Daily Devotions

The Book of Jeremiah combines history, biography, and prophecy. It portrays a nation in crisis and introduces the reader to an extraordinary person whom the Lord called to prophesy under the trying circumstances of the final days of the kingdom of Judah. 

Jeremiah was born, around 650 B.C., of a priestly family from the village of Anathoth, two and a half miles northeast of Jerusalem. He was called to his task in the thirteenth year of King Josiah (Jer 1:2). Josiah’s reform, began with enthusiasm and hope, ended with his death on the battlefield of Megiddo (609 B.C.) as he attempted to stop the northward march of the Egyptian Pharaoh

As a prophet, Jeremiah amongst other things, uses 6 key verbs (4 negative and 2 positive ).

Uproot - Tear Down - Destroy - Overthrow - Build - Plant

 Perhaps the most significant prophetic passage is found in chapter 31:31–33. 

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.

It will not be like the covenant
    I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
    though I was a husband to[a] them,[b]”
declares the Lord.

“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
    and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.

The Lord is saying that a day is coming when the old covenant Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai would be fulfilled through a new covenant God will put in its place. We notice that there are 4 key parts to the new covenant described here: 1) a new heart, 2) a new relationship, 3) a new knowledge, and 4) a new forgiveness. God was saying He would some day supply a new covenant that, by His power, would start with the heart.

To respond to the Old Covenant, if we could possibly live faultlessly by the law, is to become righteous, to respond to the New Covenant is to become new.

A prayer by St. Ambrose of Milan (AD 339-397)

O Lord, who has mercy on all,

take away from me my sins,

and mercifully kindle in me

the fire of your Holy Spirit.

Take away from me the heart of stone,

and give me a heart of flesh,

a heart to love and adore you,

a heart to delight in you,

to follow and enjoy you, for Christ's sake, Amen

Daily Devotions

Isaiah is among the most important of the prophetic biblical books. It covers a long period of Israel’s history (before, during, and after the exile) and offers the full range of God’s prophetic messages: terrifying words of judgment as well as comforting words of promise. Isaiah portrays God as the powerful Creator, like no other, and also the gentlest comforter, like an earthly lover or mother. 

Prophetic books like Isaiah are, for the most part, written in poetry and should be read accordingly. Readers should offer appropriate care for and attentiveness to the common features of Hebrew poetry, such as repetition, thematic echoes, line endings, metaphor, and the creative use of language. 

At the heart of Isaiah’s message is God’s purpose of grace for sinners. If that ultimate miracle is accepted—and one cannot be a Christian without accepting it—then a lesser miracle is no barrier. Indeed, the prophet making predictions of future events is not a problem; it is, as Isaiah intended it to be, encouraging evidence of God’s sovereign salvation intercepting a sinful world.

A Familiar text later quoted by Jesus can be found in chapter 61:1-3  The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

Today, we hope and pray for:

Joy as we journey together,

Sight for the blind and healing for the sick,

Freedom for the prisoners 

and good news for the poor,

Release for the oppressed with justice for all

and love for each other.      

And the coming of God’s topsy-turvy,

inside out,

upside-down Kingdom. Amen

Daily Devotions

The Song of Songs has unique and somewhat puzzling position in the canon of scripture. Some have considered carefully the place that Song of Songs plays within the Bible and conclude  in rather a simple way, that this canticle is an inspired biblical love story. It is a book written in praise of romantic love between a man and a woman. 

Historically, some Christian and Jewish interpreters favoured an allegorical approach to the Song, and see the text as symbolically pointing to a deeper, spiritual truth. For many Jewish readers, the Song’s lover and beloved were understood to represent God and his covenant people, Israel. 

There appears to be four main interpretations of the Song of Songs. They are the “Allegory of God’s love for Israel,” “An Allegory of Christ’s love for His bride, the Church,” an “Extended type of the Christ-Church marriage illustration,” and the view that exalts love as the most powerful and desirable of human emotions. 

Essentially the Song of Songs teaches us that love and one’s beloved are almost indescribably beautiful. Even if the poems imagery jars with modern readers.

Just read the following from Song of Songs 4:7-10 and allow the words to paint the beauty of love upon your soul.

“You're beautiful from head to toe, my dear love, beautiful beyond compare, absolutely flawless.

Come with me from Lebanon, my bride. Leave Lebanon behind, and come. Leave your high mountain hideaway. Abandon your wilderness seclusion, Where you keep company with lions and panthers guard your safety.

