2020-12-26
Genesis 2:15 NIV
First, God made a man. Then He made a garden and told the man to take care of it. We might think that work came about as a result of the fall. It’s true that work took on a different meaning at that point, but it’s a mistake to think the first people had no purpose. From the time Adam and Eve were created, it’s clear that God intended us to be like Him – creative, productive, and invested in tasks that contribute to His purposes. Adam and Eve were put in charge of the garden, and before their selfish decision to disobey God, they enjoyed maximum fulfilment in their work.
The Bible says: ‘Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name’ (v. 19 NKJV). The first job in the universe included identifying the nature, gifts, and strength of each creature, and overseeing them. Adam was God’s manager of creation, and Eve was created to be Adam’s ‘helper’. Productive work is God’s plan for our lives.
It’s rewarding when we do a job well, and it gives us a sense of value. We might be tempted to think that work is a hardship or a punishment, and the most successful people in life are the ones who don’t need to work. But we were each created to fulfil a purpose in life, and when we know we’re living that purpose, we can begin to enjoy our work. When we’re working for God and following His will, we’re successful in His eyes.
Zech 12-14; Matt 2:1-8; Ps 97; Prov 31:22-24
2020-12-25
Matthew 2:11 KJV
Today, let’s take a few minutes to reflect on the miracle of Jesus. He was born in the humblest of places, a room shared with animals, but when He was born, heaven was filled with songs of angels, and a star brought those who were rich and noble on a journey of thousands of miles to worship Him. His whole life was a miracle – from His birth to His resurrection. Everything Jesus did and everything He taught demonstrated God’s love and miraculous power. He fed thousands of people with only a few loves and fish, and even had bread and fish to spare. He was full of compassion, and healed many people. Even storms obeyed Him, but He was so gentle that small children wanted to be near Him. Jesus’ ministry lasted just three years, and yet two thousand years later, we still offer Him our praise and worship, and celebrate Hs birth and resurrection.
Today, we’re celebrating the fulfilment of the prophecy in Isaiah: ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’ (Isaiah 9:6 NIV). Today, and every day, let’s give thanks for the gift God gave us in Jesus: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16 NIV). Whether we’re full of joy today, or whether Christmas isn’t a good time for us, let’s try not forget Jesus and the hope His birth bought to the world.
Isa 9:1-7; Matt 1:18-25; Mic 5:2-5a; Isa 7:14
2020-12-24
Psalm 34:18 NIVUK
Christmas is a time of joy and celebration for many people, but for some of us, it can be a difficult time. We might have lost a loved one and this is the first Christmas without them, or it might be our first Christmas alone, away from family and friends. Sometimes, the happiness that everyone else seems to feel just reinforces our sense of loss and sadness. There’s no quick fix. Processing what we’ve lost takes time and God’s sustaining grace. But here are some insights to help:
1) Don’t be unrealistic in your expectations. If we’re struggling, there’s nothing wrong in reaching out for help. We don’t have to do everything ourselves. We also shouldn’t feel pressured into struggling to create a ‘perfect’ Christmas. If we’re not feeling up to doing the things we’d normally do, we shouldn’t feel guilty, or allow others to make us feel that way.
2) Try taking the focus off yourself. Reach out. We could see if there’s a needy family or a hurting friend who’d enjoy spending an hour with us. It won’t solve our problem, but it might help to have something different to focus on for a while. Helping others can be therapeutic and can help us get our perspective back.
3) Start some new traditions. Doing things the same way might stir up memories that make us feel worse. Sometimes doing something differently can help us get through a difficult time.
4) Spend time with God. ‘The LORD is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.’ Let’s reach out to God this Christmas and ask Him to exchange our sadness, loneliness, or brokenness for His peace.
