the abundance of life in God is available through His open heaven. Weightless, Focused and Buoyant. A life with Capacity and the Movement of the Spirit in and through us.
PRAYER
Lord, help us to choose wisely every day. Give us the grace to swallow the Gospel pill and move into the river of life to have our old self drowned and the saint raised to life again.
Today's devotion provided by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra Site Pastor
But now, this is what the Lord says - he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
TO PONDER
This is part of a very long set of songs in which Isaiah prophesies the love of God for his wayward children, Israel. He comforts them with the capacity of God to carry his people through all kinds of troubles.
‘Passing through waters’, is symbolic of passing through all things deathly, including death itself. To pass through sickness and disease. To pass through demonic trials and temptations as well as those of unhealthy human desire. To pass through the hardship of relationship crises, and finally, to pass through death itself.
There are two kinds of death. The major and the minor but they may not be as you expect. In the proactive remembrance of our baptism, we learn daily to die to our old nature and to be raised up, alive, into Christ. This is the major death, the death of self as the centre of all things. This is the major death because it threatens our eternal life. It takes an intimate relationship with Jesus and its resultant faith, to die daily to ourselves and trust that God is raising us up today and always by his power and strength not our own. He keeps us buoyant as we pass through all these waters, never letting us out of his hands.
Once we learn to trust Jesus daily for life, in and through this gift of baptism, then the minor death is merely a transition from this life into eternal life with God and all the angels and archangels and all the company of heaven. Do not fear, He has redeemed you!
PRAYER
Teach me not to fear death nor the deathly things of this life. Expand my faith and trust in the saving grace of my Lord Jesus. Pass me through today’s waters and every day, one day at a time. When, by your great power and loving kindness, I come to my end, Lord Jesus take me to the promised land. Amen.
Todays devotion provided by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra Site Pastor
Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues (or other languages) and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.
TO PONDER
Moving on from yesterday’s devotion, God continues to supply in surprising and radical ways. Those who had been baptised by John under the Old Covenant, received a temporary washing away of forgiveness. Now through Jesus, they have received sustained assurance of God’s forgiveness by the indwelling of the Spirit, the permanent mark and seal of God’s love. Through this ministry of Trinitarian baptism, Jesus the Saviour is revealed and glorified as the Spirit releases power in the gifts of language and proclamation.
See how God is lifting his church, making it buoyant! Twelve ill-prepared, yet faithful disciples with very little to offer have experienced heaven open above them and within them. Gifts of human language for the proclamation of the Gospel and the care of souls. Perhaps also, heavenly language for praise, worship, and the care of their own souls. The gift of prophecy to speak and act out the Word of God, declaring the Glory of Jesus their Saviour and by the power of the Spirit, call their family and friends to the arms of God who is love. God wants to build his church.
PRAYER
Lord of the harvest, send out workers into these ripe fields! Open your heaven and let your kingdom come near and within. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra Site Pastor
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
TO PONDER
Eight years ago, my congregation at the time hosted a Lutheran Charismatic Convention. The planning was covered in prayer constantly and the team experienced ‘heaven opening’ over us many times. We also had personal experiences. For me, it was not long before the conference that I sat down in a café to read a book by the keynote speaker, ‘Surprised by the Spirit’, by Pastor Edgar Mayer. I sat with people all around me and opened the book, the Spirit of God came upon me. I would have fallen had I not spread my feet wider on the floor and my arms on the table. God wanted me to know something deep in my soul that I had, to this point, kept only in my head. Because Jesus is the beloved Son of God, all those who have been baptised into Christ Jesus, are the Father’s beloved sons and daughters.
Heaven is open over us, whatever we faithfully ask for in his name he will supply.
As we proactively follow the Spirit that has taken up residence within us through baptism, we will experience heaven opening for us. We will experience God’s kingdom near us and within us.
When we pray ‘give us this day our daily bread’, the New Testament Greek more fully states that this daily bread is ‘supersubstantial’. That is, heaven is open to those who have faith and trust that God is at work supplying, transforming, and raising up his people every day. He makes our souls buoyant by bringing hope alive.
