We Seek Him 1

Hosea 6:6

We have just recently celebrated Mother’s Day and soon we will be honoring fathers as well. As we think about holidays where we give gifts we may be struggling with exactly what we are supposed to give to that person who will receive the gift. It is always nice to get a gift that is exactly what you wanted, something that fits your needs or desires perfectly. However, I believe what is most essential is not the specific gift, but rather the idea that you took time to think about that gift and remember the recipient.

We encounter Jesus in several different ways in our faith. We are invited into communion with God. Sometimes we need the help of God. And other times we realize that we need to have that relationship so we seek Jesus.

As we look at how we enter into a relationship with our Lord we can ask ourselves what it is that we are supposed to bring to this encounter. Are we supposed to give expensive gifts? Are we supposed to act like someone we are not? Are there certain words we need to speak?

In truth, although God can use the gifts we bring and there are certain words we may use as we worship the Lord and pray to God, the most essential part of encountering Christ is our attitude. Hosea offers a message from God. What does God want? What does God not want?

If we truly want to encounter Jesus there aren’t any special tricks or rituals we need to perform to have that relationship. Instead, we need to come to the Lord with a willing heart and a soul that desires to be in unity with Christ. To achieve that, we must begin with a heart of mercy. We must come to Jesus with a humble attitude acknowledging that God is the Almighty One who is to be honored and praised.

We can’t buy a place in God’s love. We can’t sacrifice enough things in our life to make God reserve a place for us. God wants us to be loving and caring, humble and merciful. God desires that we should desire the relationship that He wants to have with us.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be certain to have the right attitude when you come to God?

Humility 5

Jude 20-21

Prayer is one of the first parts of my day. There are times when I get caught up doing this thing or that, but as soon as I remember that I need to pray I stop what I am doing and spend some time with God. This gives me strength. This gives me clarity in my thinking. This gives me spiritual focus.

This letter from Jude warns about those who have gone or will go in their own ways spiritually. What instruction is offered? What encouragement does he give?

Being a Christian and remaining obedient to God is no easy task. Although it may be our greatest desire, it is so easy to become distracted by other things. It is so easy to get caught up in what we are doing we forget why we are doing it and where we receive our ability.

This happens to individuals. It happens to churches. It can even happen to entire denominations.

To avoid allowing our work to become the center of our focus, we must turn to God first and build ourselves up in the Spirit and love of God. To avoid allowing the pride of our past to make us stagnant and exclusionary in our attitudes and behavior, we must be humble before God and ask for His guidance. Before we become inflexible in our attitudes and actions, we should bow before the Lord and ask for Him to direct us.

As we face a time of vacation and relaxation, perhaps a time of declining attendance and a break from ministries, let us keep in mind the power of God and the strength of His love. May we remain humble before our Lord and dedicated to His work.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you keep yourself in God’s love?

This is the last in our series of the 10/2 Grow Daily Devotions for this spring. We will resume on August 31. We pray that God will bless you and be with you over the summer months, and we encourage each of you to invite someone to sign up for our daily devotion.

Peace. – Peggy and Roger Emerson

The Woman Views the Cross 5

John 13:12-17

Working with the local school at putting on a musical and helping to build the sets has emphasized to me the benefit of demonstrating what you want done. It is so much easier to act out a role or construct a wall when someone else presents an example of what it should be like. The example sets the pattern. You simply imitate what was done.

At the house of the Pharisee a sinful woman washed the feet of Jesus as an expression of devotion. At the Last Supper with his disciples Jesus washed the feet of his followers as an expression of service. These acts of humility and compassion in both cases were examples and demonstrations to all who would follow Jesus.

What does Jesus remind them of in verse 13? What does he tell them to do? What does he point out in verse 17?

In spite of the fact that the disciples were not worthy and we are not worthy Jesus went beyond washing feet. He sacrificed himself on the cross, washing not our feet but our souls. He accepted us as sinners and welcomed us in his kingdom.

