“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit
TO PONDER:
This is a real conversation I had with a person this week. "In ten years of business, I had never been through this before, and the pressure got to me. I had no answers and I couldn't cope and went through a time of real depression. And the result of this was that I let a lot of my clients down, including you."
It was a hard admission for this person to make but one that many are familiar with. When we trust in our own resources, there comes a time when our reserves are depleted, our strength is gone, and there is nothing left to give. It becomes a downward spiral that can be hard to get out of. But Jeremiah reminds us that when you put your trust in God, there is an abundance of resources that enable us to thrive, even in the midst of the most challenging times. Those who are centred in the Lord, who draw their strength from the Lord and trust in him, are able to remain strong and vibrant, to find the strength to endure and persevere, even in the face of adversity. But it doesn't stop there. The tree is able to bear fruit even in drought. When we draw from the endless supply of God's grace, we are able to make a positive impact on the world around us, providing nourishment and sustenance to others. As the Psalmist reminds us, 'My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. -Psalm 73:26.
Where do you need to trust and put your confidence in the Lord today?
PRAYER:
God, in all I face today, be the strength of my heart. Amen.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
TO PONDER:
What gets you out of bed each morning? To be a good role model for your children? Curiosity - you are eager to learn something new each day? A passion for helping others? A desire to shape and influence the lives of others? Necessity - there are bills to be paid and mouths to be filled? Or maybe what gets you out of bed is fear - fear of missing out on something or fear of letting someone down.
What gets you out of bed each morning is a question of motivation. Paul addresses this question of motivation in the reading today. He tells the people to work hard - to put all their effort into what you are doing. Why? So that they would get a promotion? So that they would make a lot of money? No! There is a different motivation in play here. It's that we see whatever we are doing as part of our service to God, a response to what Christ has done for us and given to us. What's interesting is to who Paul writes this. In verse 22 Paul is addressing the slaves in households, whose very title means they work for someone else. But Paul tells them that their relationship to Jesus Christ, their transformed life in him becomes a new motivation for why they get out of bed in the morning. Because they have a new employer, God himself!
When I was ordained as a pastor, I was set apart for the holy things of God. The Church was saying that it recognised that God, had called me to, gifted and prepared me for vocational pastoral ministry. What I love about these verses is that Paul is saying that your baptism has ordained you, set you apart, gifted and prepared you for that work you are doing now. That God is at work in whatever you are doing to reveal his presence in this world. So as you get out of bed this morning, as you head into your day, will you remind yourself that you are an ordained bus driver, an ordained stay at home parent, an ordained teacher, an ordained business owner, an ordained grandparent, an ordained lecturer, an ordained secretary, an ordained ________ (insert your own occupation). As you go about your day, remember God is your employer so let working for him be your motivation. May your actions and your effort be inspired by who you work for. May you make Christ look good in this world.
PRAYER:
God, thank you for ordaining me and taking a chance on me and qualifying me for work in your kingdom. Strengthen me by your Spirit, that all I do today, may reflect well on you as my boss, my Lord, and my Saviour. Amen.
Fearing people is a dangerous trap,
but trusting the Lord means safety.
TO PONDER
It was a piece of advice that was given to me early in ministry. "If people are happy with what you are doing a majority of the time, you are probably not challenging them beyond their comfort zone". Anyone who has led even the smallest of groups or even a family unit will know the truth of that. The moment that you push a group or an organization out of what is comfortable and familiar, the moment you challenge the status quo of people, the moment you pull the plug on a ministry that is no longer serving its original purpose, say 'no' to an opportunity that lies outside the core values or put up boundaries that seemingly limit the 'freedom' of your child, you are bound to get a reaction. It's a reaction that can range from mild annoyance or irritation to anonymous letters, unparalleled anger or even threats or abuse in its various forms. But making the tough calls is part of life and leadership.
Not every one will agree with the choices made, not everyone will be happy with the direction pursued, not everyone will cope well when their worldview is stretched. That's what stops many people even venturing down that road. For making the tough call and possibly hurting someone else's feelings sets us on a collision path with others where friendships can be destroyed and relationships fractured. Our fear of rejection, our concern of how we will be perceived, our propensity to want to please others can paralyze us into inaction because of the offense that may be caused. It can also lead us to compromise the very values we believe in or know is right.
