Devotion
All things came into being through Him
David Jacobs
These verses remind me very much of a scripture lesson that I read in front of my congregation on Christmas as a child. John 1:3 is this:
1 In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.2 The same was in the beginning with God.3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
My parents were so proud of me for reading these verses, and I obviously was too considering I can still remember the exact verses that I had to read decades ago. It gave me a thrill to read the Lord's word in front of so many admiring eyes. It also made me think about what these words really meant.
Without God, there would be nothing. We know that in the first few verses of the Bible. He created everything. There is a new caveat in these verses, talking about the church itself. Christ is the head of the body, and God is happy that Christ is in the head of the body of the church. God's covenant with humanity was completed by the blood of Christ on the cross. Jesus contains the many within him: we owe him a debt for taking our sins, transgressions, fears and anxieties, placing them all on his shoulders when he carried that cross. For us, he was willing to spill his own blood, so that we may all be reconciled. He did not have to do this for us, because he created all things.
Prayer
He wanted to do it. God wanted to do it because he loved us so much. Loving us so much that He gave us His only son. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Night Prayer
A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.
Inspiration
Often, we speak before we have to opportunity to think about our words. In the heat of the moment, we immediately express negative feelings without analyzing the situation first. We jump to conclusions when directing meetings and speak in haste with our children before evaluating all sides. As leaders in any setting, we must be tactful and make decisions by weighing all details. Instead of expressing emotions with our authority, we must seek to mediate justly and reflect the mercy of God with our decision-making.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Please forgive us when we jump to conclusions and fail to lead with mercy and grace. Guide us to reflect Your character when You place us in a position of authority. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Devotion
A Simple Creed
Frances Taylor
Although the last verse of this passage is considered to be a portion of a hymn prayed by the people in the communities around Ephesus, I think of it as a creed, a simple statement of beliefs. It lets us know that they believed that Jesus was God, coming in the flesh, who was justified, or vindicated as another translation has it, by the Holy Spirit, seen by the angels, which could mean actual angels in heaven, or that he was seen by the disciples and others considered to be holy, preached by those disciples to reach out to a world that believed in the message of the Good News and was received by the Father into heaven where he would reign. Of course, I could be wrong about the actual meaning of the hymn, but it really doesn't make any difference. It makes me think about creeds, or statements of belief. I know there are a few formal ones such as the Apostles' Creed, or Baptismal Creed, and the Nicene Creed which expands a little on the first. But ...
Morning Prayer
For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
Inspiration
It may seem that the lives of some non-believers are often much easier and carefree than our own. Unshackled to principle, they may float free between pleasures with no particular conscience. But this 'freedom' is not true freedom, and one shouldn't mistake it for what it really is; being lost in the wilderness. This 'freedom' of the non-believer does not extend into the afterlife, and is in fact, shackled only to this, our material world. Since they have not had to endure the call of their consciences, they will not find our God's eternal peace.
Prayer
Lord God our Creator and Father, let me endure all that is sacred, just and fair in this world. Help us understand in facing our sufferings that we are doing so for you sake, in your glory. Thus, give us grace and show us mercy, for in answering to our consciences, we know we are doing your work. Help us stay pure ...
