Daily devotion

Faces

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Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. Hebrews 12:1

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Back in 2016 the Olympic flame was carried by over 10,000 runners. The torch run which began in the capital city of Brasilia went the distance of 20,000 kilometers throughout the nation to in Rio de Janeiro. Some of the way they passed through city neighborhoods lined with crowds and others over empty farmland and forest. All along the way the torch bearers ran till Vanderlei de Lima lit the flame before a crowd of over 60,000 in Maracanã Stadium.

In that same way as we run the race of our Christian life there are some lonely times. It feels as if the finish line in Heaven’s capital city is impossibly far away. God’s word encourages us to recall that God has a stadium there also filled with the faces of those who have carried their torches before us. We have parents, and pastors, brothers, sisters, wives and children waiting and cheering us on. They weren’t all saintly and perfect people but they carried the torch to the end. They climbed the steps to the throne of God and left everything behind to finish their race. In the light of their flame of faith I can see their faces and reKIMG1137minded to trust that God will help me run my own leg of the journey one more day!

Wisdom of Geese

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I confess that I never held a great deal of respect for geese on the farm. To me they seemed the most unlikely examples of wisdom of any of our animals. What I had forgotten to take into account was their creator. He places a message within every part of his creation…even geese.

First they stick together. One gosling wouldn’t last five minutes alone but from the moment he or she is hatched they  stick close behind the one who will fight to protect them.

Second they love to communicate. They honk when danger is close and they will hiss at an enemy if it comes too close.

Last of all they stay in the place where they were born till they grow strong. Then when the Autumn winds blow they prepare for the journey that lies ahead before Winter.

Yes even geese can reflect the glory of God. Sticking together communicating and preparing for the journey are the wisest choices anyone could make. Who ever called you a silly goose had no idea the complement they were giving!

And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord , have not forsaken those who seek You.
Psalms 9:10 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.9.10.nkjv

Enjoying the Sabbath

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In Mark’s Gospel Jesus pointed out that the opposition he was facing over what He was doing on the Sabbath was from a basic misunderstanding of the command to rest on the seventh day. The Pharisees were acting as if the 4th commandment began when Moses received it on the mountain. But in reality the concept of Sabbath was woven into the very fabric of God’s creation. Genesis tells us that on the seventh day God rested (P.S. he wasn’t tired!). 

Here was God at the end of His creation process, creating one more thing as a gift for man. He created a day to rest together with Adam and Eve. Maybe Adam and Eve just walked through the garden in delighted wonderment saying things like, “Wow that waterfall is amazing God!” or “That giraffe has the longest neck I’ve ever seen!”. God wasn’t interested in their doing something to impress Him. He simply wanted to share that day with them. Later on maybe they sat down by a brook and kicked their feet in the cool water, then lay down on the soft grassy bank and took a nap and there was God right beside them, resting and blessing that first Sabbath day.

When was the last time any of us really took time to receive the gift of Sabbath that God made for us? Does that mean we should just sit around the house afraid to go out? Not at all! In fact Jesus constantly got into trouble by going around helping people on the Sabbath. It was His way of sharing His day with God. Why do we allow the worries of life or the expectations of other people rob from us that joy? We are each unique and in our own way why not celebrate a Sabbath as God intended and simply delight in sharing one day entirely with Him?