That's a dangerous trap that causes great harm. Trust in Jesus not only anchors our life, but centres and aligns our heart in the identity he gives to us and the purpose he has for us. In him, we find peace and in his presence we find a security that guards and protects our life. May you experience that today.
PRAYER:
Forgive me, gracious Lord, when I am more worried about what others will think of me, that celebrating who you have called me as your precious child. Speak that truth again in the times when I feel the pressure to please others. Amen.
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
TO PONDER:
What drives you in life? What motivates you? Who are you living for? We all live for something. That's what is at the heart of the reading today. We have a two year border collie who is motivated by affection. He will move from person to person to get hugs, scratches and pats. If you ignore him, he will push his nose into you until you wrap your hand around his snout and give him a good scratch on the nose. He lives for the love and affection of people.
Paul points to what many people live for today - pleasing others. That the choices made and the behaviour seen is motivated by a desire to win the approval of people whose opinion we care about. Who is it for you? A parent? A spouse? A teacher? A person you want to be noticed by? Paul in this first chapter of Galatians shows how subtly this approach to living can take us away from the good news of Jesus, the Gospel. Our desire to please others becomes the focus of our life which takes our focus off of Jesus and the freedom that he gives.
You already have the approval of the one whose opinion we should most care about. God. He loves you and delights in you, not because of your achievements, not because of anything you have done or not done, but simply because he loves you. When you live in that reality, it takes the pressure off. You don't have to run like our border collie from one person to the next to find validation and approval, you have it every second of every day. That's grace...and that God's gift for living. Receive it.
PRAYER:
God of grace, thank you that because of your son Jesus, I live with your approval. Give me your Spirit that I may live today in a way that brings honour to your name. Amen.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
TO PONDER:
As you start the week, how are you feeling? Eager to launch into the week? Ready to embrace what this week throws at you? Or tired and you haven't even got out of bed yet? Life is exhausting. The demands. The expectations. The responsibilities. Sometimes it seems that life is like a giant version of Tetris, as we try to arrange, rearrange, manipulate, make space and attempt to fit all the pieces together into a cohesive whole. Sometimes we manage ok, but we never know which piece is next, and as we struggle to find where it fits, the next unexpected piece comes and then another and it can leave us overwhelmed.
Jesus, never expected us to do life on our own. He knows that we cannot bear the burden of expectations and demands required of us. That's why he entered this world, to take on the burden of responsibilities, to fulfil the weight of demands, and to be crushed by the expectations of humankind, so that we might know freedom and joy. God promises Jeremiah and us, I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. Jeremiah 31:25.
Jesus invites us as we start this week, and with all that lies ahead, to rest in him, find refreshment in him and in his presence receive all we need to focus on one piece at a time, knowing that whatever comes next, he will be us, lifting the burden and making the canvas of our life complete.
PRAYER:
Good morning Lord, there is nothing that can happen to me today or this week that is bigger than you. Give me your grace to step into the challenges and expectations of this week, letting you carry the weight of expectation that I can never carry. Amen.
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people (verse 11)
TO PONDER:
Law enforcement agencies use it. Workplaces benefit from it. Talent scouts rely on it. Profiling. Profiling happens whenever we look at the outside of another human being and draw conclusions about what that person is like on the inside. We profile every day; when we step onto a bus or train or enter a public space.
The Pharisee in the parable today is doing just that…’God I thank you that I am not like…them!’ ‘Thank you that my way is the right way.’ He stands apart and makes a judgment based on the outside while having no idea of what is happening on the inside in the other. He pumps up his own tyres and puts a nail in the other. He thinks his way is the only way and views others with contempt. He makes himself more, and the other less. All to justify himself, his actions, and his fears. Do you recognise the tendency for Pharisaic profiling in yourself? God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
Jesus didn’t stand apart from us and profile us. He stepped into our world to walk in our shoes, to see with our eyes, to feel with our hands, to overcome our fears with love, and to die in our place. Because of that, in humility and love we might just find a way forward…together…as a nation and a church.
You will not look into the eyes of someone today that Jesus doesn’t love. Take a step and get to know someone new?
PRAYER:
God, create in me a clean heart, that I may see others anew. Amen.
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice.
He rescues me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me.
TO PONDER
It seems like everyone has to be opposed to something these days; everyone needs a scapegoat or a group of people that they can rally against and paint as the bad guy. Sometimes there is no way of avoiding being someone's opponent, sometimes you become their opposition without even realising it and it is often because of your faith in Jesus.
