Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Saviour,
and my hope is in you all day long.
TO PONDER:
One of the things we would do when I worked at the hire firm, was show people how to use the equipment they hired before they left the shop. Chainsaw, brushcutter, concrete saw, generator, lawnmower. Whatever it was, we would start it up, and then give them instructions on how to use it. It wasn't uncommon for people to say, "Don't worry about showing me, I know how to use it.' I remember one day, a guy came in for a chainsaw to cut up firewood and he took a second chain with him. I showed him what to do, despite his protestations that he had been using chainsaws his whole life. A few hours later, he came in complaining that the second chain we had given him was blunt. He was angry. He was verbally abusive and so I looked at the machine he held in his hand. The second chain had been put on the wrong way! Of course it wouldn't cut.
I wonder...how often are we like that when it comes to God. God longs to teach us his ways, for they are not natural to us. God wants to show us his ways, but we think, 'I've been a Christian my whole life, I know how to do this thing!' We might not use the words, but our actions show that. Maybe we thought we learnt everything we needed to know in Confirmation. We don't keep growing in the Word. We don't seek the counsel of the Word. We are not prepared to learn new things or be challenged in how we do something that we do.
Do you have a teachable spirit? The Psalmist David, recognises that he needs help in walking God's way. With a teachable spirit, filled with humility, he asks God to show him, teach him, guide him. He's eager to learn from God. He wants to be shown by God. He desires to be guided by God. What about you? What would happen if you began every day, praying these verses when you arose? Try it.
PRAYER:
Give me a teachable spirit to learn your ways. Show me your ways, O Lord, that I might walk in your truth, to the glory of your name. Amen.
As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.
TO PONDER
I want to take this devotion in a slightly different direction than you are maybe used to.
While I acknowledge it is a sad thing to recall and one that has happened more frequently than we would usually expect in recent years, I am always awed by the destructive power of floods. I remember just a year or two ago watching the news as what looked like entire houses were swept down the Brisbane river in the South East Queensland floods.
You know what wasn't swept away though, the foundations. In most cases these houses were built on foundations that were well established, that didn't move, but it was the way the house was build or attached to the foundations that failed under pressure.
I wonder if for many Christians in 'Western' societies and cultures today it's not the foundation that's the problem - we are happy for the Word of God to be what we build our lives on - as long as we get to build the life we want. the problem with that is that if the house you build is not aligned and integrated well with the foundations, it won't matter how good the foundations are, the building will still collapse or wash away under flood conditions.
Don't just let Jesus and his words be the foundation. Let Jesus do the complete build, then you know you'll have a safe place to find comfort and shelter in the storm.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus you are the master builder and carpenter. give me the courage to allow you to build my life as you see fit so that it may bring glory and honour to you. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
TO PONDER
I am sure you have read or heard these words many times before, but have you stopped to consider what they actually mean? In Greek ‘word’ is logos. This can mean the words written on a page, but in Greek understanding it can also mean the meaning or embodiment of what the words mean. God had made a covenant with his people, way back with Abraham, and now his covenant is made personal and real in the person of Jesus. He is the answer! How does God do this? He places himself into his creation, as a part of the creation, a human being. How incredible is that! This God who none could look upon, because of his glory, came and lived amongst us, in order to redeem us and show us his ways. We know what grace and truth and love are, because they are shown to us in the person of Jesus.
PRAYER: Jesus, thank you that you left your throne in heaven, becoming a person just like me. Thank you that you lived, died and rose again to show me how great the love of my Heavenly Father truly is. Thank you that I can approach my Father with confidence, because I am his child, Amen.
Today's devotion written by Elise von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
TO PONDER
I sometimes have to laugh when I read this verse because it reminds me of my own attempts at physical training. People in Newcastle will have to forgive me for repeating stories that I am sure I have already shared with them but I love the idea of physical training and improving my fitness but I often require the help of a personal trainer or a training partner to get me motivated and keep me accountable.
The thing that makes me laugh is how often I hear people say, my faith is just something between God and me, it's personal and private. And look, in some ways they are right. Faith is a personal thing and personal devotional time and bible reading is important. But just imagine that statement in a physical training setting. "my personal training is a private thing between me and my trainer." That might also be true but anyone looking will easily know whether I am actually doing my time at the gym. My training regime and personal fitness goals might be between me and my trainer but the results are on display for the whole world to see.
Our faith is like that too. Yes, we might have a deeply personal and intimate relationship with Jesus, but the results of that life changing relationship are on display for all to see; and when the results give us away, when our hearts remain hard and unforgiving, when our motives are selfish and our words are hurtful, then God gives us his word, and the church to hold us accountable and train us in righteousness. Just like physical training it's not always easy, sometimes it hurst for a while, but when we act on the words of the one who set the path for us, we do see results.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, please help me to take the journey of discipleship seriously and commit to reading your word daily so that through it you may train me in righteousness and that my life may bring glory to you. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.
TO PONDER
I am not much of a gardener, but I have carried 3 babies and am constantly in awe of what God does in that process. The little person begins so small that you can’t even see it. It is easy to even forget it is there, and yet God is knitting together all the parts they will need to survive. There is really nothing you as the mother can do to make the baby develop, God is in charge. What a beautiful gift it is! In the same way a seed grows, and so also does faith. God does not call us to make faith grow and develop in others, or even ourselves. Instead we are to be like gardeners, faithfully sharing the hope, joy, love, peace and grace our Jesus gives us. Let us never tire of sharing what Jesus has done for us, and let our amazing God grow faith in those who hear it!
