March 31: Psalm 106:19-23
Key Verse: Psalm 106:23
So he said he would destroy them - had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.
Devotion:
Would you stand up and take the punishment for someone you love who had got themselves into trouble? I know most of us would try to do what we can to keep our friends from getting into trouble, but standing up and saying you are guilty instead of them takes a whole lot more courage and love.
When the Hebrew people started to make idols for themselves and worship them instead of God, it was Moses who stood up and was willing to bed God to forgive the people. God had every right to be upset with the people and even to take away everything He had given them – including their lives; but Moses was willing to stand up and ask God to give everyone another chance. Moses stood in the path of destruction so God would not take it out on the people!
When Jesus came to earth in human form, He was willing to stand up in front of the accusers and take on the punishment instead of us. We are the ones who have sinned and have done things wrong before God. Jesus did no wrong before God; yet He was still willing to stand up instead of us and take the full punishment which was death!
The Apostles learned through Jesus example this is what love is all about. They learned through the harshness of the death of Christ on the cross that love must not have any limits. They began to understand the full extent of the love God has for us all because Jesus showed them through example. Jesus wants us to be able to stand up and be counted for the love He has shared with us!
Points to Ponder:
How do you show people love?
Are you willing to stand up and declare your love for others?
March 30: Proverbs 3:5-7
Key Verse: Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
Devotion:
How many times have you tried to fix something your own way and had it go terribly wrong – making the situation worse than before? Sometimes I think I must attract bad situations in life because they just seem to happen. Then I remember how much God is watching over me and the comfort comes back. So what is this all about?
Living in this world means we have to sometimes put up with what happens in this world. It can be a tyrant invading another country or it can simply be a rain shower as you are walking home. Bad things do happen in life and the more we dwell on those things and those times, the more we will focus on them and the more down we get because we think it is all going terribly wrong!
It is normally just life happening around us – both the good and the bad. We have to go through the same things as the people around us. But God may well be walking with us through these tough times and may be the one giving us the strength to walk forward and not get bogged down in it all.
Whatever happens in life, we can always turn to God and get comfort from Him. No matter how rough and tough things get, we can always find rest with God. It may only be spiritual rest and not physical rest, but you will find that spiritual rest is worth more than the physical rest at the end of the day. Don’t try to analyse everything and set it all right according to your own rules – allow God time to work the spiritual things out in your life too.
Points to Ponder:
Do you get confused with life?
Have you let God take control recently?
March 29: Psalm 94:1-3
Key Verse: Psalm 94:3
How long, Lord, will the wicked, how long will the wicked be jubilant?
Devotion:
How often have you wondered why the wicked people seem to gain so much in this world? Have you asked the question “how long will they get away with it?” At the moment I am asking this question of the Russian president just as I have asked the question of other tyrants in our world.
When I was reading these verses the one thing which struck me was the fact we always ask these questions as if they belonged only in our time-line. We have a finite life-span and we expect answers to our question while we are still around to think of them; we don’t look at the bigger picture which God is doing! When we look back on the Hebrew people spending so much time in the desert, we try to measure the time based on our ideas.
God was concerned about the people, the generation of people who had continued to doubt Him time and time again. He was not looking at how many days, weeks, month or years it would take, but the generation of people. When we start asking questions of God, we should be willing to allow God to answer in the time-scales He is used to working in. When we ask God to let the wicked come to justice, our prayers have already been answered!
The evil will not inherit the kingdom of God. What is ahead for these people is a time and place we cannot imagine in our worst nightmares. They will be facing the most evil they have brought into the world and they will be facing it for eternity! We may face the evil for a while on earth, but God is looking after us and will take us to be with Him in heaven just as He has promised; not so for those who deal in evil...
Points to Ponder:
How long before you give up praying against evil?
Will you continue to pray against evil and allow God to deal with it?
March 28: Exodus 2:11-14
Key Verse: Exodus 2:12
Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.
Devotion:
How many times have you wondered why God has chosen you to do the things you do? How many times have you thought you were not worthy enough to do anything for God? How many times have you surmised you are not good enough to be chosen by God? Well, let us look at this moment in time when Moses was not all he seemed to be...
Moses had been saved from certain death by women who felt sorry for a young child. He grew up in a privileged position when he was supposed to be put to death. He learned all manner of things when he should have been just another poor person from a slave family. But God chose him before he did anything wrong.
Moses went out to see the plight of his own people and came across an Egyptian beating up a Hebrew, one of his own people. Instead of doing what other Egyptians would do and look away, he got involved. He checked to see if anyone was watching, thinking nobody was, he killed the Egyptian to save his fellow Hebrew. This went terribly wrong because this act encouraged another Hebrew to beat up his fellow men.
God chose Moses. He then watched on as Moses committed a grave sin. He then watched on as the earthly the consequences of what Moses had done caught up with Moses. But God did not banish Moses; He had already chosen Moses and knew it would be Moses who would be able to save the Hebrew people. God would continue to protect Moses before encouraging him to do something outrageous – to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt under God’s protection.
Points to Ponder:
Do you wonder if you are good enough?
Do you not see God can choose anyone?