Well let's be honest, it's not usually about your faith in Jesus, after all, who could have a problem with Jesus. He was a pretty good guy in the grand scheme of things; had some good insights about life and how to treat others how you want to be treated... stuff like that. Nah, Jesus was ok. It's Christians that are the problems these days.
It's Christians who are intolerant of people who are different to themselves. It's Christians who want to take all the fun out of life. It's Christians who are judgmental of others and project that 'holier than thou' attitude... the list goes on and on if you care to listen.
To be fair, some of these statements hold a bit of water. Sometimes us Christians, when we lose sight of God's love and mercy to all people, can be a bit judgy. Sometimes, we are guilty of intolerance when we hold different perspective to others. What are we to do in those situations... Look to Jesus.
Jesus had the worst of it and sets us a prime example of how to hold up under that kind of pressure. When God's chosen people rejected him as the messiah they had been waiting for, they also became his opponents, seeking to trick him or trap him at every opportunity. And yet, Jesus just went on doing the Father's business. Jesus cried out in distress on the cross, and God delivered him, even though the people he had come to save had made themselves his opponents, Jesus still died for them.
I know it seems impossible, but that's the standard of love we are to aim for. Even when people oppose us, we are to love them like Jesus loves us, and trust that his love for us will not let us down. It's easy to say but difficult to do. Why not just give it a try? What have you got to lose?
PRAYER:Lord God, it can be tough trying to live as one of your children in the world today, a world that often puts itself in opposition to you and to your church. Help me to live and to love others, even those who oppose me (and you) with the love of Jesus. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
TO PONDER
I have to confess that today's verse sorely tempted me to begin by saying 'this story serves as an example of what happens when you don't listen to the wisdom of our pastor/priest.' However, that is not really the point of this text, and I know that I am as prone to mistakes and not listening to God at times just as much as the next person. In fact, the real message behind this text is really that we will always end up in trouble if we listen to other people instead of God.
Now sometimes, like in the case of Samuel, God speaks quite clearly and directly to us through the words and wisdom of others. And so it can be wise to seek the counsel of a wise Christian mentor or friend. But the wisdom of the world at large, particularly if you follow the story of Scripture, seems to always lead to folly and often also destruction.
What we see played out in the rest of the story of Samuel and the Israelites is that the people on a King and so God gives them what they want, but with a stern warning.
God does allow us to make choices, but he also gives strong advice about what happens when we reject him as the ultimate authority for our lives. You are free to live your own way but don't be surprised when the thing you want most (if it is not God) turns out to disappoint.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I may walk in your ways and your wisdom. Help me to someone who can give wise and righteous counsel to others, because I am always ready to listen to you. Amen
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”
Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!
TO PONDER
Who are you obeying? There are a whole bunch of laws and powers that would lay claim on each of us. As residents of Australia we are protected but also sometimes restricted in our behaviour by the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia, and then also by the laws of the state or territory in which we live. There are natural laws like the laws of nature and the laws of physics. Advances in our scientific understanding and technological capabilities, almost seem to be providing us means to break or bypass some of those laws when they don't suit us.
The problem is with rules and regulations, we offend find ways around them when they do not suit us. Running late or in a hurry to get somewhere? Maybe the laws which govern the speed at which we drive lose some of their significance...
We sometimes have the same attitude when it comes to the things of God and living as disciples of Jesus. We are happy to live by his rules and as his followers as long as it suits us. Sometimes when it gets a bit sticky or uncomfortable, we have the same tendency to ignore God's ways, or to look for a loophole in order to justify our own actions.
Peter and the other apostles, on trial by the Sanhedrin, the leaders of the Jewish religion, make a very clear statement in their defence. 'We must obey God rather than humans'. There is not a situation where God's law, God's instruction does not apply to us; where we can just say that's too hard, I just won't bother. And yet, most of us do it all the time.
What a joy then to be reminded that While God's laws still stand, Jesus has lived under and fulfilled those laws for us, so that when we break them, the punishment that should come our way is covered by his righteousness. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't mean being free from living in God's ways, it means being freed from his judgement when we don't.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you told your disciples to go and make more disciples by baptising them and teaching them to obey everything you have commanded. Help me to be an example of what life looks like when we do what you have commanded. Let that kind of life, a life of love and service of you and others, be a witness to all you have done for me. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Mathew von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.