Daily Devotion, January 21, 2020

Devotion:

Read Matthew 6:9.

Today we focus on the portion of the Lord’s Prayer that reads, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…” When you read the word hallowed, you might not think Halloween, but the two words come from the same root word: holy. Halloween is the combination of the words hallowed and evening and began as a holy celebration before All Saints Day. The holiday has taken on a very different reputation, hasn’t it!

According to Merriam Webster, to be holy is to be, “exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness.” God’s name is holy and each time we say it we should consider his greatness and majesty. Being holy means to be completely perfect and completely whole, in need of nothing. When we pray, we want to acknowledge the holiness and awesomeness of God. A good prayer habit to adopt would include calling out the many names of God found in Scripture as you honor the holiness of God. This recognition of God is a great way to praise God in prayer.

Personal Worship Option:

Today call out all the names of God that show your adoration for him. You might call out these names: King of Kings, Creator, Lord, Great Physician, Savior, Healer, Abba Father. Worship the holiness of God today.

Daily Devotion, January 20, 2020

Devotion:

Read Matthew 6:5-8.

This passage precedes the model prayer we call the “Lord’s Prayer” and gives instructions on how we are to pray. In these verses, Jesus emphasizes that most of our prayer time is between us and God alone. God is not impressed with our prayer language nor the length of our prayers. Jesus makes it clear that we are never to pray in order to impress other people and even calls those who do this “hypocrites.” Hypocrites are persons who play act or pretend to be something they are not; and long, insincere prayers meant to impress those who hear us mark us as such! This teaching is not criticizing or condemning public prayer, but it reminds us that those prayers should never be prayed to impress others with anything about ourselves. It is my belief that those who pray best in public are those whose private, personal prayer lives are rich and faithful.

Jesus’ instruction to go into our room and close the door (NIV) clearly calls us to private prayer. He reminds us that we do not need to go on and on in our requests, because God already knows our hearts before we ask for what we need. And that gives us ample time to listen to God, which is perhaps the most important element of true prayer.

Personal Worship Option:

If your prayer time is sometimes squeezed into a few moments here and there during a busy day, look today for a quiet and private time. “Close the door” to others, TV, the internet, social media, or any other distractions and spend time in conversation with God. Listen more than you speak. Enjoy God’s company! 

Daily Devotion, January 19, 2020

Devotion:

Read Matthew 5:17-20.

  From here to the end of this chapter is a series of teachings by Jesus that begin with “You have heard it said….but I say to you….” In far too many cases, people were interpreting the rules and living their lives in ways that were technically “by the letter of the law” but they had lost an understanding of the spirit of those rules. Both then and today, it is easy for us to be satisfied with what we have not done, to compare ourselves to the sins of others and say “At least I haven’t done that!” The Pharisees were a group of leaders who were devoted to the Law and tried to live their lives with meticulous adherence to it. But Jesus makes it clear that their approach comes up way short of them even being part of the kingdom of heaven.

  

  Apparently, Jesus himself was being accused of not living by the law, such that he sees the need to make it clear that he has no intention of doing away with it, but wants to take their understanding of it to a whole new level. Don’t be satisfied with what you have not done. Focus on what you can do to make a difference in the lives of others, to change the injustice of the way people are treated, to build relationships with those who do not know Jesus in their life so that you can help them get there.

  

  Sure, a lot of people can say “I haven’t broken any laws.” But what HAVE you done to make a difference?

Personal Worship Option:

Focus on one thing you can do each week to make a difference in the life of someone else, so that they begin or grow in their relationship to Christ.

Daily Devotion, January 18, 2020

Devotion:

  These verses can certainly be jarring to read. The prophet is letting God’s people know that God hates their religious festivals and feasts. God doesn’t want their offerings. God is not going to listen to their music, no matter how good it is. Why is God so upset?

  The answer comes in the following verses. The people have not been doing right by others. They have not been practicing justice. Earlier in chapter five we get some specifics of what that means. “...you hate the one who reproves in court and despise him who tells the truth. You trample the poor…” (vs. 10-11) It gets repeated in the last part of verse 12: “You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts.” And again in verse 15: “...maintain justice in the courts.”

  

  Prophets of Bible times and various leaders down through the ages since then have said it in different ways, but it is clear that God expects us to treat people right, both as individuals and as a society. When we do not, the world and our lives become chaotic. How we treat the least and the last among us shows how close or far away we are from what God seeks for the world to be like.