PRAYER: Loving Father, thank you that you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you that you saw me then and you see me now. Help me to be bold in sharing all you have done and are doing in my life. Help me to trust that you will grow the faith of those who hear your Word, Amen.
Today's devotion written by Elise von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
TO PONDER
Have you ever gone for a walk at night? Maybe when you were camping and needed the bathroom. It can be dangerous to walk a path you are unfamiliar with, and even more treacherous when you can’t see where you are going. There are obstacles you might miss, you might swerve off the path without even noticing. A torch or lamp is a necessity when you are camping! It lights the way and allows you to stick to the path, reaching your destination safely. It also allows you to avoid obstacles that might trip you up or cause you harm. It is the same in life. There are many things that can cause us to stray from the path of Jesus. There are obstacles that can trip us up, tempting us to live a way different to our calling as children of God. But, the word, the Bible is our lamp. It lights the way of Jesus and helps us to resist temptation and stick close to the path he has set out before us.
PRAYER: Jesus, thank you that I have your word, to guide me and instruct me and comfort me. Help me to love your word and to use it to light the path of my everyday life. Thank you that your ways are good. Amen.
Today's devotion by Elise von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.
TO PONDER
This morning on the news I saw reporting from Adelaide, coverage of the Adelaide Fringe Festival. This festival was a relatively new thing about 10 years ago when my family and I first moved to Australian Lutheran College for me to begin my pastoral studies. The fringe festival, is supposed to be a celebration of minority cultures from around the world and to the organisers credit, one of the matriarchs of the LCA who was known for how she 'spun a yarn' even did a stand up comedy gig once during the festival a few years back before she passed away. I guess now the Lutheran church is a fringe/minority culture so it fits the theme.
However the main attraction for the festival is called 'the garden of unearthly delights' and while I never attended it, the promotional material suggested that it really was just a vent to see things that decent people probably don't need to be seeing, and to drink and indulge the senses in almost any way imaginable.
Too often the world around us seeks to derail our walk as disciples of Jesus by appealing to our senses, appealing to those things that 'delight' us. Yet for the writer of today's psalm, the Word of God, His laws and commands were where he found delight. And why not, there is so much that is delightful about God's word and what he has revealed to us about himself in that word.
He is our Loving Heavenly Father, rich in mercy and abounding in steadfast love for those who love him and walk in his ways. Isn't that the kind of walk in the park of 'unearthly delights' that we should be looking for?
PRAYER: Lord help me to recognise and experience the delight that comes from walking with you and doing things your way. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’a]”
TO PONDER
If you could choose the ultimate meal what would it include? This question is a hard one for me to answer, because eating special food is something that brings me great joy. I love a special meal, with many courses, maybe even paired with wines selected by the chef to match and enhance the food. But, sometimes there is also nothing better than a good burger and perfect fries, finished off with an ice cold soft drink. I spend a lot of time thinking about food; what will my family eat this week? What will I have for lunch? Is there a chocolatey snack I can enjoy after dinner? Food is a big part of our lives, but Jesus points out here that it is not enough to sustain us. We can be physically fed well, but unless we are tasting and enjoying the Word of God then we will never be truly satisfied or live a full life. Let’s challenge ourselves in this Lenten season to hunger after God’s Word and to think on it and find joy in it.
PRAYER
Loving God, thank you for the bible, the way you speak to me and reveal yourself to me through it. Thank you also for Jesus, the Word made flesh. Help me hunger to read and understand your word. Thank you that when I open the pages you will speak to me. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Elise von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
TO PONDER:
As I prepared to go through security at the airport last week, it struck me again how conformity is such a powerful force in our lives. Those simple barriers that funnel us down a certain path, snaking back and forth until we get to the front of the line where we are then directed to one of the security scanning lines. Conformity is easy. It requires little effort. All you need to do is follow the path where it leads. It happened at the Tennis and the standing for the National anthem. It happens when we join the line at the checkout in any store. It happens as we follow local customs in countries that we visit in order to fit in. Conformity is easy. Every day the culture in which we live has an impact on us. It subtly squeezes us into its mold of living, thinking, acting.
Paul says, as people who are alive in the Spirit, as people who have received the mercy of God, we are called to live a reimagined life. To daily walk in newness of life. When Paul says, be transformed, he is saying, 'let God continue to transform you'. Let God continue to shape you and mold you. It's not a once off thing. It's a daily occurrence.
Let God shape you in the decisions you make today. Let God's will form you in the actions that you take today. Let God's heart inspire and motivate what you do today. That's hard work. It requires effort. And it always involves radical change. It's walking up the escalator when everyone else is going down. It's being prepared to take a stand for truth, when everyone else has subscribed to Groupthink. It's consciously choosing to see the world through God's eyes. And when we do that Paul says, we will find ourselves being changed by that, we will start living reimagined lives that will begin to impact the world and culture in which we live, move and have our being.
PRAYER:
Lord God, transform my thinking and my actions today, that in everything I am and do, I may consciously choose to live the reimagined life you have graciously given to me. Amen.