The Daily Bible Readings for MONDAY, September 21, 2020

The Daily Readings

 MONDAY, September 21, 2020

 Psalm 119:97-104; Exodus 16:31-35; Romans 16:1-16

 The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:

2 Corinthians 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Here are several good exhortations. God is the Author of peace and Lover of concord; he hath loved us, and is willing to be at peace with us. And let it be our constant aim so to walk, that separation from our friends may be only for a time, and that we may meet in that happy world where parting will be unknown. He wishes that they may partake all the benefits which Christ of his free grace and favour has purchased; the Father out of his free love has purposed; and the Holy Ghost applies and bestows.

Today’s Readings:

Psalm 119:97-104

God’s word sweeter than honey

97 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

What we love, we love to think of. All true wisdom is from God. A good man carries his Bible with him, if not in his hands, yet in his head and in his heart. By meditation on God's testimonies we understand more than our teachers, when we understand our own hearts. The written word is a more sure guide to heaven, than all the fathers, the teachers, and ancients of the church. We cannot, with any comfort or boldness, attend God in holy duties, while under guilt, or in any by-way. It was Divine grace in his heart, that enabled the psalmist to receive these instructions. The soul has its tastes as well as the body. Our relish for the word of God will be greatest, when that for the world and the flesh is least. The way of sin is a wrong way; and the more understanding we get by the precepts of God, the more rooted will be our hatred of sin; and the more ready we are in the Scriptures, the better furnished we are with answers to temptation.

Exodus 16:31-35

Manna sustains for forty years

16:31 And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.

32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the Lord commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.

33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the Lord, to be kept for your generations.

34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.

35 And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.

God having provided manna to be his people's food in the wilderness, the remembrance of it was to be preserved. Eaten bread must not be forgotten. God's miracles and mercies are to be had in remembrance. The word of God is the manna by which our souls are nourished, Matthew 4:4. The comforts of the Spirit are hidden manna, Revelation 2:17. These come from heaven, as the manna did, and are the support and comfort of the Divine life in the soul, while we are in the wilderness of this world. Christ in the word is to be applied to the soul, and the means of grace are to be used. We must every one of us gather for ourselves, and gather in the morning of our days, the morning of our opportunities; which if we let slip, it may be too late to gather. The manna must not be hoarded up, but eaten; those who have received Christ, must by faith live upon him, and not receive his grace in vain. There was manna enough for all, enough for each, and none had too much; so in Christ there is enough, but not more than we need. But those who ate manna, hungered again, died at last, and with many of them God was not well pleased; whereas they that feed on Christ by faith, shall never hunger, and shall die no more, and with them God will be for ever well pleased. Let us seek earnestly for the grace of the Holy Spirit, to turn all our knowledge of the doctrine of Christ crucified, into the spiritual nourishment of our souls by faith and love.

Romans 16:1-16

Diverse women and men are coworkers in Christ

16:1 I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:

2 That ye receive her in the Lord, as becometh saints, and that ye assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you: for she hath been a succourer of many, and of myself also.

3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

6 Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.

7 Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

8 Greet Amplias my beloved in the Lord.

9 Salute Urbane, our helper in Christ, and Stachys my beloved.

10 Salute Apelles approved in Christ. Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household.

11 Salute Herodion my kinsman. Greet them that be of the household of Narcissus, which are in the Lord.

12 Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord.

13 Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.

14 Salute Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren which are with them.

15 Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them.

16 Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

Paul recommends Phebe to the Christians at Rome. It becomes Christians to help one another in their affairs, especially strangers; we know not what help we may need ourselves. Paul asks help for one that had been helpful to many; he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Though the care of all the churches came upon him daily, yet he could remember many persons, and send salutations to each, with particular characters of them, and express concern for them. Lest any should feel themselves hurt, as if Paul had forgotten them, he sends his remembrances to the rest, as brethren and saints, though not named. He adds, in the close, a general salutation to them all, in the name of the churches of Christ.

The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV).

Commentaries from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible.

The Daily Bible Readings are selected from the Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, a three-year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2020, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2019 was Year C. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Readings for MONDAY, September 21, 2020
Psalm 119:97-104; Exodus 16:31-35; Romans 16:1-16 (KJV)

Prayer of the Day for MONDAY, September 21, 2020

Prayer of the Day

MONDAY, September 21, 2020

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."

