[Friday's Devotional] - Great is your reward in heaven

5      Great is your reward in heaven

 

 

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  Matthew 5: 11 – 12  [NIV]

 

These final verses carry on the theme of the last beatitude: that disciples may face harassment and oppression because of their faith in Jesus.  Christians in some countries are denied access to education, kept as bonded labourers, arrested, imprisoned, tortured and killed simply because they believe in Jesus.

 

Yet Jesus tells both us and them that they should rejoice and be glad because they will be rewarded in heaven.  You need a lot of faith to believe that... but that is exactly what many of our persecuted brothers and sisters have.

 

In one of her books, Amy Orr-Ewing talks about a visit to an underground church in China.

 

The pastor of this church had spent 19 years doing hard labour in a camp for his faith, and the church was continuously interrupted and raided by the police who confiscated Bibles and destroyed equipment.  When we asked him what the secret of his church's growth was, he said without a hesitation: ‘Persecution...  Every time I am imprisoned or the building is raided, our church doubles in size again.  When the police come and start harassing us we know that good things are about to happen.’ 

 

Nowhere in any of the beatitudes we have looked at this week does Jesus promise material riches or an easy life.  The spiritual riches he does promise are for the future, but in the meantime we have the assurance that the Kingdom of Heaven is ours [Matthew 5: 3, 10].  We are God’s people, forgiven by him, adopted by him and precious to him.

 

Heavenly Father, thank you for choosing me to be your child.  Help me to put my trust in you even when the going gets tough.  Amen.

 

David Long

[Thursday's Devotional] - Blessed are the Peacemakers

4      Blessed are the Peacemakers

 

 

Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Matthew 5: 9 – 10 [NIV]

 

These two final beatitudes deal with conflict: the role of the Christian in resolving conflict and the possibility of conflict because of belief.

 

As Christians we are to be peacemakers, we are to seek to brink conflict and animosity to an end.  This should be true in our own lives, in our church life and in the wider world.  Jesus is the Prince of Peace [Isaiah 9: 6]; in his death on the cross he brought peace between the Father, who is holy, and ordinary people who were alienated from him because of sin.  Paul writes:

 

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.  [Romans 5: 1, NIV]

 

And just as God has made peace with us, we are to make peace with each other.

 

However, Jesus recognises that peace in this world may not come to Christians.  If we lead lives of righteousness, lives which are different from those around us, we may well attract unwelcome attention and hatred.  This may be true for some in this country, but our experience pales into insignificance besides the experience of those who live in countries where to be a Christian is to challenge prevailing beliefs.  Yet the promise of Jesus is not in the future, but in the present:  Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

Christians are like tea - their real strength is drawn only when they get into hot water.  [Jonathan Lamb]

 

Heavenly Father, help me to bring peace to the different situations in which I find myself, even when I am under attack.  Amen.

 

David Long

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Blessed are the pure in heart

3      Blessed are the pure in heart

 

 

Blessed are the merciful,

For they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they will see God.  Matthew 5: 7 – 8 [NIV]

 

Christian believers are those who show mercy and those who are pure in heart.

 

There is a strong idea of reciprocity in Scripture, with people being treated by God in the same way that they have treated other people.  We see this in parable of the unmerciful servant [Matthew 18:21 – 35] and in the Lord’s prayer:

 

Forgive us our debts

As we have forgiven our debtors.  Matthew 6: 12 [NIV]

 

We were all sinners deserving punishment, but we have been forgiven because of the work of Christ.  In the same way we should forgive those who sin against us. 

 

By pure in heart, Jesus means that his disciples should love God with all their heart, with an undivided loyalty.  The Lord should have first place in our hearts; he should have authority over every part of our lives not just over those parts where we allow him access.  How single-minded am I in my love for him?  How easy it is for me to compromise and for my love to grow cold.

