The Daily Bible Readings for FRIDAY, November 13, 2020

 

The Daily Readings
FRIDAY, November 13, 2020
Psalm 123; Judges 2:16-23; Revelation 16:8-21
The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Today’s Verse-of-the-Day:

1 Peter 2:15-16

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

Peter urges his readers to be obedient to civil government. While Christians serve a higher authority, God Himself, it is God who calls us to submit to earthly leaders for the Lord's sake (1 Peter 2:13). This is not a call to “separate” Church from state, but rather a call to cooperate with and enhance the state—realizing that at times Church and state have been at great odds. When ultimate loyalty and obedience to Christ and His gospel are at stake, Peter's actions show that we are to obey God rather than man, even to the point of prison or death (Acts 4:19, 20).

Today’s Readings:

Psalm 123
Our eyes look to God

1 Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

3 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.

4 Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

Commentary
Our Lord Jesus has taught us to look unto God in prayer as our Father in heaven. In every prayer a good man lifts up his soul to God; especially when in trouble. We desire mercy from him; we hope he will show us mercy, and we will continue waiting on him till it come. The eyes of a servant are to his master's directing hand, expecting that he will appoint him his work. And also to his supplying hand. Servants look to their master or their mistress for their portion of meat in due season. And to God we must look for daily bread, for grace sufficient; from him we must receive it thankfully. Where can we look for help but to our Master? And, further, to his protecting hand. If the servant is wronged and injured in his work, who should right him, but his master? And to his correcting hand. Whither should sinners turn but to him that smote them? They humble themselves under God's mighty hand. And lastly, to his rewarding hand. Hypocrites look to the world's hand, thence they have their reward; but true Christians look to God as their Master and their Rewarder. God's people find little mercy with men; but this is their comfort, that with the Lord there is mercy. Scorning and contempt have been, are, and are likely to be, the lot of God's people in this world. It is hard to bear; but the servants of God should not complain if they are treated as his beloved Son was. Let us then, when ready to faint under trials, look unto Jesus, and by faith and prayer cast ourselves upon the mercy of God.

Judges 2:16-23
God raises up judges

2:16 Nevertheless the Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.

17 And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the Lord; but they did not so.

18 And when the Lord raised them up judges, then the Lord was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.

19 And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.

20 And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;

21 I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:

22 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

23 Therefore the Lord left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.

Commentary
The Lord was with the judges when he raised them up, and so they became saviours. In the days of the greatest distress of the church, there shall be some whom God will find or make fit to help it. The Israelites were not thoroughly reformed; so mad were they upon their idols, and so obstinately bent to backslide. Thus those who have forsaken the good ways of God, which they have once known and professed, commonly grow most daring and desperate in sin, and have their hearts hardened. Their punishment was, that the Canaanites were spared, and so they were beaten with their own rod. Men cherish and indulge their corrupt appetites and passions; therefore God justly leaves them to themselves, under the power of their sins, which will be their ruin. God has told us how deceitful and desperately wicked our hearts are, but we are not willing to believe it, until by making bold with temptation we find it true by sad experience. We need to examine how matters stand with ourselves, and to pray without ceasing, that we may be rooted and grounded in love, and that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith. Let us declare war against every sin, and follow after holiness all our days.

Revelation 16:8-21
The judged curse God

16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,

11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.

17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Commentary
Verses 8-11 — The heart of man is so desperately wicked, that the most severe miseries never will bring any to repent, without the special grace of God. Hell itself is filled with blasphemies; and those are ignorant of the history of human nature, of the Bible, and of their own hearts, who do not know that the more men suffer, and the more plainly they see the hand of God in their sufferings, the more furiously they often rage against him. Let sinners now seek repentance from Christ, and the grace of the Holy Spirit, or they will have the anguish and horror of an unhumbled, impenitent, and desperate heart; thus adding to their guilt and misery through all eternity. Darkness is opposed to wisdom and knowledge, and forebodes the confusion and folly of the idolaters and followers of the beast. It is opposed to pleasure and joy, and signifies anguish and vexation of spirit.

Verses 12-16 — This probably shows the destruction of the Turkish power, and of idolatry, and that a way will be made for the return of the Jews. Or, take it for Rome, as mystical Babylon, the name of Babylon being put for Rome, which was meant, but was not then to be directly named. When Rome is destroyed, her river and merchandise must suffer with her. And perhaps a way will be opened for the eastern nations to come into the church of Christ. The great dragon will collect all his forces, to make one desperate struggle before all be lost. God warns of this great trial, to engage his people to prepare for it. These will be times of great temptation; therefore Christ, by his apostle, calls on his professed servants to expect his sudden coming, and to watch that they might not be put to shame, as apostates or hypocrites. However Christians differ, as to their views of the times and seasons of events yet to be brought to pass, on this one point all are agreed, Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, will suddenly come again to judge the world. To those living near to Christ, it is an object of joyful hope and expectation, and delay is not desired by them.

