December 8: Isaiah 41:13-14
Key Verse: Isaiah 41:14
Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,’ declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Devotion:
Yesterday we were reminded about God being our strength and guide, our ever present helper who is always willing and able to help… when we ask! This is nothing new, in other words this is not something Jesus introduced to give the disciples hope, but something which God instituted from the beginning – something which continues to stand today as it was back then!
I love the words God gave to the prophets hundreds of years before Jesus came to be with us. He called us worms and insects! Don’t let that upset you though; instead, think of how much power you have over worms and insects! We can pick on insects at any time without having to worry (unless we are allergic to bees or something like that!) We don’t have to worry we are not strong enough to overcome any problem an insect is facing!
I can remember helping out bees, ants and spiders when I was young. If I saw a bee had run out of puff and needed some sugar or nectar to keep going, I would try to help it. If I saw ants trying to get to the food they need, I would help them… But I would also swat bees away if they got too close or sweep ants away when they were bothering me… We don’t think much of doing that when we are so strong compared to them!
When God used these words, He may well have been comparing how humans reacted to insects and worms with how He could act toward humans. There is nothing too big for God to turn over in order to help us. There is no mountain too high which He cannot move in order for us to keep going. He wants to help us and can help us… so why not ask!
Points to Ponder:
Do you think your problems are too big for God to cope with?
Can you help an ant lift up a leaf without any problem?
December 7: Matthew 11:28-30
Key Verse: Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
Devotion:
I have had these words underlined in my Bible for a very long time and it is words which I cling to when the going gets tough. We have the saying “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” in the UK which is meant to indicate how tough people will be able to weather the storms of life. I have seen far too many people fail (including myself) when the going gets tough, so I don’t adhere to that English saying; instead I cling to these words in the Bible.
Jesus reminds us He is watching over us all the time and wants to help us through life; this includes when the going is good and when the going is at its toughest! When we don’t know which way to turn because we cannot see a way out of a situation, we need to turn to Christ and give Him the opportunity to help us through the situation. These words do not say Jesus is going to make our lives easy, but, if we do listen to His guidance, then we will have an easier path to walk with Him by our sides.
Jesus went through the toughest times whilst He was on earth and He knew He was going to have to face those times; but he also knew they would be short-lived and He would be back in Heaven before too long. This is one of the things I cling to when things get tough – knowing I will be able to have a much easier life in Heaven with Christ than down here on earth.
For Jesus to go through so much on our behalf and still tell us His burden is light speaks volumes to me. I know He is going to get me through every situation in life. I may not come out the way I want it to, but I know if I listen to Him, the way forward will always be the best way forward for me...
Points to Ponder:
How much do you face in life?
How well do you listen to Christ?
December 6: Mark 11:27-33
Key Verse: Mark 11:30
John’s baptism – was it from heaven, or of human origin? Tell me!
Devotion:
When Jesus arrived in Jerusalem and whilst He was walking in the temple courts, He was confronted by the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders: they wanted to know by what authority Jesus was going round doing the things He was doing. They had assumed the positions of authority and they did not expect anyone to confront them or do anything without their authority! They had in effect taken charge of all things in the temples!
Whilst we do have people who have been given charge of congregations, teaching people, watching over the communities and being in charge of church organisations, Christ should remain the head of the church at all times. He is the one who came down to be with us and to give His life in our stead. It is He who stood up to the sin debt we owe and took on the punishment we deserve!
When the teachers and priests confronted Jesus and demanded answers, He turned the situation round and asked them to explain where John got his authority to baptise people in the Jordan river. They were confronting Jesus in his human form, so He confronted them with the same issue.
John had been sent by God to make the way clear for Jesus to come and sort things out once and for all. Jesus simply asked them to confirm this. But if they confirmed it was from God, then His work could be described as coming from God because of the similarities of the works. But if they said it was from man they would have to face up to huge crowds who would reject their statement… The worldly power they had built up was about to come crashing down!
Points to Ponder:
Do you acknowledge Christ as the head of the church?
Do you give Christ the power to do things in your life?
December 5: Isaiah 35:1-4
Key Verse: Isaiah 35:3
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way;
Devotion:
Isaiah had a special relationship with God and was told in many ways of the wonders which await us when we put our faith and trust in God. The way he describes it here in these words depicts a happiness which comes to those who seem to have no hope and nothing to look forward to. If you are in the middle of a desert, you have a rather bleak outlook no matter which way you look – but there is hope for those who know there is something beyond what they can see…
Our world may seem like a desert to us at times because we cannot see a way forward and we cannot see how there can be hope when we are faced with so much which seems wrong. Just like a crocus waits for the right time before it blooms into life, we may have to wait until the time is right before God will open up the doors in our lives.
God wants us to know there is hope, not just for us, but for everyone in our world. Isaiah talks about giving strength to the weak and fearful, not because we will eventually get something right in our lives, but because God has set in motion a string of events which will lead to something profound in our lives. We cannot see it yet because all we see is the desert around us. We cannot understand it because we don’t know where the water or strength is going to come from – but that does not mean it is not there!
God is our strength. Christ is the Living Water. We have this hope in our lives and we have to live them as if we know there is this hope. If we reject that hope we will only ever see the despair which surrounds us in this world. If we cling to the hop Christ gives us we will be able to see a world which goes far beyond our imaginations and far beyond our normal understanding. That world begins with hope and continues with faith.
Points to Ponder:
Are you watching the world or God?
Do you have hope in a future with Christ?