— John 7:37–38

Dear Father in heaven, we thank you for sending down powers from on high into our earthly life. We thank you for sending us a higher nature in which we can live for others because we are living by what we receive from you. May we be simple, childlike, and trusting. When anyone despairs of himself, show him the way to the Savior so that he can find trust. Show to us the way of trust, trust for ourselves and for all people, because it is your will for all to receive help. Amen.

Verse of the Day for MONDAY, September 21, 2020

2 Corinthians 13:14

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

Read all of 2 Corinthians 13

Listen to 2 Corinthians 13

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Ichthus Ministries Daily Devotions — Waiting

Waiting

Make me to know Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Remember Your mercy, O LORD, and Your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.

— Psalm 25:4-6

We are used to waiting. Sometimes we may enjoy waiting if the wait is for something good. At other times, waiting is tedious and perhaps worrisome, but that doesn't change the fact we have to wait for an anticipated vacation or visitor, for appointments, in line at a store, or through anxious hours at a hospital bedside. Although we are accustomed to waiting, we may be somewhat less patient when it comes to waiting for the Lord. We expect answers and action right now, forgetting that God's timeline and ours may not be the same.

The psalms speak of our need to wait. "Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (Psalm 27:14). "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him" (Psalm 37:7a). The psalms also remind us of the Lord's timing in comparison to our own: "For a thousand years in Your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night" (Psalm 90:4). Our psalm for today expresses the longing we may feel as we expect God to act: "For you I wait all day long."

God's people have always waited. God promised to send His Anointed One, the Messiah. He called Abraham to be the father of the nation into which the Messiah would be born. But even Abraham had to wait in faith, "not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar" (Hebrews 11:13b). Many generations later, the promise was fulfilled, and the Messiah was born in Bethlehem. During His earthly ministry, Jesus the Messiah waited, too. The Gospel of John repeatedly reports, "His hour had not yet come" (John 7:30b).

Finally, the hour came. God's promises "from of old" were fulfilled. Jesus was crucified, offered up as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world. His body was taken down and buried in a borrowed tomb. Not yet understanding Jesus' promise to rise, the disciples hid in fear, waiting to be arrested and killed as their Lord had been. But theirs was a short wait, just three days, for on the third day, the first Easter morning, Jesus rose from the dead as He had promised. With Him rose the sure and certain promise of our resurrection to life on the Last Day.

As we wait for Jesus' return and the day of our resurrection, we learn His ways and will in the truths of His Word. He leads us by the Holy Spirit to walk in His paths. We know that we can trust in His mercy and His steadfast love that "have been from of old." We eagerly wait for our Savior "all the day long," and while we wait, we pray, "Come, Lord Jesus!"

Lord Jesus, comfort us with Your Word in all circumstances of anxious waiting. Fill us with hope and the certain knowledge that You always keep Your promises. Come quickly, Lord! Amen.

Dr. Carol Geisler

Reflection Questions:

1. Do you rely on the advice or wisdom of others, or do you prefer your own experience as a guide, in most cases?

2. What's one path that God might have for us to learn and follow?

3. How good are you with waiting for something to happen? What makes you most impatient in life?

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
We are used to waiting. Sometimes we may enjoy waiting if the wait is for something good.

Standing Strong Through the Storm — DEALING WITH DIFFERENCES

DEALING WITH DIFFERENCES

“Master,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

— Luke 9:49-50

The disciples complained to the Lord Jesus that some other men who were not of their group were ministering in Jesus’ name. The disciples had forbidden them to continue, but Jesus rebuked them. The Lord had to deal with Peter very specifically through a vision and a dramatic experience before he could say, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism, but accepts men from every nation who fear Him and do what is right” (Acts 10: 34,35).

The Apostle Paul enlarged on this idea in Romans 14. He summarized his teaching when he said, “Who are you to judge someone else’s servant?” (Romans 14:4). “You then, why do you judge your brother?…for we will all stand before God’s judgment seat” (Romans 14:10).

We must be very careful about rejecting someone simply because they do not serve the Lord the same way we do. If we quietly go about the work the Lord has given us, we need not be overly concerned about how others feel led to serve Him.