Verses 17-21 — The seventh and last angel poured forth his vial, and the downfall of Babylon was finished. The church triumphant in heaven saw it and rejoiced; the church in conflict on earth saw it and became triumphant. God remembered the great and wicked city; though for some time he seemed to have forgotten her idolatry and cruelty. All that was most secure was carried away by the ruin. Men blasphemed: the greatest judgments that can befall men, will not bring to repentance without the grace of God. To be hardened against God, by his righteous judgments, is a certain token of sure and utter destruction.

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

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 FRIDAY, November 13, 2020
Psalm 123; Judges 2:16-23; Revelation 16:8-21 (KJV)

Prayer of the Day for FRIDAY, November 13, 2020

 

Prayer of the Day
FRIDAY, November 13, 2020

In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.

— Daniel 2:44 (NIV)

Lord our God, we thank you that you work in us and in our lives and that you show us your compassion, no matter what cross we have to bear. We want to rejoice in you and wait patiently until your purpose is fulfilled and your kingdom arises on earth. Protect each one of us. May our hearts find strength and neverfailing joy in Jesus Christ the Savior, always hoping  and believing, always looking to you. For you are the almighty God, who will come in Jesus Christ to establish his kingdom among the peoples and at last reveal his truth in its fullness. Then the knowledge of your will shall spread to all peoples, so that good and evil may come before you and be judged according to your mercy and faithful love. Amen.

Verse of the Day for FRIDAY, November 13, 2020

 

1 Peter 2:15-16

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

Peter urges his readers to be obedient to civil government. While Christians serve a higher authority, God Himself, it is God who calls us to submit to earthly leaders for the Lord's sake (1 Peter 2:13). This is not a call to “separate” Church from state, but rather a call to cooperate with and enhance the state—realizing that at times Church and state have been at great odds. When ultimate loyalty and obedience to Christ and His gospel are at stake, Peter's actions show that we are to obey God rather than man, even to the point of prison or death (Acts 4:19, 20).

Read all of 1 Peter 2

Listen to 1 Peter 2

The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)

Ichthus Ministries Daily Devotions — Where Did It Fall?

 

Where Did It Fall?

Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there." And he answered, "Go." Then one of them said, "Be pleased to go with your servants." And he answered, "I will go." So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed!" Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. And he said, "Take it up." So he reached out his hand and took it.

— 2 Kings 6:1-7

Rainy fall afternoons provide a delicious excuse for exploring the attic or some seldom-touched room in the basement. Tucked away in a far corner lie half-forgotten treasures guaranteed to evoke gales of laughter or daydreams of bittersweet remembrance.

Certain parts of Scripture often lie tucked away in a far corner of our memory. Scholars expound upon them less frequently. Pastors preach on them less often. Yet when dusted off and held to the light, they evoke an "Ah-ha!" kind of experience for us. We smile as we discover once again a forgotten facet of our Father's care.

One of my very favorite examples in this tradition is the account of Elisha and the building project found in 2 Kings 6:1-7. It seems the dormitory that had been housing the students studying under the prophet Elisha became too small. One of the scholars, realizing the rigors of a fund-raising campaign, suggested a do-it-yourself project.

Elisha concurred and the students began felling trees for lumber. As they worked, one poor soul apparently more suited to wielding a pencil than an axe, accidently dropped the tool in the nearby River Jordan. Horror gripped his heart at once. The axe was borrowed, and he was living on a student's income.

Elisha calmed him by asking simply, "Where did it fall?" Shown the place, the prophet threw a stick into the river. The student watched, certainly with very wide eyes, as the axe head popped to the surface and bobbed like a cork on the water to be snatched out of the river.

The lesson that day needed little explanation. God cares about the smallest things in our lives. He concerns Himself with the nitty-gritty details—the flat tire, the crabby boss, the burned meatloaf.

And it's not just the little things He's concerned about. In Jesus, the Father has taken care of all the details in our lives—the hurts we can't get past, the regrets that sting so sharply, and the sins we can't remove. Jesus has taken everything to the cross, conquered it there, and given us His victory (see 1 Corinthians 15:57). Knowing this, we know He is there for us—in everything.

So remember, when you need help with the details, He bends low to whisper softly, "Where did it fall? What is it you need? How can I help?"

