Daily Devotion, September 14, 2022

 

Devotion:

Read Ephesians 2:4-7.

This Sunday’s parable is the familiar story of “The Prodigal Son” from Luke 15. I was surprised when I looked up the definition of “prodigal”! Throughout my life, I thought “prodigal” was about the “journey” which takes one away from home! But its original meaning is “spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.” It can be both a positive and negative adjective! And it’s a word which didn’t come into being until the 1500’s!

So, with new eyes, I read the story which we know as “The Prodigal Son”. It wasn’t so much his “journey” which caused him to be “prodigal”, but it is what he did with all the riches his father had freely and generously given to him. He spent it all for all the wrong reasons!

With this new understanding, I realized the older brother had also misunderstood the generous ways of his father. The father responded to the older brother’s jealousy, “…everything that is mine is yours.” 

In today’s scripture, Paul is describing the Heavenly Father’s gracious love and generosity similarly to the gracious generosity of the father of the two sons in the parable.

Twice the father’s words in the parable declared, “…he was dead and now he is alive again, he was lost and has been found.” And Paul uses a similar phrase here in Ephesians, “…even when we were dead through our trespasses, God made us alive together with Christ.”

In the Message, Ephesians 2:2 says, “You let the world, which doesn’t know the first thing about living, tell you how to live.”

In Ephesians 2:4, Paul turns it all around! “But God, who is rich in mercy…” It’s all God’s gift to us! God’s mercy and love through Christ saves us for new life, to live according to the ways of Christ!

The two sons in the parable both had different perspectives on their father. The younger son knew the forgiving nature of his father, but the older son missed it by measuring his own efforts to earn his father’s love. But the father’s love was there from the beginning.

Personal Worship Option:

Paul had experienced the loving and forgiving nature of God and writes clearly, that the immeasurable riches of God’s grace offers new life to be lived in the ways of Christ. The deeper question is “What are we doing with God’s ‘immeasurable riches of grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus?’” 

Daily Devotion, September 13, 2022

 

Devotion:

Read 1 John 4:7-10.

John’s message in our reading today is an important biblical truth: God is love. The Christ Church nursery has Basic Truths we teach our young ones. The very first truth we teach is “God is Love.” We want our littlest ones to know that God is love and he loves them. A child learns about God’s love through caring actions and words of believers.

God’s love is the source from which all real love flows. John tells us in our passage today, “Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” God loved us enough to sacrifice his son for us.

John also tells us how to know who has God’s love and who doesn’t. “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” The inability to show and express love to others tells us much about a person. Jesus came to earth to demonstrate love. He came to show how to show true love in our actions and in our words. Having a personal relationship with Jesus transforms our lives, gives us true love, and a desire to show love to others.

John calls us to “love one another.” It is good to attend worship services, sing songs of praise, serve others, be in a small group, but if we aren’t actively loving people, then something is wrong with our belief and practice. We’re missing love in action.

The God of love has a full supply of love. He is the source of our love. There is much talk today about the supply and cost of gas to fill our cars. Fortunately, God’s supply is unlimited and free of charge. We just need to be willing to draw near to him and rely on him.

When we grow in our personal relationship with God, we will feel his boundless love and have a desire to genuinely love one another.

Personal Worship Option:

Meditate today on the Apostle’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth:

“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:17-19

Daily Devotion, September 12, 2022

 

Devotion:

Read Lamentations 3:21-24.

When a passage begins as this one does with a word like “yet,” we should back up and read some of the verses that come before it, because the writer is making a transition. Lamentations is a book of sadness on the part of Israel for being punished for turning away from God and having been taken into exile. In the preceding verses of this chapter, the writer puts himself in the role of Israel and describes the terrible punishment to which God has subjected him. After describing this terrible punishment, the writer comes to verse 21 and begins today’s passage with “yet,” and rejoices that God continues to love him. Don’t you love the part in verse 23 where the writer rejoices that God’s compassions are new every morning? This assures us that God continues to love us in the present, day in and day out.

I recently met and talked with someone who is thinking of professing her faith in Christ and being baptized. She shared with me that she is amazed to realize that God loves her after some of the things she has done. Each of us should be amazed that God can love us and forgive us of our failures. We serve a God who loves us, always, no matter what we may do!

