Thursday Devotional - Selfless Son

Children can be very selfish. Actually we are all selfish, but it’s especially easy to spot in children! So, when children voluntarily share, it’s touching. 

The other day my son, James (4), “earned” some money from his grandmother (my Mom). His cousin, Mark (5), earned a similar amount. While they were playing with their money, James spontaneously decided to offer his money to Mark. Mark kindly refused, saying: “No, James, you earned that dollar!”

The selfless moment of our sons was the highlight of my Mom’s day and touched us all!

Jesus was the perfect selfless son! He didn’t have selfless moments; His entire life from start to finish was selfless! Even through the most excruciating death by crucifixion, He thought and cared for others. 

John 19:25-27         ²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Jesus was in excruciating pain, yet He was able to focus on caring for His mother! What is your and my biggest need right now? Maybe it is some sort of pain, too. Like Jesus, how could you and I selflessly meet the needs of someone else even while we feel lacking?

Alice

Free Indeed

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”  John 8:34-36

My coming to God felt a bit unique.  Many people come to God when times are at their worst.  They have nowhere to turn to, and there they find God.  In my case, it was more of a revelation.  I was not in any stress nor struggling in any way.  For the longest while, I believed that my sins would forever distance me from God.  It was during that time that I came to give what would become my testimony.  I shared with others that I had indeed been sinful, and by no means would I deserve to be in Heaven.  Instead, my goal was that maybe I could save someone through the tales of my mistakes.  This moment of admitting my own vulnerability to sin became the day of my liberation.  That is when God showed me His grace, and thus, I have been able to tell of this and literally hundreds of other stories because of it.

Showing our vulnerability to God is liberating.  I mentioned that many people come to God when times are at their worst.  Most of those will say they had been fighting and losing their battles with the world, and after agonizing in their sinful ways, they looked to God asking Him to free them from the bondage of their circumstances.  Even though we are saved through Christ, many of us still remain susceptible to believing we are not free.  Jesus said, “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”  This is our moment of vulnerability.  We know none of us alone are free from this, but Jesus followed this up saying, “So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”  Thus through the confessing of our own sins to God, the weight of our past (our guilt, sorrow, pain, suffering, and bitterness) goes away.  To a new believer, they are born again.  To those who have served God for years, they are strengthened and renewed by the power of God to take away that which might hold them down in bondage.

God’s truth gives us freedom.  Jesus said to His believers, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31b-32)  The truth is Jesus Christ is Lord of our lives, and through Him, we are saved from God’s judgment.  There is nothing wrong with saying we are vulnerable to sin because we all are.  However if we can meet it with the determination and faith that our Lord Jesus Christ saves us, we are free.  What sins are holding you from the freedom Christ provides us with?  How can you free others through the testimony of your own vulnerabilities?  My prayer is that although we sin, we realize that through Jesus Christ we are free indeed.  Amen.

Thurs Devo: God's Signs

Now back to the book of Numbers… We left off two weeks ago where Moses and Aaron initiated and made atonement for the rebellious Israelites. By that point, the Israelites should have had enough proof and signs that God had specifically chosen Moses and Aaron for their unique roles in leading the Israelites. However, God graciously gave the Israelites yet another sign.

Numbers 17:1-5       The Lord said to Moses, ² “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. ³ On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. ⁴ Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you. ⁵ The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.”

God gave the Israelites a sign of His choosing. Neither Moses nor the Israelites thought of it or asked for it.

God has given us numerous signs regarding Jesus, His Son and Savior of the world. First, He foretold many of the signs centuries before Jesus’ birth. Here is one of the prophesied signs and the fulfillment 800 years later.

Isaiah 7:14    ¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Matthew 1:20-23      ²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” ²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Do you and I search out and believe the numerous signs God has given to us about Himself and Jesus?

Or, are you and I like the Israelites in Moses’ day? Do we listen to the ideas, questions and fears of the people around us rather than remembering and focusing on the proofs and signs God has already given?

God is generous and gracious with His signs. The Bible is full of them!!! Let’s pray for the Holy Spirit’s help to read (search for), recognize and remember God’s signs. 

Alice