 

Jesus has left us with work to do: evangelism and teaching, serious prayer, works of mercy and love; and the Spirit has given us the gifts to carry them out.  What are we doing with our time?  Shopping, channel surfing, dreaming of our next holiday - or devoting ourselves to cultivating the fruit of the Spirit and using his gifts?  [Annabel Robinson.]

 

Heavenly Father give me a pure heart that I may see you and a humble heart that I may hear you.  Amen.

 

David Long

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Blessed are the meek

2      Blessed are the meek

 

 

When Paul was travelling in Thessalonica, his preaching led to a riot during which some of the local Christians were dragged before the city authorities.  The leaders of the mob condemned the Christians saying These men who have turned the world upside-down have come here also.  Acts 17: 6 [RSV]

 

Today’s beatitudes reflect the way that the values of the Kingdom are utterly different from those of the world.

 

Blessed are the meek

For they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they will be filled.  Matthew 5: 5 – 6 [NIV]

 

It is the meek, not the tough and overbearing, who will inherit the earth.  It is those whose long for righteousness (being in a right relationship with God) who will be satisfied.

 

As disciples we are to be meek.  We are not to throw our weight about; we are not to be self-promoting.  In the end God will give us the high place we have not seized for ourselves.

 

And as disciples we are to hunger and thirst... for righteousness – not for wealth or power or position.  Christian disciples are to desire a strong relationship of obedience and trust with God.  We are called to live in relationship with God and to allow him to change our character and our priorities.

 

These beatitudes show what life is like in the topsy-turvy Kingdom of God.  Timothy Keller writes:

 

Those who are shaped by the great reversal of the cross no longer need self-justification through money, status, career, or pride of race and class.  So the cross creates a counterculture in which money, sex and power cease to control us and are used in life-giving and community-building rather than destructive ways

 

Heavenly Father, fill me with your Spirit so that I may deeply desire to serve you in every aspect of my life.  Amen.

 

David Long

[Monday's Devotional] - Now when Jesus saw the crowds...

1      Now when Jesus saw the crowds...

 

 

The Sermon on the Mount is the first of five blocks of teaching in Matthew’s gospel.  Jesus, seeing the crowds, takes his disciples apart onto a mountainside to speak to them.  What we read here, then, is teaching for disciples not just for anyone.  And Jesus begins this famous sermon with a group of pithy sayings, the Beatitudes.

 

The Beatitudes are all about life in the Kingdom of God.  Each one begins with an attitude a disciple ought to have and ends with a benefit or reward usually, but not always, in the future.

 

Here are the first two:

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

For they will be comforted.  Matthew 5: 3 – 4 [NIV]

 

The Greek word makarios (‘blessed’) is hard to translate.  ‘Happy’ or ‘fortunate’ might be better than ‘blessed’.

 

True disciples, Jesus says, are poor in spirit – not materially poor, but poor in the sense that they have rejected the ways of the world and have put their trust in God.  True disciples are those who mourn – not in the sense that they are bereaved, but in the sense that they miss out or suffer because of their loyalty to God.

 

Being a disciple of Jesus means making some tough decisions about what is important in life and where our ultimate security lies.  Some people might think that Christians are missing out in life, but Jesus promises blessing both now and in the future.  We live under God’s loving authority now; we look forward to greater joy when his Kingdom comes in all of its fullness.

 

“The trinkets that make winners of their owners in this world will have no currency in the new kingdom.  It is those the world has laughed at as losers who will find themselves winning beyond their wildest dreams.”  [Gerard Kelly] 

 

Heavenly Father, help me to put my trust in you for you are my only security.  Amen.

 

David Long

[Friday's Devotional] - Spontaneous love

“Love is not premeditated– it is spontaneous; that is, it bursts forth in extraordinary ways”, says Oswald Chambers in his book My Utmost for His Highest.