You've captured my heart, dear friend. You looked at me, and I fell in love. One look my way and I was hopelessly in love!

How beautiful your love, dear, dear friend - far more pleasing than a fine, rare wine, your fragrance more exotic than select spices.”

And so we pray a prayer of St Francis of Assisi 

Dear God, please reveal to us
your sublime beauty
that is everywhere, everywhere, everywhere
so that we will never again
feel frightened.
My divine love, my love,
Please let us touch
your face. Amen

Daily Devotions

The title “Ecclesiastes” comes from a Greek word indicating a person who calls an assembly, so it makes sense that the author identified himself in Ecclesiastes 1:1 by the Hebrew word ‘qoheleth,’ translated as “Preacher.” 

Ecclesiastes presents us a naturalistic vision of life—one that sees life through distinctively human eyes—but ultimately recognises the rule and reign of God in the world. 

Ecclesiastes is a book of perspective. The narrative of “the Preacher” (KJV), or “the Teacher” (NIV) reveals the depression that inevitably results from seeking happiness in worldly things. This book gives believers a chance to see the world through the eyes of a person who, though very wise, is trying to find meaning in temporary, human things. Most every form of worldly pleasure is explored by the Preacher, and none of it gives him a sense of meaning.

In the end, the Preacher comes to accept that faith in God is the only way to find personal meaning. He decides to accept the fact that life is brief and ultimately worthless without God. The Preacher advises the reader to focus on an eternal God instead of temporary pleasure.

In the end the ‘Preacher’ concludes, “And, when all is said and done, here is the last word: worship in reverence the one True God, and keep His commands, for this is what God expects of every person. For God will judge every action—including everything done in secret—whether it be good or evil.”

Of such reverence John Milton, says, “Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.”

The word for reverence used in some translation is fear. For the believer, the fear of God is something much different from that generally understood within society. The believer’s fear is reverence of God. In Hebrews 12:28-29 we find is a good description of this kind of reverence: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ’God is a consuming fire.’” This reverence and awe are exactly what the fear of God means for Christians. This is the motivating factor for us to surrender to the Creator of the Universe.

Help us today to fear You and obey Your commandments, to love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, revere You, worship You, trust You, and do what you have said. Live according to Your word knowing that this is where life is found. This is what we're made for. God, help us to live for this. Amen

Daily Devotions

The book of Proverbs has been given the title Walk and Work

Proverbs accomplishes something no other biblical book does: it simply compiles numerous short instructions for living an effective life on earth. While other books articulate profound theological truths, lengthy narratives of triumph and failure, or prophetic preaching to a disobedient people, Proverbs concerns itself completely with instructing people in the path of wisdom. The writers of the book recognised the varied circumstances of a person’s life and provided principles to apply in a variety of situations rather than instructions to follow in only a few specific instances.

The book of Proverbs contains many brief but wise statements about how to live a godly life. Although the book was written in ancient Israel, its messages remain applicable in the modern world. This student's study book, enables them to discover wisdom that draws them closer to the Lord.

So, Proverbs provides practical help for everyday life. Written by the wisest man to ever live, Proverbs warns us about the people and pitfalls we’d do well to avoid. And, it gives us insight into how to be successful at work, at home, in relationships, and with our money.  The book is not a list of promises, but a list of timeless instructions from God. In each wise saying, we discover how to handle every situation.

What we can say about Proverbs is that knowledge is nothing more than an accumulation of raw facts, but wisdom is the ability to see people, events, and situations as God sees them. As such, in the Book of Proverbs, Solomon reveals the mind of God in matters high and lofty and in common, ordinary, everyday situations, too.

The following key verses from the book of Proverbs gives us a flavour of the wisdom found within its pages.

Proverbs 1:5, "Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance."

Proverbs 1:7, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

Proverbs 4:5, "Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them."

Proverbs 8:13-14, "To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behaviour and perverse speech. Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.”

Heavenly Father,

As I rise from my sleep and step into this new day, I am reminded of the wisdom You have shared with us in Proverbs 3:5–6:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Lord, today I place my trust in You with all my heart. I acknowledge that my understanding is limited, and I lean on You for guidance and wisdom in all I do. Help me to rely not on my own   understanding but on Your infinite knowledge and love. As I prepare to face the challenges and blessings of this day, I submit myself to Your will. Amen

 

Daily Devotions

It is well known that the Book of Psalms is a collection of prayers, poems, and hymns that focus the worshiper’s thoughts on God in praise and adoration. Parts of this book were used as a hymnal in the worship services of ancient Israel. The musical heritage of the psalms is demonstrated by its title. The word Psalms comes from a Greek word which means "a song sung to the accompaniment of a musical instrument.”

