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Monday, September 7, 2020
“Your eyes are open to all the ways of mortals.” —Jeremiah 32:19b
Do you ever find yourself trying to explain something to God? Maybe you’re trying to let him know about the extenuating circumstances that help provide context for—if not excuse for—some regrettable bit of behavior. Or maybe your conversation with God is flowing along like any other conversation, and you’re just providing some updates and background information that God will need if he’s really going to understand.
Even though this is, at some level, a little silly, I don’t think that’s always a bad thing. God wants us to approach him openly and honestly. We shouldn’t talk to God in fear of making a mistake of logic in our speech. I imagine when we start to explain things to God, he smiles a bit and thinks, “Yes, I know, child.”
Scripture reminds us again and again that God’s knowledge and understanding is far beyond our own. There’s no truth we can tell God that he doesn’t already know.
The prophet Jeremiah, who lived about 600 years before Jesus, spoke about the power and sovereignty of God. In the words just before today’s verse, Jeremiah spoke of God’s might and righteous judgment. In the words immediately following today’s verse, Jeremiah spoke of God rewarding “each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.”
God is not blind to our reality. He can’t be fooled. This should give us a healthy sense of reverence for God. God is mighty and he knows the truth about us, even truth that we hide from every other person (and even truth that we hide from ourselves).
But this reality should encourage us so much more than it should frighten us. Because we know that God sent his Son to die for us knowing full well who we are. When Jesus suffered for us, God in freedom made the deal with humanity that he wanted to make.
This also means that there is no thing we go through that God does not understand. When you’re hurting, when you’re feeling weak, when you’re giddy with excitement or scared of what’s around the corner, when you’re anxious or worn out, when you’re grieving a loss you don’t think you can bear, God understands. God knows. God loves you and cares about you and is stronger than anything that opposes you.
I find this incredibly comforting. I’ll never hear God say “Oh, I didn’t know that was important to you.” God knows us better than we know ourselves. He’s a good, great, and mighty Father. And he is our Father.
Friday, September 4, 2020
Today’s devotion is written by Deacon Karen Katamay.
“The Lord bless you and keep you.” —Numbers 6:24
I have always loved this blessing at the end of the worship service. The full blessing goes like this (verses 24-26): “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” And I do feel a sense of peace when I hear it and as I go on with the rest of my day.
It is comforting in so many ways. First, it reminds us that the Lord is the source of all blessings and he wants to bless us and be in relationship with us. When he sent his son, Jesus, he brought the ultimate blessing to the world. God is “beaming with delight” when he looks upon his children and loves us, even when we are a mess. And God wants us to feel peace in our lives: Shalom, a peace in which we are reconciled with God and with others, and we are blessed.
So today, as you pray for people in your life, consider adding these words to your prayer for each person. ___________, may the Lord bless you and keep you. And may the Lord bless and keep all of you, this day and always!
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Praise him sun and moon; praise him all you shining stars! For he commanded and they were created. Psalm 148: 3,5
When I was a freshman in college at Concordia University in River Forest, the school took all the new students to a camp a few hours away in Wisconsin. I remember two things about that trip.
First, on day 2 I woke up with a HUGE mosquito bite right above my lip. Second, the sheer number of stars that I could see in the sky.
One of the tradeoffs of living in a big city is that the light pollution is going to mask most of the stars. So any time I catch an unobscured glimpse of God’s beautiful creation, I will get a sore neck because I have to look up. One of the realities of our sin is that it masks all of the awesome and beautiful things that God has placed within each one of us.
Today, may we look for opportunities to catch glimpses of the beauty God placed in us and each person we meet today.