 

A couple of years ago, I was looking out of the window at the back of our house, and a wheel came off a car as it was travelling along. It was bizarre – the car ground to a halt as it skidded along on the brake drum, and the wheel continued rolling along the road. It was an odd sight - I have never seen it before or since, but it was also odd that I happened to be looking out of the window at that precise moment. It was like my cue to do something.

 

Unfortunately I’m not that good at being spontaneous. I didn’t jump up and run out to help the guy. To be honest, it wasn’t exactly on my doorstep, as I don’t have access to the road from the back of my house. My mind told me that someone else would be there by the time I had walked round, but nevertheless I did feel later on that I should have done something, because I had witnessed it.

 

So, I sometimes feel more like the Levite or the priest than the Good Samaritan in our passage this week. I want to be more spontaneous, but often there is something holding me back.

 

So as we close this week, maybe reflect on the Good Samaritan’s response. It was one quickly made, not over analysing, and made sacrificially. He let his love burst forth in an extraordinary way. Let’s pray that we can let God in to our lives so that we may do the same.

 

Jon Seaton

[Thursday's Devotional] - Taking risks and finding needs

 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”  Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37 [NIV]

 

It is a beautiful thing to see love in action. It is hard not to cry at some of the Children In Need films of the plight of people in poor countries, and how they have been helped.

 

If instead we just heard someone saying how important it was that we helped these people, without any story or video, it would not have nearly the same impact.

 

Similarly, by painting the picture of the man attacked by robbers in the Good Samaritan story (see yesterday for text), Jesus moves the discussion about love and being a neighbour from the head to the heart.  He moves it from the expert’s comfort zone of talking about legal theory, to an example of love in action.

 

We may often hear that love is a doing word, and Jesus finishes his encounter with the Expert in the Law with the instruction to “go and do likewise”. I think it is difficult to “do” though if your heart is not engaged.

 

In our country, we are so privileged that we don’t often see such extreme need, yet needs exist in different forms, such as loneliness or relationship breakdown.  If today you feel that your heart is not stirred to act, it may be a case of taking a similarly risky path as the one from Jerusalem to Jericho, where you will more likely see others need for yourself.

 

Jon Seaton

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Neighbourly love

But [the expert] wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”

 

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he travelled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
Luke 10:30-35 [NIV]

 

Some weeks ago, the Pope said Donald Trump was not a Christian, because he said he wants to build a wall across the border of the USA and Mexico. The Pope said a Christian would be building bridges, not walls.

 

In the story of the Good Samaritan, two religious people are featured, a Levite and a priest. If they helped the wounded man, they would be risking defilement especially if he was actually dead.  If the priest is defiled, he cannot collect, distribute and eat tithes. It could take him two weeks to get ritually clean again, so helping would be a very costly action.

 

As well as saying who a neighbour is, Jesus seems to be pointing out that it is impossible to keep the law. It is impossible for the religious people to stay ritually clean, whilst keeping the law of loving your neighbour. Maybe the expert who asked the question wanted an easier answer. Maybe he wanted a neighbour to be a family member, or a close friend, and thus feel he was OK.

 

Whether or not Donald Trump is a Christian, Jesus’ definition of loving your neighbour is a costly one, and seems to be at odds with Donald Trump’s comments. However, where are your limits of doing what is reasonable for your neighbour? What is your response if you can’t live up to Jesus’ standards?

 

Know that God loves you just the same, whatever your response, but that neighbourly love is part of being a follower of Christ.

 

Jon Seaton

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Obeying the Law

[The expert] answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
Luke 10:27-28 [NIV]

 

Jesus knew the answer to the expert’s question “how to inherit eternal life”, but by getting him to answer, he is able to see where the expert’s thinking is. And it all seems very sound, but Jesus approval of the expert’s answer is qualified by the word “do”, and therein lies the problem.

 

The problem comes with obeying the law. Although I love God, I can’t say it is always with my whole being.  So, if I was answering the expert’s question, I would probably point to John 3:16, and say that inheriting eternal life comes through believing Jesus has paid the price for sin.

