February 20: Psalms 34:7-11
Key Verse: Psalms 34:10
The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.
Devotion:
One thing I loved about being brought up in Africa was the opportunities we had to be able to see nature in action on a scale available in only a few countries in the world. The lion is considered to be the king of the jungle (though lives in the bush and not the jungle) because of their position in the food chain. They are considered to be strong and able to take on any other animal to get food – but that is not always true.
Despite there being some animals they will shy away from, they are dependant on the animals they like to eat being available. If the country is in the grips of a drought, their preferred prey may not be available, so they go after something else. But if the drought is severe, they may not have anything they can eat available; they will grow weak and hungry because they have not got food…
For those lions which are kept in game parks or zoos, a ready supply of food is made available to ensure they can continue to thrive. They have a safe haven in which they are not just welcome, but where they do not have to stray from in order to find food enough to eat. Any good zoo or park will make sure the lions still have to work for their food and also have the right food available to them – lions do not choose to be vegetarians and require the right meat to grow strong and keep healthy.
We need the right food in order to keep healthy too; but I am not talking about our diets be they carnivorous, omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan… I am talking about the spiritual food we need in our lives to keep our souls healthy. If we are spoon fed things all our lives, we may well grow weak and lazy; we need to go hunting for our spiritual food so we can keep on form and be able to tell the difference between good input and unrighteous things. Seeking the Lord at all times will keep us in good spirits just as good exercise keeps us physically healthy.
Points to Ponder:
What things do you seek in your life?
Are you focusing on Godly things?
February 19: Isaiah 66:12-13
Key Verse: Isaiah 66:12
For this is what the Lord says: “I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees.
Devotion:
One thing which is always impressed me, and sometimes made me a bit jealous, is how a mother can always seem to calm her children down no matter what is going on around them! When Isaiah got word from God He was going to look after Jerusalem just as a mother looks after her children, I’m sure he was more than willing to pass this gem on to the people.
As we see the flooding in England once again after some pretty horrific rain over the past few weeks, we begin to see the unstoppable power of a river which is bursting its banks. No matter how much we try to build man-made defences against such occasions, they don’t seem to measure up to the power of nature. This is how we should be looking at the power of God as well. Not because of the destructive power but because of the unstoppable power…
When we are flooded out of our house or community, we feel separated from the rest of the town or city, but close to the people also affected by the flood. The same can be said about our Christian communities – we feel separated from the rest of the town or cities we live in, but close to other Christians we know. So how do we reach out to those we feel separated from?
The clue is in these verses which show us the unstoppable power and overwhelming love of God. This is the example we must live by and hopefully try to replicate toward others around us. Don’t cut yourself off any further than the overwhelming flood has done so already – rater use the power of the flood to reach out to others and invite them in to stand by your side. This is the way Christ wants us to be...
Points to Ponder:
What do you do when things go wrong for you?
Are you ready to reach out and invite someone in despite your circumstance?
February 18: Luke 15:1-7
Key Verse: Luke 15:2
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”
Devotion:
Jesus always had a way of using the current circumstance or conditions to His advantage in teaching the gospel. Here He was surrounded by all manner of people many of which were considered sinners or bad people by the Jews. This did not stop Jesus from giving them the gospel and encouraging them; something we often neglect because we consider some people as being not good enough or our enemies!
Jesus went on to tell them a few parables; the first of which was the Lost Sheep. He talked to them in a way they would be able to understand things – they knew the work of shepherds. If one of the sheep has gone for a wander, lost itself or got trapped in a ditch with no way out – the shepherd will notice one is missing and will go looking for it. We were born as part of the fold, belonging to Christ and being looked after by Him, our shepherd.
When we go off and get ourselves into trouble or get lost, God is going to come looking for us. He does not wait until we have to shout out for help and until the end of the day – He takes time out there and then to look for us in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in. It does not matter that we may have wandered off by ourselves, or that we have got ourselves into terrible trouble because of how we acted – He still comes to look for us.
Now, this is where we differ from the sheep. God will find us and will hold out His hand for us to grab hold of, but we are given a choice as to whether we grab that offered hand, or ignore it! And yes, many times we do ignore that offered hand and try to dig ourselves out of the mire. Sometimes we feel too embarrassed and hide a bit more (as if we could ever hide from God!) But if we admit to getting ourselves in our tight spot and accept the hand God is offering, we will be saved from our troubles and He will direct us back to the way we should be… if we listen!
Points to Ponder:
How often have you got yourself in a tight spot?
How often have you fully accepted God’s helping hand?
February 17: Psalm 119:113-120
Key Verse: Psalm 119:115
Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!
Devotion:
What takes your praise out of your breath? I know it is easy to forget to praise God, especially when things are going wrong in your life or even when things are going right! We tend to leave out the praising part because our minds are set on the things of the world around us rather than the things of God – like they should be!
None of us like people who constantly tell lies or who constantly spread gossip about others – yet we allow those things to consume our thoughts and take away our concentration of the very things we should be focusing on. We would rather get involved with what is going on around us than in lifting up what needs to be lifted up and praising those who deserve the praise!
When we start to feel overwhelmed by the things of the earth, we need to pray for strength to rise above those things so we can continue to focus on what God has in front of us. We need to focus on God’s law so we can allow others to see how important God is in our lives and not the world…
Remember that the things we feel are important in our lives will tend to get the most focus and attention from us. If we do not admit how important God is in our lives, we will tend to uphold the things of the world around us more than God! We need to remember just how much God has already done for us and to know He has promised so much more for us if we are willing to continue our communion with Him. When we focus on God and His ways, the ways and distraction of the world become just that – minor distractions we can move away from!
Points to Ponder:
What has the focus in your life?
Will you allow God to get more attention than your have given Him lately?