Devotion
Ambassadors of Christ
David Jacobs
Have you ever wished that you were somebody else? Perhaps somebody famous: a great musician, movie star, politician, or athlete. I used to wonder how great it would be to be able to feel what another person is feeling, to see what they are seeing, and in my younger years I wished that I was a little bit taller, faster, stronger, or capable of doing some of the things that my favorite athletes could do. I am still waiting for my second growth spurt, but am more content in my own body than when I was less mature.
You may know the feeling that I am talking about: wishing to be someone else. It is easy to forget our own value when comparing yourself to others who seem richer, more successful, popular, or happy. We cannot ever fully grasp what dwells in another person's heart; that is for God to know. If we want to be someone else, we must look within and not outward. We cannot escape ourselves, but through God there are ways in which we may be remade. We may never be taller, stronger, and wealthier overnight; we can be better, happier, and more generous, learning from the examples in the Scriptures. Take the prodigal son as an example: squandered what he had been given, but his father celebrates his return, noting "he was lost and is found."(Luke 15:11-32)
Prayer
God has shown us, through His word, how He asks of us to live. He has sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die for us, forgiving us all our sins. There is no need to want to be another person; we all have a chance to be renewed through Christ, every day. Thanks be to God.
Devotion
Abraham is Father of All
Frances Taylor
There are questions in every age about the importance of the Old Testament for Christians. Abraham is considered to be the Father of Faith for Jews, Christians and Muslims. We forget that it was Abraham who believed in the doctrine of only one God. It is through him and his descendants that this tradition comes down to us. Another fact that we can overlook is that Jesus was Jewish. He was born a Jew, lived as a Jew, died, rose and ascended into heaven as a Jew. Because we believe that he was the Messiah, the Christ, and we follow him, we are called Christian. Without the Old Testament, we wouldn't understand the promise of salvation; we wouldn't understand why it was important for Jesus to be of the family of King David. We would not understand his teaching either, because Jesus quoted from Scripture – the Old Testament – frequently. He told us that he came to fulfill the Scriptures, not to abolish them. In the same way, we can ...