 

Why didn’t Jesus answer in a similar way, revealing the full truth about himself?  I think he knew that this answer wouldn’t be accepted at that point in time, because it was too radical, especially in response to a testing question from the expert in the law. Instead, I think Jesus chooses to subtly point out the flaw in the expert’s “correct” thinking, showing him that he cannot keep the law, and this is highlighted in the story to come (you’ll have to wait until tomorrow, but I’m sure you know it).

 

Lord, I want to love you with all our heart, mind, soul and strength, but I know I am going to fail. Thank you Jesus that you forgive my failure, through your death and resurrection, and give me an opportunity to try again. Amen

Jon Seaton

[Monday's Devotional] - Questions, questions

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” Luke 10:25-26 [NIV]

I thought I would take The Good Samaritan as the passage to look at this week.

It is probably one of the most overused texts in Sunday schools and school assemblies, because it appeals to that part of our human nature that aspires to do good, as reflected in the many charity fundraisers like Sports Relief or Children In Need. It cuts across cultural and class divides, and has a lot to teach us in that regard.

Note that it starts off with a question from an expert in the Law of Moses, someone who would be called upon in legal cases. He intended to “test” Jesus, maybe to discredit him up or make himself look good.

 

The Jewish leadership were probably concerned about Jesus’ teachings on the Law.

Jesus had to cleverly avoid this potential trip-up whilst revealing the truth. How would you have answered this question? I think I would feel trapped coming up against such an expert.

 

Jesus chooses not to answer the question immediately, but rather throws another question back at the expert, which opens up the discussion.

 

It is easy to get annoyed when you know people’s motives aren’t completely well-intentioned, but a question can help open the conversation up, rather than feeling pinned into a corner.

 

Thank you Lord for questions. Help us to be wise in our responses, knowing how to open conversations up, rather than always giving answers that close them down. Help us not to feel trapped by people’s questions, but just to be ourselves in replying. Help us to inspire others to think of you. Amen

 

Jon Seaton

[Friday's Devotional] - Mothers and Sons

Abraham had two sons born to two different mothers. (See Genesis 16 and Chapter 21) Isaac (the father of Jacob and Esau) was the son of Sarah who, it is said, was one hundred years old when she had him in fulfilment of God’s promise that Abraham’s descendants would be as numerous as the starts in the firmament.  Ishmael was the son of Sarah’s servant girl Hagar who, following custom was given to Abraham to secure a descendant who would be brought up as a member of the family. Ishmael had been the apple of his father’s eye, and was very put out when the new baby arrived and usurped his favoured position. Abraham held a feast in honour of the baby at which Ishmael behaved badly, prompting Sarah to banish him and his mother to the desert where the boy grew up, fortunately under God’s protection. Sarah may have felt happier that Hagar and Ishmael were out of the way, but Abraham was distressed.

Mothers, it seems, can be overly protective of their sons, but also risk being too pushy or too demanding. Some mothers only reluctantly relinquish their position of influence and allow their sons to grow up properly. This mother son relationship provides a fertile source of jokes in situation comedy. Mothers need to be careful not to try to live out their hopes through their sons.

Have you ever tried to intervene in a family situation and just made things worse like Sarah did? Pray that God will be able to use this situation to move your whole family on.

The characters we have been considering this week are all part of the same family (why not have a go at drawing a family tree!) and all prone to weaknesses in character such as jealousy, favouritism and deceit. Amazing then, that God chose them to found his favoured nation, despite their faults. Like them we can be reassured that even when we make bad choices, God can still come alongside and turn them to good.

 

 

 Mairi Mowbray

[Thursday's Devotional] - Twins

Let’s go back a generation to Jacob. The reason Jacob ended up serving his mother Rebekah’s brother Laban and marrying his daughters was as a result of irreconcilable differences with his twin brother.

