August 3: Matthew 15:21-28
Key Verse: Matthew 15:27
“Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
Devotion:
This Canaanite woman showed her faith in Christ to everyone, but it was Jesus who picked up on it and brought it to the surface. How solid is your faith? Not an easy question to answer truthfully because our faith will not show itself fully until it is tested in some way. I learned this just over twenty years ago when my faith too over when I literally did not know what to do.
This woman came forward and pleaded with Christ to rid her daughter of a demon because she was suffering terribly. The mother trusted in the power of the Lord even though she was not a Jew. Jesus turned round to her and said He was sent to cater for the lost sheep of Israel and not for the other people who were not the ‘chosen race!’ It may sound like Jesus was being harsh at the time, but He knew what was on this woman’s heart and knew how things would turn out – He wanted the disciples to see the truth!
Jesus compared her to being a dog and the Jews as being the children of God; we would normally feed our own family before we feed stray dogs… But the woman replied saying that even the stray dogs would wait patiently for crumbs to be dropped from the table so they could eat.
This was like saying she would wait patiently for any good things to be dropped by the children of God so she could gain something, no mater how small or insignificant it seemed at the time. This was the faith Jesus was looking for and this is what made Jesus rid the daughter of the demon right there and then!
Points to Ponder:
How much do you depend on God for?
Will you trust Him a little more today?
August 2: Matthew 15:1-11
Key Verse: Matthew 15:2
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
Devotion:
The Pharisees and the other teachers of the law took every opportunity they could to try and trip Jesus up; trying to prove they were in some way better than Him so they could be seen to be the righteous people they so wanted to be! On this occasion they came to Jesus and tried to show Him up by saying how the disciples had not washed their hands before they ate their food… I’m sure we have all been there and not washed our hands before we ate something!
The Pharisees tried to take the law as written word for word and used that against Jesus to try and show Him up. But Jesus turned this round and pulled them up for what they were doing wrong. The Pharisees had made it an art form of taking the literal words they had come up with for the scriptural law and were using those words against the people. What they were not doing was trying to lift up the people – God’s children!
When Jesus reminded us to love one another it was with this sort of scenario in mind. If we do love our neighbours, then we are going to make sure they are included in things even when we think they are doing something wrong. We do not have the right to judge them for what they are doing; but what we can do is to tell them what we think the law actually means… this is being diligent and opening ourselves up to our neighbours.
What we can then do is discuss the law and invite God to explain it in our hearts so we can all know what should be done. What this shows us is not how we need to make sure our hands are washed before eating, but being diligent in what we do; it makes sense to wash your hands, but if you happen to not wash them, it should not be a capital crime for which we should be punished!
Points to Ponder:
Do you have habit you do just because you have always done it that way?
Will you try to focus on what Christ wants in your life?
August 1: Psalm 119:89-92
Key Verse: Psalm 119:92
If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.
Devotion:
One of the greatest things we can have in life is something we can depend on no matter what! When we are very young, we believe we can always depend on our parents because they seem to be there all the time and get us out of trouble! But as we grow older and wiser we start to find out humans all have their weaknesses or their shortcomings and, just maybe, we lose faith in believing our parents can do anything!
These few verses in this Psalm tell us of the authors absolute belief and trust in God. God is the one who is eternal and is in Heaven – the place we aspire to be when we finish living our lives on earth. The author reminds us of the faithfulness of God which has been demonstrated year after year, generation after generation to so many people throughout history.
God’s laws were passed on to mankind many years ago and passed down generation after generation by people who spent their time learning the law and retelling the law to the next generations. These laws have not changed from what was given to mankind through the prophets so many years ago.
When we take these laws and make them the centre of our lives, we get to see a whole new life which has remained constant for many years. As we get to read about these laws and how people have followed these laws for many generations, we get to know them as something good and righteous to follow. As we learn that we get to make them a part of our lives and get to know God better each day, month or year!
Points to Ponder:
What laws stick out to you as being God’s important laws?
Will you try to pass these laws on to the next generation?
July 31: Luke 12:13-21
Key Verse: Luke 12:15
Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.’
Devotion:
One of the biggest things whilst growing up was seeing how many people did everything they could to get bigger, better and more stylish things in their lives. I was very fortunate with having parents who did not teach me those ways but rather taught me to be happy with what I have and to share with people who do not have!
This parable was an object lesson to the person in the crowd who was demanding their share of the family inheritance, possibly even before it was due to them! They wanted the riches now and did not want to have to wait for the right time. This shares the same storyline as the young man who demanded his inheritance before his father died and went off spending it all only to be left with nothing in the end.
It is not about having the biggest and the best but having what you need. If you are fortunate enough to have what you need, then you are very blessed! So many people around the world do not get what they need and have to continually want for more, even begging when they run out. This should not be happening in a modern society where there is more than enough to go round for everyone – if only it was shared in the right manner.
Our church, along with so many around the country, runs a foodbank for the people who do not have all they need. We continually see many people come in to get the bare essentials so they can feed their families. If you have enough, then maybe you should be offering a bit of what you have to those who are less fortunate than you. This is what Christ meant by saying we should love our neighbours!
Points to Ponder:
How much could you help out those around you?
Will you step forward and offer help to someone today?