The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
TO PONDER
As a teen growing up in the 1990's I remember a lot of Christian music that had the theme "walking in the light". DC Talk had a song called "I wanna be in the Light", and I think it was the orange "All Together" songbook taught us all the 'Walking in the Light" song. As a teen, I didn't find the 90's such a dark time but there was obviously something about that time for a lot of people that made this idea of walking in the light a very comforting thought.
If you asked me to choose between the 90's or our current times and pick which were the darkest, I'd have to say these days seem far more dark in many ways. Many people seem to have let go of reality and truth and are walking around in darkness, convincing many others to join them. More than ever we need the light of Jesus Christ to illuminate us and light the path ahead for us.
We find that light in the truth of God's word, the Bible. Each day, darkness waits at our door. We can either step out into the darkness, or begin each day by reaching for the light of God's word and the love and light of Jesus alive in us and take that as we step out so that the darkness is dispelled by the light God has given us.
In the words (lyrics) of DC Talk - ll I want is to be in the light!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, give me a desire to know the truth of your word more deeply. Please help me to understand and embody your truth so that in the darkness of this world, others may be drawn to your light shining in me and through me. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."
TO PONDER
This verse strikes me as a little strange. In verse 15 Immediately after Moses has told everyone to be still, God seems to tell Moses off, almost as if to say, "What have you stopped for and why are you panicking? Get moving. So what if there's sea in the way, I'll take care of it - just keep moving."
Maybe I'm paraphrasing and imagining too much from the reading but I think often I am guilty of standing still and waiting to see the deliverance of the Lord when God might actually be asking me to be the instrument of His deliverance.
Moses wasn't completely wrong, God did fight for and delivered them safely to the opposite shore of the Sea, but he also required them to walk the path he had set before them. Even when the path ahead was not clear God asked them to walk forward into the sea and trust the path he made for them. I think we often fall short of seeing the fulness of what God might want to show us because we imagine that something is impossible. How often do we let God lead us to the shore of whatever sea He wants us to cross and then camp out at the edge, refusing to take the next step for fear of getting our feet wet.
So yes, be still, rest in the Lord - but don't stay camped on the shore. God promises to restore and equip you, not so that you can continue to rest, but so that you might get on with living in the fulness of life that comes as you follow Him.
PRAYER: God, the life you invite me to live in following you is often uncertain and can at times seem scary and dangerous. Yet you promise to walk through the fire and the water with your people. Help me to walk in your promises, knowing and trusting that wherever your path leads me I will never be far from you. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
TO PONDER
Can you imagine? Would you ever get used to the sight? You wake up from your tent and step outside and there, at the front of the camp is a column of white cloud (or perhaps it was grey stormy clouds complete with lightning and thunder). Or as you gather around your own measly camp fire to eat your evening meal you realise that the warmth you feel is not coming from your own fire but from the pillar of fire which reaches up into the sky and put out enough light and heat to allow you and your roughly 2 million travelling companions to continue travelling through the night.
What an incredible and miraculous sign of God's presence. Surely, faced with that kind of experience you would have no trouble trusting that God was leading you!? But just stop for a moment and think. What are the ways you have seen God at work in your life or the lives of your friends and family. What disasters has God averted, what healing has he brought, what insights has he given that have led you out of the places you have been stuck, and into His light and life.
We might not have a pillar of cloud or fire, but God shows us every day the things that He is doing. He gives us His word, He gives us His Son, His Spirit and His Church, to help us see the path He is laying out before us. All he asks us to do is follow.
PRAYER: Lord God, help me to see the ways you are leading and guiding me. Give me a hunger for your word and receptivity to your Holy Spirit so that I might boldly and confidently follow where you lead. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.
TO PONDER
Building on the devotion from yesterday, I have always found legal correspondence intimidating. Not that I have received a lot of it, but I recall some of the legal paperwork involved when my father passed away and could not help but think there was something clinically focussed and officious about the way it presented itself. It's why I'm sure if I ever fall for and internet or email scam it will be one that threatens legal action against me.
Yet by the same token, the writers of the New Testament regularly employed 'legal' metaphors and language to describe our standing with God in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus. They assure us that the Law has no hold over us because of Jesus. They say that we are adopted, now fully recognised members of God's family. Not strangers and not even simply friends who can have an argument and destroy their relationship, but family members, who regardless of how we might feel towards each other at any point in time, are family to the end by virtue of this adoption.
And when it comes to this kind of family law, there are no loop holes, Jesus has dotted all the 'i's and crossed the 't's. That is what the Word of God, the ultimate authority in every jurisdiction says that you are and no-one can say otherwise. (well I guess they could but they'd be wrong!!!)
PRAYER: Dearest Jesus, thank you that you opened up the way, providing the mens for me to once again be called a child of God through your life, death, and resurrection. May I learn to live each day in the new identity that this adoption grants me and may I continually grow in my resemblance to you my brother, my saviour, and friend. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit,
TO PONDER
We don't use monogramed or personal crest wax seals to seal written correspondence anymore these days. In many way's it's a shame because we now receive most of our correspondence via email and text messages, systems which most of us have learned, especially in recent times can be used fraudulently.
I'm sure all of us have received an email from someone claiming to be a representative of some legal firm, corporation, or government department insisting that we contact them and give them our personal details so they can, "fix a clerical error", or "pass on a mystery inheritance" or some other outrageous claim.