Whenever we are confronted with someone we may consider sinful and unworthy we should recall what Jesus did. He lowered himself to the position of the lowest of servants, performing a task that no one wants to do. But he did it out of compassion and love, and he did it because he accepted the disciples even though they were sinful.

“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” Does this mean Jesus wants us to make certain everyone has clean feet? Of course not. What he wants – the example he set – was that we should humble ourselves and be accepting of others even when they are sinful and may be considered unworthy. We are to accept others in love and compassion and humility, and invite them in to the kingdom of God rather than shun them and keep them out.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Whose feet do you need to wash?

Mediator 4

Isaiah 66:2

I spent seven years teaching in public schools and I can tell you that it is true that teachers learn the names of troublesome students much sooner than those of the quieter, more obedient students. It is usually not a good sign when a teacher knows your name early in the school year. I tried to be fair and even-handed in my discipline and in my treatment of students, but I must confess I preferred those students who were not a problem in the class. They were the ones who earned my favor and received lenient treatment.

The Book of Isaiah has many messages from God for His people. Today’s passage is a brief comment from the Almighty. What reminder does God give in His rhetorical question? What type of person does God prefer?

In my own times of frustration and aggravation I have raised my voice to God. I have complained when things did not go my way and I was quick to remind the Lord how obedient and good I have been. But the fact is that all my goodness is nothing in the eyes of God.

Whenever we approach our Lord, in times of communion, in times of prayer, in times of worship, we must remind ourselves of how great and vast God is. He has created all things and holds sway over all the earth.

If we desire to make that connection with God, if we desire forgiveness, if we desire to enter into a strong, spiritual relationship with God, we must approach God in humility. We need to have a contrite heart – humble and seeking forgiveness.

And as we approach God we must remember that it is Jesus Christ who makes it possible for us to be in the presence of the Almighty. It is through the atoning sacrifice – the removal of our sins through the crucifixion – that we may be blessed by God.

The celebration of Holy Communion is a time to remember that Jesus acts as our mediator, opening the door for us to receive God’s love and mercy. It is through Christ that we can be forgiven and receive grace from God. It is important that we come to the Lord not with boasting or arrogance, but with a contrite spirit, humbly acknowledging all the blessings of our heavenly Father.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you remind yourself daily to be humble before God?

Helper 5

Isaiah 57:15

There is a man we know, a friend of a friend, whom we encounter a few times each year at parties. The best way I can describe him is that he is a “blow-hard.” He seems to need to be at the center of attention. He inserts himself into almost every conversation, and comes across as an expert in every subject, even when he is talking to someone who IS an expert in that subject.

There is nothing really wrong with the man. We just find him unpleasant because of his attitude. If he could tone himself down, even a little, become a bit more humble, he would be much easier to be around.

Having a pushy, arrogant, or demanding attitude with people can really put others off. The same is true of God. Isaiah has a message from God for all people. Where does God exist? What will God do?

We have seen the problems of having an arrogant attitude when approaching God in the story of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15). Jesus wants us to call on him for help, but we need to be humble.

We have been reminded that we should desire to be in the presence of God (Psalm 42). We need to seek the Lord at all times.

Now we can see what God desires.

God is not only a god of the high and lofty places. He is not only the Almighty, everlasting Lord. He is also the God who desires to be with us, His children. But it is clear that we should be humble in His presence.

God is with those who are broken hearted, those with a broken spirit, those who earnestly seek forgiveness because they are aware they have done wrong. This is the very meaning of contrite.

We are to be contrite before God, humble and penitent. If we come to God for help with an attitude of humility and need God will lift us up. It is His desire to revive us when we are oppressed with problems and troubles. It is His desire to renew our spirits, to re-invigorate our failing hearts when we are confronted by problems.

We need to remember that we should come to the Lord in our times of trouble, but we cannot approach God with arrogance. Nor can we demand His help. Rather, we need to be contrite and trust that the Lord is eager to lift us up out of our troubles and set things right again.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What is your attitude when seeking God’s help?