Daily devotion

He Made the Stars Also!

/ pastorpete51 / 7 Comments 
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, 
and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 
Genesis 1:16

In many hymns we sing about how great God is, and especially in the song, “How Great Thou Art.” Those lyrics remind me of my Sunday afternoons, when I was a small boy. For some reason, my parents decided that Sunday afternoons were a great time for me to memorize Genesis chapter one. I’m not sure if they really cared so much about me learning scripture, of if they just figured it was good discipline for a busy nine-year-old. While I slogged through the process, I was always quite impressed with the verse that said:  “And God said let there be light.” and POW- there was light! I imagined God’s Spirit moving over vast dark ocean waves while God wrestled with the mysterious elements of the creation. I could just picture how after the light, came the oceans, then fish, birds, animals and finally man. After reading about all of God’s impressive accomplishments, we come to the tail end of verse sixteen, where it says, “He made the stars also.” This final act of creation is added almost as an afterthought, but today, after more than 60 years I know that in that snippet of a verse when God spoke, that trillions and trillions of stars came exploding into the universe. At those times when I see the enormity of God’s creation, the words of the hymn come back, “I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder.” and I am stunned that our mighty creator God has chosen to love people like you and me. Though we cannot with even our most advanced instruments see the farthest star, God calls every one of them by name and He calls us by name as well. Then this mighty loving creator God paused, took a deep breath, and then “He made the stars also!”

I see the stars; I hear the rolling thunder. 
His power throughout the universe displayed.
How Great Thou Art by Carl Boberg 1886

The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork . 
Psalm 19:1 NKJV

A Second Touch

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The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 1 Kings 19:7-8 NIV

“He Touched Me” was written in 1963 by Bill Gaither and became one of the best loved and most recorded Christian songs of the twentieth century. It became so popular that Elvis Presly chose it as the title song of an album for which he won the Grammy award in 1972. Though this generation of young people may have never heard the song, those who love Jesus, still long for God’s touch. But there are times in life, when a single touch, even from God is not enough. Like Elijah, we still believe God, but we have given up on ourselves. “Surely God has someone better than us for the job.” we say to ourselves. Are you so tired of how things have been going that today, you simply want to lie down and give up? The good news this morning is that even if we have given up: God has not! He has not written us off and is not looking for someone else to replace us. God sent His angel a second time for Elijah, and though He may not use an angel, God has a fresh word for you and me this morning, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” God is offering us not only a second touch, but also a new direction and new strength for our journey, which will lead us all the way to Him!

Jesus is Waiting for You

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Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”  John 4:6-7

It is often said that we must wait on the Lord, and with good reason. The Bible does teach us that waiting on God is the way He uses to renew our strength. But more often than not, in the stories of scripture, God is waiting on us. In today’s verse we find Jesus resting by a well. Now this seems a pretty normal thing, for the average guy on a hot day after a long walk. But Jesus is not just an average guy, He is the Son of God and He has plans than He often doesn’t explain to us. You see in Jesus’ daily calendar; He had scheduled a meeting with this woman from Samaria. She didn’t know it; the disciples didn’t know it and certainly no one in that unassuming little village would have guessed in their wildest dreams that the Messiah would stop at the outskirts of town that afternoon. Jesus wasn’t looking for anyone to impress Him with a formal welcome or reward Him with a generous honorarium. All He wanted was an honest conversation and a heart that was open to Him. Maybe that is all that Jesus is waiting for in our situation. Maybe we don’t need to wait, maybe we need to take a walk by a well and listen to what He has to say today. He has already finished all that needs to be done when He suffered on the cross and cried “It is finished!” Now He is resting by the well of living water for you and I to come and meet with Him today. Since Jesus is waiting: what are we waiting for?”

Today’s video was recorded at our monthly prayer and praise at Sunshine Christian Village and ends with the song “Fill My Cup Lord” Have a blessed week all!