The story in Genesis 27 tells how twins were born to Isaac and Rebekah. Esau was born first and Jacob was born second. These were not identical twins; indeed, the biblical account stresses their very different physical features: Esau was a hairy man and Jacob had smooth skin. The eldest son, in common with many cultures, was the heir, so the few minutes Esau preceded Jacob, mattered a great deal. Esau stood to be head of a large extended family and its property, and Jacob stood to gain nothing, unless by deceit and trickery.

Esau was very easily persuaded to trade his birth right for a meal when he came back hungry from hunting one day. Later in the story, there was a further deception when, as Isaac lay dying, he called for Esau to give him his blessing and Jacob masqueraded as his brother (aided by his mother whose favourite he was) and took the blessing due to Esau. Esau was less than happy and Jacob deemed it better to seek a new life elsewhere, travelling to Paddan Aram to the home of his mother’s brother Laban – another schemer.

Much later in their lives, the twins met again- you can follow the story in Genesis 32-  but the mistrust remained.

Is there a situation in your family where someone gained something through a dishonest action? Is there lasting bitterness? Family rifts are very hard to heal, but forgiveness is important to God.

Pray for situations where there is hatred within families.

 

Mairi Mowbray

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Brothers

Rachel and Leah between them had 12 sons – the subjects of a very well-known saga in Genesis starting at chapter 17 and going through to the end of the book at chapter 50.

Joseph was his father’s favourite and flaunted it. The famous coat of many colours was a token of this special treatment. Joseph set his 11 brothers against him by telling his dream of the sheaves bowing down to him. So when they got the chance, they had their revenge selling him as a slave to travelling merchants, who took him and sold him on in Egypt. Never expecting to see him again, the brothers made up a story for their grieving father that he had been killed by wild animals.

In Egypt, Joseph gained power and influence through his gift of being able to interpret dreams, ending up a prominent official in Pharaoh’s government. When famine struck and the brothers were forced out of Palestine to look for food in Egypt, they came and knelt before Joseph who had the course of their future lives in his hands….

Joseph could have made up with them there and then, or he could have had them killed in revenge, but instead he began a series of elaborate tests which brought confusion and fear to his brothers, prompting an admission of guilt, which led eventually to forgiveness and reconciliation between the brothers.

Joseph said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish… the saving of many lives.”  Genesis 50:20 [NIV]

Some people bear grudges against members of their family for years, with branches of families cutting themselves off from each other in perpetuity. Joseph’s story teaches it is possible to forgive. It is also notable that Reuben’s restraint, which persuaded his brothers to sell Joseph rather than murder him, changed the course of Biblical history.

Are there any longstanding arguments in your own family history that you would like to pray to God to help resolve?

Mairi Mowbray

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Sisters

Laban may have thought he did the right thing by Leah, but there was a lot of fall out following his little scheme. (See Genesis 29 and 30)

Leah was extremely jealous of her sister. Only a week after Leah’s wedding to Jacob, he married Rachel. Picture the two of them sharing a husband, competing with each other for his attentions. Imagine Leah’s resentment! She knew Jacob loved Rachel more and hadn’t wanted to marry her in the first place. Sibling rivalry on a grand scale!

But in one crucial area, Leah had the advantage over Rachel.  Leah gave birth to four sons while Rachel had no children. Leah thought Jacob would love her because she gave him male heirs. Rachel grew angry and jealous and hatched a scheme. She gave her servant girl to Jacob to have children for her and two sons were born. Leah retaliated and gave her servant girl to Jacob and she had two further sons. Later, the sisters did a deal so that Leah had time with her husband, resulting in two more sons for Leah.

Finally Rachel had her own baby, Joseph, and several years on, died giving birth to her second, Benjamin. The final count was Leah (and her servant) 8, Rachel (and her servant) 4. (Jacob repeated the mistakes of his Father in Law Laban and showed favouritism to Joseph, leading to a whole lot more problems – more of which later..)