Personal Worship Option:

Remind yourself of something you probably already know well – God loves you. God loves you without reservation or condition. Let that sink in today and give thanks for that love.

Daily Devotion, September 11, 2022

 

Devotion:

Read Psalm 92:1-8.

Two words stick out to me in this passage, both found in verse two: love and faithfulness. God’s love and faithfulness are what causes us to want to sing our praises as we worship our Lord. Though God’s people so often have proven not to be faithful to the covenant God established with Abraham, God has continued to be faithful. Of course, that was shown most fully through the work of Jesus Christ among us. In Jesus, we see the depth of the love and faithfulness of God.

Therefore, as the people who seek to represent this God, we are called to show love and faithfulness to those around us. We are to allow these attributes to grow and deepen in us, so that we can lead others to experience and know our Lord. Our faithfulness in worshiping God together as the Church and worshiping God through how we live our lives reveals that we belong to this God of faithfulness. Our love for God and for other people reveals that we belong to this God of love.

 

Tell everyone you can, in all the ways you can, about the God of love and faithfulness. And live your life so that they can see that this God has had an effect on you.

Personal Worship Option:

Join us in worship at Christ Church today as we welcome Bishop Debra Wallace-Padgett to preach in our services.

Daily Devotion, September 10, 2022

 

Devotion:

Read Psalm 84.

The temple must have been a magnificent site in the days of this writer. Not only did the building itself impress; it was the place where it was believed God dwelled. This Psalmist marvels at its beauty, even noting that the birds find a place to shelter there. He is surely reminded that God cares for all of creation, even to the tiniest creature.

I especially take note of verse five: “Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.” Our strength for this journey of faith does not come from ourselves; it comes from God. As we maintain our relationship with Christ, we are given all we need, no matter the obstacles we face. And while this Psalmist probably had a literal pilgrimage to Jerusalem in mind, that second part of the verse reminds us that life in Christ really is a journey. We are traveling through life. We are in a different place than we used to be. We are moving on toward a deeper and fuller relationship with our Lord.

 

The last verse is a good prayer verse for us to take with us today: “Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” Keep trusting as you travel!

Personal Worship Option:

Please be in prayer today for our Bishop, Debra Wallace-Padgett as she prepares to share with us in worship tomorrow. And if at all possible, plan to join us in person. I hope to see you there and bring a carload!

Daily Devotion, September 9, 2022

 

Devotion:

Read Psalm 62:1-8.

The Psalmist emphasizes that only in God do we find rest, security and salvation. Life is difficult and it is when we pray and praise God that our tension, fear and anxiety can be released. Trusting God to be our rock, salvation, and fortress will change our entire outlook on life. No longer will we be held captive by negative influences which strive to overwhelm us. Placing all our hope in God and knowing that God is in control allows us to wait patiently for him to rescue us. True relief does not come when the problem is resolved because there are always more problems on the horizon. True relief comes from an enduring hope and relationship with God. It is in that relationship with God one finds joy and fulfillment in life. Where do you seek fulfillment and security? Love? Work? Money? Entertainment? Education? Refreshment and contentment can only be found in God.

Personal Worship Option:

Reflect on your level of joy and contentment. Memorize Psalm 62:1-2 and share that with a friend.

Daily Devotion, September 8, 2022

 

Devotion:

Read Psalm 25:1-10.

This Psalm has the incredible verse that says God instructs sinners. Because God is good and perfect, we would expect him to pick only cream of the crop people to be his students. That’s what the prestigious colleges and universities do to keep their reputation high and selective. Is it surprising that God doesn’t just choose the “best” to work with Him? He instructs sinners just like us to be trained by Him and His word. It’s open enrollment in God’s school for all people. God loves even the most difficult students, the slowest learners. 

In this Psalm, David asks for forgiveness, realizing how great his sins have been. God guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way.  God is looking for humble sinners. God gives grace to the stumbling, humble sinners. God’s school is always open, every day of the year. If we skip class or drop out, God comes looking for us. That is part of His loving forgiveness and grace. If we express trust and hope in God, He will lead us on His path.

Personal Worship Option:

God of all grace, we thank you today for instructing us in your ways and seeking us out when we stray from you. In your son Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.