Daily Devotion, February 6, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Genesis 1:1-5.

I find it both fascinating and instructive that the first thing God creates is light. Just think how important it is to our world. Think about what a difference it makes in your daily life. When the tornado hit last year, we were without power at our house for almost a week. We were quickly reminded of how much we depend on lights! Candles and flashlights became our means of seeing enough to move around the house for several days. We were so thankful for any light, even if it wasn’t very bright.  Lights were one of many things we had taken for granted until we didn’t have them for a while.

 

Light “comes on” (pun intended) not only here in the first few verses of the Bible, but is a key theme throughout, especially in books like Psalms and the Gospel of John. The light of a star guides astrologers from the East to the birthplace of Jesus. It is often used as a metaphor for God’s presence and guidance as we deal with the various forms of darkness that we face in the world. Ultimately, Jesus came to provide all the light we need to see what God is like and find our way to a personal relationship with the One who created us and the light. We give thanks to the God who first spoke these words (and still does today): “Let there be light!”

Personal Worship Option:

Think about a time when you did not have light for a while and how you felt when you again had it. Say a prayer of thanksgiving to God for light.

Daily Devotion, February 5, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Acts 12:6-10.

As with angels singing to the shepherds at Christmas and announcing the risen Christ at Easter, light is again associated with God’s messengers. In many ways, God’s light continues to bring good news and release people from all kinds of prisons. Prayer becomes the conduit to release the light of God into our world. The church earnestly prayed for Peter and his situation and what happened? An angel appeared shining a light into the darkness of that prison. Then the chains fell away, gates opened, and Peter walked free! Imagine the possibilities if the church today did the same thing. Imagine what could happen to hunger, violence, greed, despair, injustice. Just imagine and pray.

Personal Worship Option:

Do you feel you are in an impossible situation? Feel things are out of your control? Need God’s light in your world? Then pray. Pray today for the light of God to shine in all the dark spaces that cause you worry and pain.

Daily Devotion, February 4, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Psalm 27:1-2.

We have talked a lot about light lately especially recently celebrating the light of the world coming to us at Christmas. This passage takes me back to a vivid memory from decades ago when I was a counselor at a rustic 4-H camp. I had first time campers who came for 3 days and 2 nights. One of the rules was that there was absolutely no lights on once the magic time for lights out came. I had one hysterical camper who was terrified of the dark, especially in this unfamiliar setting. The solution was a flashlight was taken under the covers until sleep came.

In today’s passage, psalmist David reminds himself that his fear is unfounded. David teaches us to battle fear in life’s circumstances by remembering God’s protection: God as light, salvation, and a stronghold. It is easy and natural to fear the darkness because things are hidden or lurking. Satan, our ultimate enemy, is even characterized by darkness. But God is represented by light, which reveals all things. By definition, light literally drives out darkness. There is no need to fear the dark when the one who is light will guide us. When God is our light, He enables us to enjoy the journey, no matter where we are standing in life.

Just to finish the camping story, the second night one of the camper’s friends loaned a flashlight so the darkness would not prevail. Hopefully in life the true light was revealed to that young camper.

Personal Worship Option:

Dear God, remind us to follow your light and follow your path.

Daily Devotion, February 3, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read 1 John 1:5-10.

UV-C light rays and an ionizer can cleanse the surface areas of mobile phones. Beyond this statement, and having received the gift this year that does this, that’s all I know. Thanks be to God for this invention and its inventors!

From around two thousand years ago, these verses tell us how God cleanses our hearts. God is light and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. Woven within these declarations are five “If we” statements which give us understanding of how this works and evidence of God’s work within us.

The first two call us to “walk in the light.” This means we are to follow in the footsteps of Jesus to walk in the light of God and to enjoy the fellowship of being in God’s light. On this path, we live with the assurance that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

The third “If we” calls us away from our own self-deception of having no sin and tells us the truth is not in us.

The fourth “If we” calls us to know that we can confess our sins to God. “God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” What a powerful declaration of God’s love to us! We are forgiven and we are free to be in fellowship with God through the gift of Christ!

The fifth “if we” calls us again to not say, “we have not sinned”. If so, “we make God a liar.” As The MESSAGE translation says, “A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.”

We are God’s children. God forgives our sins. Being cleansed from all sin, the evidence of living in God’s light is loving our brothers and sisters, all of them. In the light of God’s love, we can see new ways to love our brothers and sisters.