I am pleased to say I got on well with my own sister, six years my junior, and still do. Even though I don’t think we had a huge amount in common as children, our lives have unfolded in similar ways with both becoming teachers and having two girls and a boy each. But there are many families where sisters just don’t get along where there are constant sources of friction and tension, arguments and ugly scenes.

Often our families are the greatest test of how we behave as Christians. Many of us would attest to the fact that It is often more difficult for us to be loving towards family members than those outside the family.

 

Pray for your sister if you have one, or for two sisters you know who don’t get along.

Mairi Mowbray

[Monday's Devotional] - Fathers and Daughters

Many people in our church were challenged by Paul Oxley’s novel perspective on the story of Laban, Jacob, Leah and Rachel at our recent church weekend at home. It has inspired some reflections on family relationships from the later chapters of Genesis.

You may remember the story from Genesis 29 where Jacob had to work seven years to gain his chosen bride, Rachel, but was duped into accepting her less desirable sister and then had to work a further seven years to gain Rachel.

Laban loved both his daughters and wanted the best for both of them – he even resorted to underhand means so that the disadvantaged daughter had access to the same benefits as the beautiful and talented one.

Favouring one child over another causes untold problems in families (as Laban will find out) and can lead to decades of emotional trauma in the child who felt less loved.  Many parents claim they treat their children equally, for example, making sure the cost of Christmas presents balances out or giving them all the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. But children have different personalities, talents, likes and dislikes, parents often over the course of the years face the dilemma – should we be “fair” or should we treat or children as individuals giving more time or money or help as we deem necessary?

As far as St. Paul is concerned, parents have been given their role by God. His advice is:

Children, obey your parents in the Lord [that is, accept their guidance and discipline as His representatives], for this is right [for obedience teaches wisdom and self-discipline].  Honour [esteem, value as precious] your father and your mother [and be respectful to them]—this is the first commandment with a promise—   so that it may be well with you, and that you may have a long life on the earth.

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to the point of resentment with demands that are trivial or unreasonable or humiliating or abusive; nor by showing favouritism or indifference to any of them], but bring them up [tenderly, with lovingkindness] in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1-4 [Amplified Bible]

If you are a parent, pray for your relationship with your children. If you are not, a family you know with children would value your prayers.

 

Mairi Mowbray

[Friday's Devotional] - El Roi– The God Who Sees

Even the most watchful parent has to sleep. But Scripture makes it clear that God, unlike Bagpuss, never sleeps, “He will not let your foot slip, he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” Psalm 121:3-4 [NIV]

 

In our bleakest moments we can feel all alone, yet El Roi, “the God who sees,” has never lost sight of us and promises to care for us, just as he did for Hagar.

 

Hagar was an Egyptian slave girl owned by Abraham and Sarah. When Abraham and Sarah were initially unable to conceive a child, Sarah encouraged Abraham to have a child with Hagar. This led to contention between Sarah and Hagar, who became disrespectful towards her mistress after becoming pregnant. Sarah in turn mistreated Hagar, causing her to run off into the wilderness -- an act that meant almost certain death for a young pregnant woman at the time. While in the wilderness, Hagar had a conversation with God -- the first recorded conversation between God and a woman since Eve -- in which God instructed her to return to her mistress. In turn, God made three promises regarding Ishmael. The full story can be found in Genesis.

 

“Then the Messenger of Yahweh said to her, “You are pregnant, and you will give birth to a son. You will name him Ishmael [God Hears], because Yahweh has heard your cry of distress. Genesis 16:11 [NOG]

 

“Hagar named Yahweh, who had been speaking to her, “You Are El Roi.” She said, “This is the place where I watched the one who watches over me.” This is why the well is named Beer Lahai Roi [Well of the Living One Who Watches Over Me]. It is still there between Kadesh and Bered.” Genesis 16:13–14 [NOG]

 

When you struggle to find God’s help or to receive answers to your prayers, remember El Roi – the God who sees you and Ishmael, God Hears.