  Look for opportunities and ministries that make a difference in the lives of those most in need.

Personal Worship Option:

Look for opportunities around you each day and ministries of the Church that make a difference in the lives of those most in need. Seek God’s guidance on when and where you can best be involved.

Daily Devotion, January 17, 2020

Devotion:

Read Matthew 5:21-24.

Rather than being satisfied with not killing someone, Jesus says this commandment goes much deeper than that. Jesus wasn’t changing the commandment but rather giving a fuller understanding of why God made the law in the first place. We miss the intent of God’s Word when we read his rules for living without trying to understand why he made them. Killing is terrible but anger violates God’s command to love. Anger that is great enough to become out of control is a dangerous emotion. It can lead to violence, emotional hurt, and broken relationships. Broken relationships can hinder our relationship with God. if we have a problem or grievance with a person we should resolve it as soon as possible. Our attitudes toward others reflect our relationship with God.

Personal Worship Option:

When do you keep God’s rules but close your eyes to his intent?

Daily Devotion, January 16, 2020

Devotion:

Read Joshua 6:15-19.

If you grew up attending Sunday school, you know the story of Joshua and Jericho. You might have sung this song:

Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho - Joshua fought the battle of Jericho - And the walls came a-tumbling down

Up to the walls of Jericho - They marched with spears in hand - "Come blow them ram horns, " Joshua said "'Cause the battle is in our hands."

Then the lamb ram sheep horns began to blow - The trumpets began to sound - Joshua commanded the children to shout - And the walls came a-tumblin' down (that mornin')…

 

The same God still guides us today, and by studying this account, we gain insight into living obediently. Joshua heard God’s directive. In order for us to obey, we likewise need to hear what the Lord is telling us to do. This means we must be reading and meditating on His Word, praying, and spending time with Him. Joshua did as instructed, despite three possible obstacles. 1. Marching around the city didn’t seem like a practical battle strategy for overpowering a fortified city. 2. He felt pressured to explain himself to his men in order to gain their approval and agreement. 3. He could have let fear of failure keep him from obeying God. Upon hearing God’s voice, he followed instructions to the letter—and without hesitation. The details of what to do and what not to do were precise.  Are you willing to do what God says, regardless of your feelings or misgivings? Joshua was confident because the Lord had promised to give Jericho into his hand. And God’s promises to us are also the reason we can trust and obey Him.

Personal Worship Option:

Father in heaven, battle cries rage in the world around us. Give us the peace that surpasses all understanding through the Prince of Peace, Jesus. Amen.

Daily Devotion, January 15, 2020

Devotion:

Read Deuteronomy 6:4-12.

For our children to understand the family stories from before the year 2000, we often begin with the sentence, “Now you have to remember, this was before cell phones.”

Similarly, parents living in the promised land perhaps had to begin their family stories with, “Life hasn’t always been this good.”

God had asked the people to teach their children the story of God’s faithfulness. God was faithful to deliver them from their enslavement in Egypt. God was faithful during the exodus from Egypt. God was with them and provided for them during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. And God kept the promise to lead them into the land “flowing with milk and honey.” 

The verses in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 are known as the “Shema” for the Hebrew people. Jesus knew these verses well. Verses 4-12 call us into relationship with God and can be summed up with five words, “hear, love, teach, live, and remember.” God is asking from us everything God has already done and continues to do for us. God hears, loves, teaches, lives and gives us life, and always remembers us. 

If one reverses each of these words, this covenant relationship between God and humankind would be broken. Self-centeredness would rule our own days and we would soon realize how finite we are.

Frederick Buechner says, “The final secret, I think, is this: that the words ‘You shall love the Lord your God’ become in the end, less a command than a promise. And the promise is that, yes, on the weary feet of faith and the fragile wings of hope, we will come to love him at last as from the first he has loved us—loved us even in the wilderness, especially in the wilderness, because he has been in the wilderness with us. He has been in the wilderness for us. He has been acquainted with our grief. And, loving him, we will come at last to love each other too so that, in the end, the name taped on every door will be the name of the one we love.”

Personal Worship Option:

Dear God, you are forever faithful unto us. Forgive me because sometimes it is so easy to forget that all of life’s blessings are gifts from you. Today, help me to remember and see all of your blessings. Thank you. Amen.