PRAYER
Father, in Jesus mighty name, give us your church, our daily, supersubstantial supply, that the kingdom may be seen and experienced by many. May the power of your Spirit and the life of your Word take root in each of us more deeply so that our lives will reveal us as your children. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra Site Pastor
I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
TO PONDER
As this new year starts, what is your goal? Give up a bad habit? Start a new hobby? Renew an old passion? Goals are helpful, they keep us focused and on the right track. So, when it comes to our faith, what is our goal? In some ways this is a difficult question, because God has individual paths for each of us. However, there are a few things we know we should not be aiming for. Jesus warned his disciples against fame and power and instead called them to love and serve others. He didn’t encourage people to earn money, instead he often warned about the corrupting nature or riches. This is because our prize is in total opposition to what the world says we should be aiming for. Our prize is a life daily changed and eternal life with our Heavenly Father.
PRAYER
Jesus, I ask you keep my eyes fixed on the prize you have called me to. Keep me from becoming distracted by what the world says I should aim for, but instead pressing on towards you. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by Elise von Stanke, LifeWay Youth and Family Ministry Co-ordinator
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
TO PONDER
Cool Runnings, a classic movie from the 90’s, tells the story of a Jamaican bobsled team. You might have guessed it is a comedy!!! Initially the team is simply excited they have made the Winter Olympics and are fooling around, however as the movie progresses they start to take things seriously. As the team speed down the hill so quickly the pilot of the bobsled needs to know and anticipate the turns. Before each competition they sit with photos of the track, visualising the entire run and practising the turns. To win, you need to visualise the race. It is the same with our faith. We have a God who has set a race out for us. To know what it is we can simply ask, and He speaks to us and makes it clear to us so we can run it successfully.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you your faithfulness. Thank you that I don’t run the race of life by myself, but instead run it with you. Help me to listen to your voice so I can run in a way that gets the prize. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by Elise von Stanke, LifeWay Youth and Family Ministry Co-ordinator
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
TO PONDER
As a teacher one of the biggest lessons I have taught my students year after year is to endure and not give up. I have often found myself saying to them ‘Anything worth doing is hard work, it will take time and effort.’ When we stop and think about it we know this is truth, but often we become frustrated and defeated when things don’t fall into place quickly. We can have an aversion to suffering. In some ways this seems logical, I mean, who wants to suffer? But, in Romans Paul tells us to glory in our sufferings. Why? Because suffering produces perseverance. He goes on to explain that perseverance produces character, and character, hope. Suffering is a part of life and sometimes a part of our faith walk, but rather than avoiding it, if we can remember that there is purpose in suffering, and through it a deepening of our faith and trust in Jesus, then perhaps we can begin to glory in it.
PRAYER
Jesus, I know that you endured great suffering in your life. You didn’t run from it though, instead you saw its purpose and endured it. Help me to remain close to you in my suffering, that it might grow my relationship with you. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by Elise von Stanke, LifeWay Youth and Family Ministry Co-ordinator
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
TO PONDER
Cycling might seem like an individual activity, but it is a team sport. Professional cyclists require a team to be successful. The rider gets the glory, but they don’t get there without their support crew. A support crew takes care of practical things like maintaining the equipment, but it is the moral, emotional and motivational support that truly get the cyclist over the line! The cyclist is never alone, they know when they are feeling low or exhausted, their support team will be there with a word of encouragement to give them the push they need. Our journey through life is the same. Hebrews tells us we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. These are those people of faith who have lived lives of example. They were able to overcome and endure, and therefore we can too. We also have the privilege of the body of Christ to encourage us day to day. Even more, we are the support crew for other believers around us.
PRAYER
Lord, I thank you for the gift of those who have walked the faith before me. I ask you to help me to lean on my support crew around me, and also to be a support for my faith family. Help me to fix my eyes on you and run the race marked out for me. Amen.
Today's devotion provided by Elise von Stanke, LifeWay Youth and family Co-ordinator