Devotion
The poor work so the rich may live
David Jacobs
The income gap is a problem that has not gone away. It has existed as long as modern civilization. Today, the 8 richest people in the world have the same amount of wealth as the poorest's 50 percent. Read that again! There is a growing and dangerous concentration of wealth in the modern world. If a small number of people control so much wealth and power, what does that mean for the rest of us?
As I previously stated, this problem has existed as long as civilization. In these verses, the people of Judah are rising up against those in power. They go to Nehemiah, demanding that something should be done. The wealthy have taxed the people so heavily that some of the working class must sell their children to slavery! The people of Israel have escaped slavery from other nations several times already in the Old Testament, but now they must deal with it from their own people!
Nehemiah goes to the nobles and rulers and demands that things change. It seems that the Babylonian exile may have changed the way the rulers thought about their own brethren and more importantly, it seems that they have stopped fearing the Lord their God. The strong words of Nehemiah change that, and the working people no longer suffer as before.
Prayer
Imagine if the wealthiest on earth could listen to the similar logic: Oh! How the world would change for better! We must remain steadfast and focus not on the wealth of this world, but on the bounty of riches that await us, devotees of Christ, if we follow the path of Christ. Unlike the wealthiest in Nehemiah's time and now, the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). Thanks be to God!
Night Prayer
And Samson called unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
Inspiration
Samson's power came from God, not from his beautiful locks of hair! He knew the origin of his strength and called out to the Lord to help him abolish his enemies. We have the power to overcome obstacles and hardships in our earthly life. We must remember that our strength comes from the Lord and contribute our tenacity to Him. We are grateful for His gracious character as He gifts us with skills to battle our enemies.
Prayer
Dear Father, We are grateful for the strength You have instilled in us. We could not stand against sin alone and we praise You for gifting us the power to conquer our sin. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Devotion
Allowing The Scriptures
To bring Joy To My Life
Frances Taylor
The beginning of Luke's Gospel has always been one of my favorite readings. It makes me feel confident that I can believe what I have been taught. It also gives me peace because I know that God's promise has been fulfilled. We have been set free from fear. Of course, we will know fear of the unknown in this unpredictable world, but not fear of death because we can be sure that death is not the end, only the beginning of a new life. Otherwise, how could we continue to experience happiness and joy in the face of suffering? This freedom of fear, this belief in the good news – this Gospel message – is what made the early Christians so willing to face suffering in the name of Jesus. It is what motivated them to spread the good news to anyone who would listen. Is our world any less in need of the Gospel than theirs? I doubt it. Considering how we work so hard to be happy! How hard we work to avoid pain or suffering! So ...