In Eritrea, Helen Berhane experienced differences among believers even in the horrible conditions of the shipping container prison. She writes in her book, Song of the Nightingale:

It was an incredible experience to share my imprisonment with others who were also imprisoned for their faith. However, with Christians from six different denominations in one container, we often found that we disagreed. For example, there was one lady who was a traditional Orthodox Christian; a very strong believer. If I told a joke as part of my Bible teachings she disapproved, so she actually began to pray and worship alone, and even eat alone. I found it amazing that even in a container she would not socialize with Christians she perceived to be too worldly! Other people argued over how we prayed. Some people preferred to pray silently, while others would pray out loud, and in such a small space it was easy to see why this was a problem.

I had to remind them, “We are not in our churches now. In our own church halls we can do as we please, but here we must tolerate each other’s differences. If we keep fighting they may send us to the underground prisons in the mountains, so we must be thankful for our freedom to worship together here, and not argue about the ways we used to worship when we were free.”[1]

RESPONSE: Today I will be very careful about rejecting someone simply because they do not serve the Lord the same way I do.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to be humble in dealing with believers who see things differently than I.

1. Helen Berhane, Song of the Nightingale (Colorado Springs: Authentic Media, 2009), pp. 49-50.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
We must be very careful about rejecting someone simply because they do not serve the Lord the same way we do.

Women of the Bible — The Woman of Samaria

The Woman of Samaria

Her character: Looked down upon by the Jews because she was a Samaritan and disdained because of her many romantic liaisons, she would not have been most people's first choice to advance the gospel in a region where it had not yet been heard.
Her sorrow: To have lived in a way that relegated her to the margins of her society.
Her joy: That Jesus broke through barriers of culture, race, and religion in order to reveal himself to her.
Key Scriptures: John 4:1-42

Her Story

Every day, the woman carried her water jug to Jacob's well just outside Sychar, a town midway between Jerusalem and Nazareth. Even though it was the hottest time of the day, she preferred it to the evening hours, when the other women gathered. How tired she was of their wagging tongues. Better the scorching heat than their sharp remarks.

She was surprised, however, to see that today someone had already arrived at the well—a Jew from Galilee by the looks of him. At least she had nothing to fear from his tongue, for Jews did their best to avoid Samaritans, despising them as half-breeds who worshiped not in the temple at Jerusalem but at their shrine on Mount Gerizim. For once she was glad to be ignored, grateful, too, that men did not address women in public.

But as she approached the well, the man startled her, breaking the rules she had counted on to protect her. "Will you give me a drink?" he asked.

What kind of a Jew was this? she wondered. Certainly not a Pharisee, or he would have taken the long way around Samaria to get to Galilee. With a toss of her head, she replied, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?"

But he wouldn't be put off. "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

"Sir," she replied, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?" That should take him down a notch or two.

But the man kept pressing. "Go," he told her, "call your husband and come back."

This last request took the wind out of her. Her quick tongue was barely able to reply, "I have no husband."

"You are right when you say you have no husband," Jesus said. "The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."

His words cut her. Shaking off the hurt, she tried changing the subject, diverting him by stirring up the old controversy between Jews and Samaritans. "Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks."

The woman said, "I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

Leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, "Come see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"

Meanwhile, his disciples, who had gone into the town to look for food, returned and urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."

But Jesus replied, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."

...

Dodge, counterdodge—nothing the woman said would keep Jesus at bay. He kept pressing beneath the surface, inviting her to a deeper understanding, hemming her in by revealing his knowledge of the most intimate details of her life. Overwhelmed, she finally admitted the truth. And when she did, Jesus startled her with a revelation about himself: He admitted, for the first time, that he was the Messiah. Though she hadn't known it, she had been conversing with her Savior.

Jesus had arrived at the well thirsty, hungry, and tired from the journey north to Galilee. But by the time his disciples returned from their shopping trip in Sychar, he seemed refreshed and restored by his encounter with the woman.

She, in turn, was so deeply affected by him that she exclaimed to whoever would listen: "He told me everything I ever did." At the Samaritans' urging, Jesus stayed on for two days and many came to believe, saying to the woman: "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

Her Promise

Are you thirsty? Is there a longing in you that you just can't seem to meet? Do you hunger for something to fill some void, some emptiness you can't even explain? Look everywhere, try everything—you'll find nothing in this world that will satisfy. Only Jesus can provide the living water that will fill you to overflowing, that will satisfy your longing, that will soothe your thirst so completely you'll never be thirsty again.

This devotional is drawn from Women of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Women in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Jean Syswerda. Used with permission.
Even though it was the hottest time of the day, she preferred it to the evening hours, when the other women gathered.