 

On Wednesday we listened to El Shaddai, I’m sure Hagar, like myself, could relate to the line “To the outcast on her knees you were the God who really sees.”

If you would like to reflect on some of the many other names of God over the weekend this song is well worth a listen:

Names of God_[YouTube] 3:38 Mins

 

 

Dawn Milward

[Thursday's Devotional] - Jehovah Rapha – Our Lord Who Heals

For I am the Lord who heals you"  Exodus 15:26 [NIV]

 

It’s been said that the church isn’t a showcase for saints, but rather a hospital for sinners and for me that’s one of the greatest definitions of the church I’ve heard. When a person comes to Christ, it doesn’t mean they’ve got it all together, it simply means they’ve come to the end of themselves.  As we place our faith in Christ, He becomes our great physician.  When we begin to attend church, it’s like checking ourselves into God’s hospital and in my experience we constantly require spiritual surgery.

 

The children of Israel first came to know God as Jehovah-Rapha/Rophe immediately after they had been delivered from their bondage to the Egyptians. They had been slaves for 400 years, but, in God’s time and by His power, they were set free from their slavery, just as we who have experienced Jehovah Rapha’s redeeming grace have been set free.  After crossing the Red Sea, they came to a place where they should have been able to be refreshed with water, however, the waters there were bitter and many continued to behave as ‘stiff necked’ people, I think I would probably have been one of these!

 

Thankfully, God showed them where to find sweet waters, and then He said to them, “If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in His eyes, and give heed to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases upon you which I put upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD, your healer” Exodus 15:26 [RSV].

 

There were 3 conditions placed upon Israel so they’d experience health: Listen to God. Do what is right. Obey His word. Those 3 conditions would place them in a position to experience God as their Healer, the source of their health.

 

Jehovah Rapha still wants to manifest Himself to His children as the Healer of their hurts – the One who mends the broken heart and places His divine ointment on the soreness in our lives.

 

 

Dawn Milward

[Wednesday's Devotional] - El Shaddai - God Almighty

El-Shaddai means God Almighty.  El points to the power of God Himself.  Shaddai seems to be derived from another word meaning breast, which implies that Shaddai signifies one who nourishes, supplies, and satisfies.  It is God as El who helps, but it is God as Shaddai who abundantly blesses with all manner of blessings.

Our culture tries to convince us that we can never have enough…never enough money, fame, food, control, love….never enough. Just turn on your TV or open a magazine - advertisers seek to lure us to purchase their products by trying to convince that we need more. We need something bigger, better, more expensive and the product they are selling is that “little bit more” that will bring us real happiness.

El Shaddai speaks of His sufficiency, His enough-ness. Whenever we hear God speaking of Himself in the Bible as ‘God Almighty’ we are hearing the Hebrew name El Shaddai.

“When Abram was 99 years old, Yahweh appeared to him. He said to Abram, “I am El Shaddai. Live in my presence with integrity. I will give you my promise, and I will give you very many descendants.” Immediately, Abram bowed with his face touching the ground, and again Elohim spoke to him, “My promise is still with you. You will become the father of many nations. So your name will no longer be Abram [Exalted Father], but Abraham [Father of Many] because I have made you a father of many nations. I will give you many descendants.” Genesis 17:1-67 [NOG]

Abraham was 99 years old, Sarah was 89 and God had promised them a child of their own, yet they still had to wait another 13 years before God kept His Word.  The Lord wants us to trust and believe what He has spoken so He gets the glory!  When we doubt his promises to us, El Shaddai helps us to shake off the fear and unbelief, and press on in faith and obedience, as the song declares “Age to age you’re still the same, by the power of the name – El Shaddai” you can enjoy this song by clicking the link.