Zech 9-11; Matt 1:12-17; Ps 117; Prov 31:18-21
2020-12-23
1 Kings 17:13 NIV
Imagine a mother and her child in a severe famine, with just enough food for one last meal. Now imagine Elijah saying, ‘Share with me what you’ve got. Don’t be afraid; God will make sure you’ve more than enough to see you through.’ What would you have done in that situation? This woman chose to have faith and obey God. As a result, she survived the famine, and Jesus even mentioned her in one of His sermons. When we’re looking at giving to God, there are basically two kinds of givers: those who give God their ‘leftovers’, and those who give Him their ‘firstfruits’ (take a look at Proverbs 3:9).
The first type of givers see themselves as responsible for meeting their own needs, so they look after themselves first and then give what’s left over to God’s work. But the problem with giving their leftovers is that as soon as they face uncertainty, especially if it affects their finances, they forget to be generous. They make themselves the priority.
On the other hand, people who give God their firstfruits understand that He’s the source of everything they have. They prioritise giving to Him before they see to their own interests. They believe that what we reap is always greater than what we sow (have a read of 2 Corinthians 9:6-11).
The people in the first group act through fear – they fear they won’t have enough, or that God won’t come through for them, so they need to protect themselves – whereas the people in the second group are motivated by faith – they have faith and confidence that God will care and provide for them. Paul wrote: ‘My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:19 NIV). So when God asks us to give something, let’s be generous, and have confidence that He’ll reward our faith.
Zech 5-8; Matt 1:6b-11; Ps 113; Prov 31:14-17
2020-12-22
Matthew 6:27 NLT
We can often find ourselves worrying about things. And while it’s easy for people to try and help us by saying ‘don’t worry’, or ‘there’s no need to worry’, it’s not always easy to stop. Many of the things we’re worried about won’t even happen or won’t be as bad as we thought. But sometimes they do happen, so we might think we’re justified in worrying. If we’re finding it difficult to let go of worry, what can we do?
These Scriptures can help: ‘Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever’ (Psalm 125:1 NIV). ‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you’ (Isaiah 26:3 NIV).
Both verses talk about trust. Worry often reveals that we’re trying to trust in our own power, or the efforts of other people, rather than placing all our trust in God. So when we feel worry rising up, let’s use those feelings as a reminder to hand everything back to God and have faith in Him. It might not be easy, and it might take a conscious effort each time, but if we persevere, eventually it’ll become a habit. God knows what He’s doing, and when we trust Him, ‘His peace will guard your hearts and minds’ (Philippians 4:7 NLT).
When Paul wrote those words, the Philippians were living under Roman occupation, which was bad. But they knew that the sentries also guarded their town, which was good. They knew that before an enemy could get to them, had to get past the guards first. And when we choose to trust God completely, He’ll guard our hearts from worry and replace those feelings with His peace.
Zech 1-4; Matt 1:1-6a; Ps 128; Prov 31:10-13
2020-12-21
James 5:16 NCV
The Bible says: ‘When a believing person prays, great things happen. Elijah was a human being just like us. He prayed that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years!’ (v.16-17 NCV). There are two things in particular for us to take note of here:
1) ‘A believing person.’ When we pray, we need to believe that God will hear and answer our prayers. ‘Anyone who comes to God must believe that he is real and that he rewards those who truly want to find him’ (Hebrews 11:6 NCV).
In Matthew 6, Jesus says: ‘When you pray, don’t be like those people who don’t know God. They continue saying things that mean nothing, thinking that God will hear them because of their many words’ (v.7 NCV). The only requirement for seeing ‘great things happen’ is to believe.
We might hear other people praying almost fiercely, full of emotion and passion. There’s nothing wrong with praying that way (as long as we’re not doing it for effect), but we mustn’t fall into the trap of thinking it’s the only way God will hear and answer us. Our feelings may move us, but it’s our faith that moves God. A simple, quiet prayer coming from a heart that believes and trusts in Him will get His attention.
2) ‘Elijah was a human being just like us.’ Elijah was righteous, but that doesn’t mean he was perfect. His prayers were effective, but he still struggled at times with fear and despair. He really was ‘just like us’. So we can pray with confidence, knowing that we don’t need to be perfect for God to listen, answer, and do great things. We just need to trust and believe.
2 Tim 1-4; John 21:15-25; Ps 47; Prov 31:6-9
