All in Daily Devotion
Are we true and resilient Christians, or does our faith require great care, and a very specific set of conditions in which to flourish? Are we like a reed that must have constant water for it to survive, or a barrel cactus that stores the water of infrequent rains within itself, and endures long periods of drought? There are many who are fragile, and whimsical, in their faith, but those who are hearty serve God faithfully, even in the worst of times.
It’s now the day after Christmas, and today we celebrate Jesus, the Christ, living here among us. He has been born, and is growing physically towards the time when He will achieve His mission; God’s plan, and God’s will for Him. This is the same mission He will ultimately give His disciples... take up your cross, and follow me. This is how He sent them, and also how He sends us when he says... go into all the world.
Is there a place for Jesus in our heart? Have we called a feast today, killed the fatted Lamb, and made our own bed available to the Dove of Peace, or have we assigned Him a spiritual stable within our own soul’s Bed and Breakfast? Is Jesus the Lord of our heart, and life, or have we marginalized Him, and only call out to Him when it is convenient for us to do so... like at Christmas? Are we the innkeeper that found no room for Mary and Joseph, or would we yield the master bedroom to them... to the Christ Child?
Are you a child that was conceived out of wedlock, perhaps while your parents were engaged... or betrothed? Have you thus carried a burden through life regarding this socially unacceptable occurrence, and felt less than other children who were born “legitimately”? Well, perhaps you should consider yourself fortunate because Jesus faced this same stigma throughout His life, and was looked on in the same manner.
When we awaken each morning and we enter consciously into the presence of God do we do so humbly, or thinking that we deserve to be there with Him? When we come to his table in our morning prayer where do we take a seat; do we sit immediately at the right hand of His chair, or in a lesser seat? Our view of our faith is not nearly as important as His perception of it, so where we sit relative to Him is vitally important.
Christmas Day is just three mornings away, and for most people, the thought of its coming is joyous, and exhilarating, but for others a dark mystery is unfolding. For some a sense of depression sets in during the Christmas season, and for a few of these, it will be so intense that they will be inclined to take their own lives. Depression is a disease, but like all illnesses God can heal it... His strength can bring us through this dirge, and restore our joy. Do you need God’s healing strength this year?
Are you just beginning your search for God? Maybe you are already somewhere along the way? Well, whether you are just beginning, or in the midst of your pilgrimage, there will be dark nights of the soul. These are times when You will collapse in the silence of God, and ask in loud voice “why have you forsaken me?” but rest assured that you are not alone, and He will never abandon you.
Are you afraid of disappointing Jesus? At the end of the day, as you prepare to pray, do you find yourself asking if you have done, said, or acted in any way that would disappoint our Heavenly Father? Perhaps you have become so confident in your righteousness that this thought doesn’t cross your mind... but it should.
On occasion, I have attempt to take God’s decisions from my lap, and determine the outcome of my life by my own determination, have you ever been inclined to do this? Leaning on God for provision in all things is a very difficult accomplishment when every worldly lesson taught us throughout our lives has been directed at making us self-sufficient, but learning to pray in every circumstance, and to always trust in Him to provide, should be the first lesson we master. Have you mastered this? Do you even understand it’s importance?
How do we repent? In what way do we demonstrate our contrition? In mourning we weep, and some of us wear black, or cover ourselves in ashes. In great emotion over matters of faith some of us tear our clothing and wail publicly, but how should we show our true penitence so that it is not seen as hypocritical, but as heartfelt?
How do we Christians view those of other denominations? How do the Christian churches of the East view those of the West, and vice versa? Why is it that the sheep presume that they can cull themselves when they do not own, but are themselves owned by the good shepherd?Jesus speaks of other herds that are not of the fold we know, and of all these herds being one flock; they are one flock because they follow one shepherd, not because they are of the same wool, or stature. Are we accepting of our shepherd’s other sheep?
We are in the midst of the Christmas season, and there is a great deal of hustle and bustle that goes along with it... are you stressed? Do all of the parties, family obligations, the gift buying, wrapping gifts, and putting up of decorations wear you down to the point where you long for the season to come to an end? Well, if that is true then you, like the secular world, have lost the truth in Christmas, the coming of Jesus; the arrival of the Christ Child. He didn’t come to burden us, but to redeem us, and give us rest, peace, and joy.
When God called you to Himself, and introduced you to His Son Jesus Christ, and His Holy Spirit, did you feel inclined to consult with those around you regarding your acceptance of His invitation? Did you place your salvation, and future in the hands of those who hadn’t heard His call as you had, or did your spirit cry out “Here am I Lord!”, as you fell humbly before Him?
Are you feeling weak and afraid today? Is there something confronting you that terrifies you, and causes you to tremble, or makes you lay awake in the night... unable to sleep because of worry? If this is true then you are refusing to leave those things with the Lord. You are carrying them into your prayer closet, placing them in the Father’s hands, and then bringing them right back out with you at the end of your time of prayer. If this is you, then you are saying that you lean on God, and yet those are just words to you.
Grace... how do we understand its meaning? as used in the Bible, we interpret it to mean mercy, pardon, power, healing, kindness, and in all cases... unwarranted favor. We are told in scripture that it comes to us from God by way of His Son Jesus. However, the Hebrew definition is a bit different, and means to render kindness to another as their superior. In both cases there is an implied sense of beauty associated with the act. So how will God’s grace be given you today? In what beautiful way will grace be rendered in your life?