Individual psalms come from diverse periods of Israel’s history, but at every stage they served as the songbook of God’s people. David wrote about half of the Psalms. His role as king was more than that of a ruler. He was to represent and even embody the people, and their well-being presented through his faithfulness. As such, David writes as a representative, and the readers must discern whether the emphasis of a psalm is more on his role as ruler or more on his role as ideal Israelite, in which he is an example for all. The historical occasions mentioned in the psalm titles help the reader see how faith applies to real-life situations.

There are number of themes addressed in the Psalms with the collection of hymns including, Laments, Hymns of praise, thanksgiving and celebrations of God’s law. As with laments, there are community and individual thanksgiving psalms. Others could be described as Wisdom psalms, Songs of confidence, which enable worshipers to deepen their trust in God amid difficult circumstances and Royal Psalms that relate to the Monarchy and the Messiah. The final two categories are Historical and Prophetic psalms.

Psalms 91 is perhaps one of the noblest in the whole collection. "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." This Psalm stands out from the others because of the beautiful word pictures the author creates. If Psalm 23 is a loving shepherd, Psalm 91 is a loving protector and defender.

On very hot days, where do you find relief? In the shade! The shadow cast by a large object or building allows us to hide from the intense heat of the sun. Verse 1 says, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.” Debbie McDaniel writes, “Shadows, by definition are a place of protection or covering, they provide relief from the direct heat of the sun. If the heat is severe, the shadow is the place we run to … when we are resting in God’s shadow, we will never face the full heat of our difficulties. He shelters us from that pain”

Prayer of Saint Boniface (672-754) 

Eternal God, the refuge and help of all your children,

we praise you for all you have given us,

for all you have done for us,

for all that you are to us.

In our weakness, you are strength,

in our darkness, you are light,

in our sorrow, you are comfort and peace.

We cannot number your blessings,

we cannot declare your love:

For all your blessings we bless you.

May we live as in your presence,

and love the things that you love,

and serve you in our daily lives;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen 

Daily Devotions

No doubt we have all heard the title, “Job's Comforter” - a person who aggravates distress under the guise of giving comfort. Such was circumstance that Job of the Old Testament faced.

The story of Job is a famous tale which shows how devotion to God can sustain a person through any adversity. The character of Job from the Bible is now virtually synonymous with suffering, as he becomes the focus of a wager between God and Satan as to how much someone can suffer and still remain loyal to God.

Job is presented as such a good man that God boasts about him in a conversation with Satan. Satan is then given permission to test how faithful Job would be if he had to endure loss, grief, and pain. Job’s friends come to bring comfort to Job, but fail miserably. After an extended series of dialogues between Job and four friends, God speaks and Job’s good fortunes return. Questions about why good people like Job suffer are left unanswered, but Job’s relationship with God is renewed.

 In Job 38 we read “And now, finally, God answered Job from the eye of a violent storm. He said, “Why do you confuse the issue? Why do you talk without knowing what you’re talking about? Pull yourself together, Job! Up on your feet! Stand tall! I have some questions for you, and I want some straight answers.

Some neuroscientists go so far as to say that we have one brain but two minds—or even, two people living inside our mind. There’s the version of us that acts on impulse and seeks immediate gratification, and the version of us that controls our impulses and delays gratification to protect our long-term goals. They’re both us, but we switch back and forth between these two selves. Sometimes we identify with the person who wants to lose weight, and sometimes we identify with the person who just wants that delicious slice of cake. 

This is what defines a willpower challenge: Part of you wants one thing, and another part of you wants something else. Or your present self wants one thing, but your future self would be better off if you did something else. When these two selves disagree, one version of us has to override the other. A. W. Tozer says “True obedience is the refusal to compromise in any regard our relationship with God, regardless of the consequences.” 

Eternal One, whose thoughts and ways are not ours,

you alone are God, awesome, holy, and most high.

School us in the ways of faith and wisdom,

that we, like Job,

may learn to truly see and hear,

and in humility find blessing. Amen.