Personal Worship Option:

I John 4:21-22 says, “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” We need your help, O God, to truly love all of our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Daily Devotion, February 2, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Isaiah 49:5-6.

 We read in our passage today the prophecy that Jesus, the Messiah, is directed to minister not only to Israel, but he also has a mission to the Gentiles. Before the Messiah was born, God had chosen him to bring the light of the gospel, his message of salvation, to the world. Jesus, born a Jew, offered salvation to everyone, not just Jews. His message was for Jews and Gentiles, which means non-Jews. Gentiles would have been outsiders to the Jewish community. Gentiles were often seen as pagans who did not know the true God. During Jesus’ time, many Jews took such pride in their cultural and religious heritage that they considered Gentiles “unclean.” Gentiles and the half-Gentile Samaritans were viewed as enemies. But Jesus broke barriers between the “insiders” and the “outsiders.” He ministered to the poor, the sick, the rich, the young, the old, the religious, and the list goes on. And Jesus calls us, as his followers, to follow the example he set. Romans 12:13 says we are to “practice hospitality,” the Greek word “philoxenos” literally meaning “love to strangers.” We are to love those who are different from us. In Jesus’ day the “outsiders” were Gentiles, non-Jews. Who are the strangers or outsiders in your life? Our outsiders might be those who have a different political stance, social standing, religious belief, race, educational background, or geographic location. Outsiders might have a physical limitation, a mental disorder, or live in an unsavory part of town. We are called to be the light to the outsiders in our world.

Jesus says that we are to let our lights shine in such a way that they will see our good works and glorify God. As Jesus did, we want to light the way to salvation.

Personal Worship Option:

Pray today for those in your neighborhood, workplace, or sphere of influence who go against the grain of our culture's values and morals. Consider how you might shine the light of Christ for them.

Daily Devotion, February 1, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read Matthew 5:14-16.

When I read this passage, I am almost always reminded that Jesus says in the Gospel of John that he is the light of the world. So I invariably read this Matthew passage again, just to be sure I am reading it correctly. At this point early in his earthly ministry, Jesus had begun to gather around him a group of followers and learners referred to as disciples. It was to them, as he taught them in his Sermon on the Mount, that Jesus clearly says, “You are the light of the world.” Those of us who claim to be followers and learners of Christ are growing as his disciples, so this teaching is meant for us too.

In other passages, Jesus would make it clear that we are never to do good things in order to draw attention to and credit for ourselves. But here, he tells us to let the light of our good deeds be seen by others. Is there conflict here? Only on the surface! We are called to reflect the light of Christ by loving others in ways that others will see and notice and “glorify your Father in heaven.” I love it when a church member does something, and the recipient says, “What an awesome church!” The only thing better is when they say, “What an awesome God, who loves and cares for me!”

Personal Worship Option:

Give thanks today for people who have been the light of Christ in your world. Think about how things they said or did helped you to see God’s presence in them. The best way to honor and thank them is to do likewise. Go about your day being the light of someone’s world.

Daily Devotion, January 31, 2021

 

Devotion:

Read John 14:1-6.

Some of the translations of the Bible use the word “If” in verses two and three in a way that leaves some people wondering whether Jesus is actually preparing a place for us. I believe The Common English Bible best captures the meaning of the first three verses here. “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God. Trust also in me. My Father’s house has room to spare. If that weren’t the case, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you? When I go to prepare a place for you, I will return and take you to be with me so that where I am you will be too.”

His follow-up comment to the disciples about them knowing the way to where he was going prompted Thomas to admit they didn’t know the way. At that point, Jesus offered another of his “I Am” statements in this Gospel to describe himself: “I am the way, the truth and the life.” There is a particular way to live one’s life if you are going to represent Jesus. It is not a matter of just saying you believe in him and then living and thinking and relating to others the way you always have. Truth is not about each person’s interpretation, but finding it in what Jesus taught with his words and actions. Later in this chapter, he goes on to say that God will send the Spirit of Truth, who will continue to teach and remind us of what Jesus taught us. And living life to the fullest, as God created us to live it, is found in following this Way as guided by this Spirit.

 

It is so tempting and so easy to get caught up in following the ways of this world, in believing “so-called” truths of this world and seeking life in the wrong places and people. Be sure you are following the One who is “the way, the truth and the life.”

Personal Worship Option:

Reflect on who guides your life more: voices of this world or the Holy Spirit? To whom do you spend more time listening?