El Shaddai, by Amy Grant [YouTube] – 4mins

 

Dawn Milward

            

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Jehovah Shalom – The Lord our Peace

"So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord is Peace.  To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites" Judges 6:24 [NIV]

 

Israel had forgotten God, "Every man did what was right in his own eyes". Judges 21:25 [NIV]   God had turned them over to their oppressors; they hid in caves and dens.  Basically, they had brought calamity upon themselves and I for one can relate to that.

 

How would you feel if God suddenly came to you with the assignment to deliver your country from the enemy?  I think I'd dismiss it as some sort of fantasy film - although the idea of being a Lara Croft style character appeals to my ego - clearly no one like me would ever be called to do such a thing.  I guess that's exactly how Gideon felt when God appeared to him as he was threshing wheat and said; "I will make you strong.  Go and save Israel from the Midianites.  I am sending you!" Judges 6:14 [Living Bible].  Gideon was not courageous, not bold and had no leadership skills - Bear Grylls wouldn’t have chosen him, but God did, God saw him differently than Gideon saw himself.

 

Probably as a delaying tactic, Gideon asked for a sign of who was really speaking to him and begged to prepare a meal for his guest.  Perhaps he hoped no one would be there when he got back with the meat and bread!  But God was still there, waiting.  When Gideon returned, the angel of the Lord touched the sacrifice "and fire flamed up from the rock and consumed them" Judges 6:21 [NIV].  When Gideon understood he had been talking face to face with Jehovah it scared him more than what God was calling him to do, he thought he would die!  So the Lord said to Gideon, "Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die." Judges 6:23 and then Gideon built an altar in that place and called it, 'THE LORD IS PEACE' - Jehovah Shalom.

 

We try to hide our weaknesses from exposure to other people; however in the spiritual realm weakness is our greatest asset - 2 Corinthians 12:9 [Living Bible].  God deliberately chose Gideon because he WAS weak, Gideon continued to show this with the 'fleece episodes' (Judges 6:36-40).  He had seen God's face yet, still needed more proof! - Doubting Dawn relates to that - yet in God's strength he was able to change. 

 

Have you found your peace?

 

Dawn Milward

(Rewritten from 2008)

[Monday's Devotional] - Adonai – My Lord, My Master

In the bible there are over 900 names for God.  My very first devotionals in 2008 explored some of these names, of which I’m no expert, but they help me to discover more of his nature, his character, and his deep love for his children. This week I am exploring some new names, and have also revisited and re-written one of my favourites.

 

ADONAI: “Lord” [Genesis 15:2; Judges 6:15] was used in place of YHWH, which was thought by the Jews to be too sacred to be uttered by sinful men. In the Old Testament, YHWH is more often used in God’s dealings with His people, while Adonai is used more when He deals with the Gentiles.

 

Easter is always a reminder that our Lord, yours and mine, left His throne in glory and came to this Earth. He clothed Himself in human flesh, He lived a sinless, perfect life, yet was rejected by men, forsaken by His friends, laughed at, mocked, and ridiculed. He was falsely accused, beaten, and nailed to a cruel Roman cross. The Son of God, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords did all of this because of his great love for his children.  So, when I am moved to tears knowing this and recognising my unworthiness, why don’t I always surrender to His Lordship?

 

Isaiah came to know God in such a way as Lord, he had a vision in which he saw the Lord:

 

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple” Isaiah 6:1 [NIV].

 

Adonai simply means “master” and it was out of his knowledge of God that he would be thrust into a ministry to the people. It was Adonai that he heard say, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”  Isaiah 6:8 [NIV] and because Isaiah knew Adonai, he was quick to respond, “Here am I. Send me!”

 

When we walk with God in such a manner, the Christian life becomes a great adventure. Lately I feel I have strayed from the closeness I have known with my Adonai, but am encouraged by a line in J R R Tolkien’s poem “All That Is Gold Does Not Glitter”, I remind myself "Not all those who wander are lost",

 

 

Dawn Milward