John Piper Devotional — Ammunition Against Anxiety

Ammunition Against Anxiety

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

— Philippians 4:6

When I am anxious about my ministry being useless and empty, I fight unbelief with the promise of Isaiah 55:11. “So shall my word be which goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

When I am anxious about being too weak to do my work, I battle unbelief with the promise of Christ, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

When I am anxious about decisions I have to make about the future, I battle unbelief with the promise, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you” (Psalm 32:8).

When I am anxious about facing opponents, I battle unbelief with the promise, “If God is for us, who is against us!” (Romans 8:31).

When I am anxious about the welfare of those I love, I battle unbelief with the promise that if I, being evil, know how to give good things to my children, how much more will the “Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11).

And I fight to maintain my spiritual equilibrium with the reminder that everyone who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for Christ’s sake “shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:29–30).

When I am anxious about being sick, I battle unbelief with the promise, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19).

And I take the promise with trembling: “Tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:3–5).
When I am anxious about my ministry being useless and empty, I fight unbelief with the promise of Isaiah 55:11.

Un dia a la Vez — ¿Quiénes son los bendecidos?

¿Quiénes son los bendecidos?

El Señor nos recuerda y nos bendice [...] bendice a los que temen al Señor.

— Salmo 115:12-13

Los bendecidos son esos cuya vida está dirigida por la ley de Dios.

El mismo Señor nos enseña lo que debemos hacer y no hacer. Así que las bendiciones son para todos, aunque no todos las hagan suyas. En realidad, les cuesta creer que Dios tiene grandes planes con nosotros.

Ver el triunfo en los demás, es conformismo. Es no comprender que todos somos hijos de Dios y que la ley es para todos, al igual que las bendiciones.

Claro, hay personas que son más comprometidas en las cosas de Dios y guardan de verdad sus mandamientos. Tienen una relación intima con Él en oración y sacan de su tiempo para congregarse y escuchar su Palabra. De ahí que podamos ver que a ellos les llegan más rápido las bendiciones.

Otros hemos sido más cabezas duras y hemos tomado malas decisiones. Por lo tanto, hemos alejado esas bendiciones.

Si queremos recibir bendiciones, debemos ser obedientes a Dios.

Recordemos también que los tiempos del Señor son perfectos y que hay oportunidades en la vida que no podemos dejar pasar.

¿A quiénes bendice Dios? ¡A todos sus hijos!

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Los bendecidos son esos cuya vida está dirigida por la ley de Dios.

Devocional CPTLN — Esperando

Esperando

Señor, dame a conocer tus caminos; ¡enséñame a seguir tus sendas! Todo el día espero en ti; ¡enséñame a caminar en tu verdad, pues tú eres mi Dios y salvador! Recuerda, Señor, que en todo tiempo me has mostrado tu amor y tu misericordia.

— Salmo 25:4-6

Estamos acostumbrados a esperar. A veces podemos disfrutar esperando si la espera es por algo bueno. En otras ocasiones, la espera es tediosa y quizás preocupante, pero eso no cambia el hecho de que tenemos que esperar: por las vacaciones o visitas, por citas, en la fila de una tienda o junto a la cama de un ser querido en el hospital. Aunque estamos acostumbrados a esperar, es posible que seamos algo menos pacientes cuando se trata de esperar al Señor. Esperamos respuestas y acción ahora mismo, olvidando que los tiempos de Dios y los nuestros no son iguales.

Los salmos hablan de nuestra necesidad de esperar. "¡Espera en el Señor! ¡Infunde a tu corazón ánimo y aliento! ¡Sí, espera en el Señor!" (Salmo 27:14). "Guarda silencio ante el Señor, y espera en él;" (Salmo 37:7a). Los salmos también nos recuerdan el tiempo del Señor en comparación con el nuestro: "Para ti, mil años son, en realidad, como el día de ayer, que ya pasó; ¡son como una de las vigilias de la noche!" (Salmo 90:4). Nuestro salmo de hoy expresa el anhelo que podemos sentir mientras esperamos que Dios actúe: "Todo el día espero en ti".

