August 27: Psalm 139:7-12
Key Verse: Psalm 139:8
If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
Devotion:
One of the things many of us forget about, or just don't think enough about, is how God is always near to us in the form of the Holy Spirit. The psalmist here describes how God is in Heaven away from all sin, but also in the deepest depth we sink to in our lives where people embrace sin. It does not mean He supports our sin, far from it! But it does mean God knows exactly what we are going through.
If we feel like we have sunk to the deepest depth, all we need do is to ask Him for guidance and help. He is waiting patiently for that call and has been for all of our lives. He continues to wait for every one of us even though He knows some of us are not going to come back to Him...
What love that is! He reaches out to us every day with a helping hand and guiding words. If we choose to ignore the hand He reaches out to us with – then we don't receive the help. If we don't follow His guiding words, then we don't receive the help. If we don't ask for the help, how can we expect Him to give us the help!
No matter how dark we think it is, God is the light and will fill our lives with His light if we were to ask. He continues to wait so He can fill our lives with His light – just as He promised us in the beginning. No darkness is too dark when you switch a light on... so why not make that light the light of Jesus in your life!
Points to Ponder:
Do you get down when the lights fade?
What are you waiting for – turn on your Christ light!
August 26: Mark 7:24-30
Key Verse: Mark 7:28
“Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
Devotion:
Jesus may have had a very busy mission and being continually in demand must have added to His stress and fatigue all the time; but He still stopped and listened to people in need. When was the last time someone asked something of you just when you wanted to have a bit of a rest? This reminds me of the parable where Jesus talked about a friend knocking on the door very late at night and asking for bread... Would you get up out of bed and go to them to help?
When we hear of a friend in need, we often go out of our way to help them – but what happens when a stranger asks for you help? Do you stay tucked up in bed and ignore the plea for help, or do you get up and go to see how you can help or even if you can help?
This woman came to meet Jesus and ask for help because she was at her wits end; her daughter was possessed by a demon (though she called it an impure spirit) and Jesus was not going to let that go by without helping. This woman's faith was on display because she came to beg Jesus to help – this was the only thing she thought left which could help!
Often we allow the people around us to get to the bottom of the barrel (so to speak) before we stop and offer to help. Sometimes we need to stop and offer to help before they get so desperate. Listening to God and following the Holy Spirit can help us to identify people who are in need – people God knows need the help and people who are willing to place their own faith in Christ.
Points to Ponder:
Do you ignore pleas for help until it's too late?
Will you stop and look around to see if someone needs your help?
August 25: Proverbs 18:10-14
Key Verse: Proverbs 18:10
The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Devotion:
The people of this world who are full of false pride soon meet up with the reality of the world and their pride is dashed to pieces. The rich and wealthy look to their money as their safe haven, but if that should falter in any way they feel like their world is collapsing in on them; much the same as the people full of their own pride. But we have a safe haven in Christ which cannot be broken down and cannot be removed by anything from this world.
If a proud person has anything happen which causes them to doubt themselves, their world collapses in on itself. If the rich person has cause to doubt their financial stability, they feel like things are going to collapse. If we, as Christians, doubt our faith, we too feel like the faith we have is crashing down around us... But therein is the difference, the pride of the proud is dashed and cracked; the finances of the rich melt away, but Christ remains strong and a firm foundation we can go back to when we realise it is just our faith and nothing more which is at fault!
We need to remember God is above all else and will never be brought down by any of His creation; and since He created us all, we cannot bring Him down. What do can do and seem to do far too often is bring down the faith of the people around us by doing stupid things and doubting ourselves. We have no reason to doubt God!
When we get sick, we often can get through it and come out the other side feeling much better and even stronger. But when our faith is tested, when our spirits are broken, we find it very difficult to come back without a lot of help. Christ is here waiting to help us no matter what we have gone through!
Points to Ponder:
How often do you feel spiritually down?
How long does it take you to be encouraged by God's Word again?
August 24: Luke 22:24-30
Key Verse: Luke 22:27
For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
Devotion:
Just when the disciples were getting the hang of Jesus being Lord of Lords, He says something like this to them while eating the last supper they would have together. This was Jesus’ way of showing them how to be humble with others – no matter how much we think of ourselves, we should also be lifting up others to positions they cannot think of!
Jesus was lifting up the disciples to be like the judges of old, the prophets and leaders before Israel chose a king. These men who had been little else than fishermen and the like were now being told they have a place at the table of the King of Kings, one where He is willing to serve them!
I don’t know if you have had a job of serving others, but it can be seen as rewarding even though you are doing all the hard work. At boarding school, some of us would be chosen to serve some of the seniors at special meals. It was not a task to take lightly, but one we would look forward to because it was something different and we may get noticed if we did the task well.
Jesus was trying to show the disciples they had to go forward with the right attitude. Not as a slave working for nothing, but a person trying to show others they are worth something and show them a new hope. As Christians we should be willing to be servants who take the word of God out to others, showing them they have hope and a new reason to live! Christ has shown us the way – we should do what we can to emulate Him.
Points to Ponder:
Are you willing to serve?
Will you serve to the best of your ability?