But these old wax seals used to be a symbol of authenticity that the message contained within the paper came from the person who owned the seal. To be marked with God's seal is a symbol of our belonging to Him. But it is more than just a symbol. Here in Ephesians the Apostle Paul says the seal is the gift and presence of God's Holy Spirit, alive and at work within us. So there can be no doubt, if you confess with your mouth and believe in you heart that Jesus Christ is Lord then The Holy Spirit of God is at work within you. You are sealed as His so that both you and the world may know that you belong to Him.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for your gift of life and salvation and for sealing me with your promise of the Holy Spirit. Lord, help me each day to become more aware of and in tune with the work of Holy Spirit in my life and the lives of those around me so that others may also be drawn into the seal and protection of your promises. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.
TO PONDER
Do you ever wonder why God let things drag on so long with Pharaoh and didn't just magically relocate his people into the promised land? Ever wonder why the people of Israel had to walk around in the desert for 40 years just to make what could have been a 2-3 week journey? Was God just being slow or did he have a purpose?
Sometimes it's easy, especially when the world around us seems to be setting itself up against us, to wonder why God is taking his time in delivering us.
For example, Maybe you have a sick friend or relative for whom you've been praying for days, weeks, or even months and nothing about their situation seems to be changing. Perhaps you have been looking for a new job and just keep getting knocked back for position after position despite your prayers and best efforts.
Whatever you might be asking God for at the moment, remember, just because you do not see an obvious and immediate solution to your problem or answer to your request doesn't mean God is missing or He's 'checked out' on you. He could very well be, and probably is, at work bringing about something bigger and better than you ever imagined, something that not only depends your faith in him, but which also has the potential to draw others to himself as well.
PRAYER: Lord help me to be ready to go wherever you may lead me. When I feel alone and haven't heard clearly from you in a while, remind me to be still and know that you are God and you have it all under control.
Today's daily verse written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
TO PONDER
“I just want closure…”, “Karma will catch up with them…”, “Let me tell you my side of the story…”, are all versions of wanting people to pay for how they have hurt us.
Many years ago I watched an interview with a mother of a child who disappeared on a family camping trip, the child was kidnapped from a tent and had never been found. Every year as the anniversary of the date of the disappearance approached someone claiming to be the kidnapper would call the parents as well as send taunting letters to the family.
In the interview the heartbroken mother shared how the seemingly justified anger and hate towards this individual was destroying.
Being a follower of Jesus she knew what the counterintuitive response was towards this evil person should be, she forgave, she prayed blessing over the offender every day. She would wake up everymorning and ask God to bless him, to prosper his life, that he would have a great day. With tears in my eyes my prayer life changed from then on. If this lady who was in the midst of the unfathomable life shattering experience could forgive someone of the unforgivable, then surely I could forgive someone for insulting me.
In today’s verse we discover the counterintuitive truth of protecting our hearts from evil, forgive and be a blessing.
PRAYER: Forgiving Saviour, I repent of my hard heart, for every time I have wanted people to pay for those offences against me, and the times I have reacted with actions to get ‘pay-back’. I ask you to help me become a person of blessing towards everyone around me. Amen.
But you’ll welcome us with open arms when we run for cover to you. Let the party last all night! Stand guard over our celebration. You are famous, God, for welcoming God-seekers, for decking us out in delight. (MSG)
TO PONDER
What’s the first thing you do when you are going through a hard time? Do you complain about it, do you get depressed, or do you party all night?
I recently read a book by Phillip Yancy called ‘Where Is God When It Hurts’ where he explores pain and suffering. In the book, Yancy talks about pain and suffering being blessings from God.
The Apostle Paul talks about ‘rejoicing’ in our suffering in Romans 5:3-5, James reminds us to ‘consider it pure joy’ when we experience tough times (James 1:2). Jesus himself tells his disciples that they will ‘have trouble’ and then reminds them that He has ‘overcome the world’ (John 16:33).
Today’s verses hold the key to facing pain and suffering with ‘delight’, the psalmist leads with running to God for cover, taking refuge in Him and it is there we will rejoice.
PRAYER: Almighty Father, I praise you for always having my back, when I run to you for refuge I find your joy and am able to rejoice in all circumstance when I remember your promises and have my hope in you. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside
During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.”.
TO PONDER
“There are three stages to every great work of God; first it is impossible, then it is difficult, then it is done.” Hudson Taylor
Hudson Taylor has been called one of the four or five most influential foreigners who came to China in the 19thcentury for any purpose, whether religious or secular. Hudson Taylor held onto the promise his parents prayed over his life before he was born.
Hudson Taylor launched a missionary organisation (China Inland Mission) which established 20 mission stations, brought 849 missionaries to the field, trained over 700 Chinese workers, raised over 4 million dollars, and developed a thriving growing church within China, all because of being told there was no money to support his work. It has been said Hudson Taylor was personally responsible for baptising some 50,000 people in his 51 years of saying ‘yes’ to the impossible.
Today’s verses are the result of the impossible becoming the ‘done’. Moses began his call with arguing with God, giving the reasons why what God was sending him to do couldn’t be done and here we read when even Pharoah has realised that there was no impossible when it comes to God.
How often have you let the impossible stop you from doing something, have you let the ‘what if’s’ stop you from answering your ‘go’?
PRAYER: Almighty God, nothing is impossible when you are involved. I ask you today to help my unbelief, my lack of faith, that you would overcome my ‘what if’s’ with your empowering grace. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Danny Brock, LifeWay Westside