El pueblo de Dios siempre ha esperado. Dios prometió enviar a Su Ungido, el Mesías. Llamó a Abraham para que fuera el padre de la nación en la que nacería el Mesías. Pero incluso Abraham tuvo que esperar con fe, "sin haber recibido lo que se les había prometido, y sólo llegaron a ver esto a lo lejos" (Hebreos 11:13b). Muchas generaciones después, la promesa se cumplió y el Mesías nació en Belén. Durante su ministerio terrenal, Jesús el Mesías también esperó. El Evangelio de Juan informa repetidamente: "Su hora aún no había llegado" (Juan 7:30b).

Finalmente llegó la hora. Se cumplieron las promesas de Dios "desde la antigüedad". Jesús fue crucificado, ofrecido como el sacrificio perfecto por los pecados del mundo. Su cuerpo fue bajado y enterrado en una tumba prestada. Sin entender aún la promesa de Jesús de resucitar, los discípulos se escondieron atemorizados, esperando ser arrestados y asesinados como había sido su Señor. Pero la de ellos fue una espera breve: solo tres días, porque el tercer día, la primera mañana de Pascua, Jesús se levantó de entre los muertos como lo había prometido. Con Él se levantó la promesa cierta y segura de nuestra resurrección a la vida en el Día Final.

Mientras esperamos el regreso de Jesús y el día de nuestra resurrección, aprendemos sus caminos y voluntad en las verdades de su Palabra. Él nos guía por el Espíritu Santo a caminar por sus sendas. Sabemos que podemos confiar en su misericordia y su amor inquebrantables que "son desde el principio". Esperamos ansiosamente a nuestro Salvador "todo el día", y mientras esperamos, oramos: "¡Ven, Señor Jesús!"

ORACIÓN: Señor Jesús, consuélanos con tu Palabra en todas las circunstancias de espera ansiosa. Llénanos de esperanza y de la certeza de que siempre cumples tus promesas. ¡Ven pronto, Señor! Amén.

Dra. Carol Geisler

Para reflexionar:

* ¿Confías en los consejos de otros, o prefieres guiarte por tu propia experiencia?

* ¿Qué tan bueno eres esperando que suceda algo? ¿Cuándo eres más impaciente?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
Estamos acostumbrados a esperar. A veces podemos disfrutar esperando si la espera es por algo bueno.

Notre Pain Quotidien — Composer avec les ennuis

Composer avec les ennuis

Lisez : Jean 16.25-33
La Bible en un an : Ecclésiaste 10 – 12 ; Galates 1

Vous aurez des tribulations dans le monde ; mais prenez courage, j’ai vaincu le monde.

— Jean 16.33

En arrivant à la maison, j’ai remarqué que l’indicateur de température de la voiture était au maximum. J’ai coupé le contact et je suis vite sorti. De la fumée s’échappait du capot, le moteur grésillait et il y avait une flaque d’huile dessous. J’ai tout de suite su que le joint de culasse avait sauté.

Or, nous venions de payer des réparations onéreuses. Pourquoi les choses ne peuvent-elles pas simplement fonctionner ?, ai-je regimbé avec amertume. Pourquoi doivent-elles toujours se casser ?

Vous reconnaissez-vous là ? Il arrive parfois que l’on esquive une crise, que l’on résolve un problème, que l’on règle une grosse facture, et qu’au bout du compte on doive en faire plus. Il s’agit parfois d’ennuis bien pires qu’une panne de moteur : un diagnostic inattendu, un décès soudain, une terrible perte.

On aimerait alors que le monde aille mieux. Or, Jésus nous a promis que cela se produirait, mais pas encore : « Vous aurez des tribulations dans le monde », avant d’ajouter : « [Mais] prenez courage, j’ai vaincu le monde » (JN 16.33). Dans le même chapitre, Jésus a parlé de graves ennuis, comme la persécution en raison de la foi en lui. Par contre, il a expliqué que ces ennuis n’auront jamais le dernier mot pour ceux qui espèrent en lui.

Petits ou grands, les ennuis risquent d’accabler nos journées. La promesse de Jésus d’un avenir meilleur avec lui nous encourage toutefois à éviter de les laisser définir notre vie.

Confions toutes nos inquiétudes à Dieu, et il prendra soin de nous.

par Adam R. Holz

© 2020 Ministères NPQ
En arrivant à la maison, j’ai remarqué que l’indicateur de température de la voiture était au maximum. J’ai coupé le contact et je suis vite sorti. De la fumée s’échappait du capot, le moteur grésillait et il y avait une flaque d’huile dessous.