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your watchful care. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Jane Fryar

Reflection Questions:

1. When has God acted in such a way to help or save you in a difficult circumstance?

2. Have you asked God for help before in a situation that seemed like it was impossible to fix?

3. Have you had a chance to let others know that Jesus is there for them when life gets rough?

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin! Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
Rainy fall afternoons provide a delicious excuse for exploring the attic or some seldom-touched room in the basement.

Standing Strong Through the Storm — IT IS HARDER TO LIVE FOR JESUS

 

IT IS HARDER TO LIVE FOR JESUS

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me…”

— Matthew 16:24

Jesus’ first call to those interested in Him was, “Come and see!” (John 1:39). As His disciples spent more time with Him, Jesus’ call became more demanding and required more commitment.

Here He calls those who would be His disciples to make the ultimate sacrifice and “Come and die!”

Jesus was the last person Sundar Singh was looking for as a late teenager in India at the turn of the 20th Century. After all, Jesus was the “foreign god” of the Christian teachers at his school. A zealous Sikh, Sundar had publicly torn up a portion of the Bible to protest its claims. One night as he prayed, he became conscious of a light shining in the room. He looked outside to make sure it was not someone shining a light. Gradually the light took the form of a globe of fire, and in it, he saw the face of Jesus. Sundar threw himself on the ground and surrendered His life to Jesus.

The following months proved to be very difficult for Sundar and his family. Becoming a follower of Christ was not taken lightly by his family nor his community. He was excommunicated. He cut his hair, a gesture that did not make things any easier with his family, who were convinced he had renounced his Sikh heritage.

A month after he was baptized in the year 1905, he took the vow of a sadhu. He gave away his meager possessions, put on a saffron robe, and became a barefooted wandering man of God. Among Christians the world over, this barefoot Sadhu was later called the “apostle of the bleeding feet” because the soles of his feet were often covered in bloody blisters. The life of a sadhu is hard and entirely dependent on God. Sadhu Sundar Singh’s needs were met entirely through the kindness of people he met wherever he went.

Sundar Singh is credited as the first missionary to cross the Himalayan Mountains to take the gospel to Nepal and Tibet. At thirty-six-years-of-age, he made his last trip over the mountains. He never returned and is assumed to have been a martyr for Jesus.

In his diary left behind, he had written, “It is easy to die for Christ. It is hard to live for Him. Dying takes only a few minutes—or at worst an hour or two—but to live for Christ means to die daily to myself.”

RESPONSE: Today, I will do the “hard” thing: die to myself and live for Jesus and others who need His love.

PRAYER: Help me, Lord, to live worthy of the calling as Your disciple. Show me the cross You want me to carry today.

Standing Strong Through The Storm (SSTS), a daily devotional message by SSTS author Paul Estabrooks. © 2011 Open Doors International. Used by permission.
Jesus’ first call to those interested in Him was, “Come and see!”

Men of the Bible — The Man by the Pool

 

The Man by the Pool

His work: Since the man by the pool was an invalid, he may have made his living by begging.
His character: His role in the story seems almost entirely passive, perhaps in keeping with his character. He showed evidence neither of faith nor gratitude after the miracle of his healing and even went so far as to give evidence against Jesus to men who were hostile toward Jesus. Sin appears to have played a role in his condition.
His sorrow: To have been paralyzed for nearly forty years.
His triumph: To have been instantly healed.
Key Scriptures: John 5

A Look at the Man

“Do you want to be healed?”

It was an outrageous question to ask a man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years; a man forced to beg for a living.

But there was a reason for the question. Perhaps, in fact, the paralyzed man wasn’t happy about the prospect of being healed. Maybe his disability offered a certain kind of security, enabling him at least to make a living as a beggar. His sudden cure would have undermined his many dependencies, his familiar routine, his ingrained view of himself. He would have had to start life all over again.

Or maybe he was offended by Jesus’ warning against sin. Perhaps he thought it would do Jesus good to receive his comeuppance at the hands of the religious leaders.

The story of the man by the pool reminds us that displays of God’s power are not enough to create faith in a person’s heart. Though the man had suffered for many years, he showed no evidence of gratitude and no evidence of belief. We expect him to fall on his knees when he is miraculously healed. But he doesn’t. We expect him to show some kind of curiosity about the person who healed him. But he doesn’t even ask Jesus his name until their second encounter. We expect him to protect Jesus against his detractors, to be scandalized by their blindness and self-righteousness. Instead, he reports Jesus to men he knew to be hostile toward Jesus.

In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus denounces the cities that had witnessed most of his miracles because the vast majority of people there had failed to repent (Matthew 11:20). His words remind us that, even though miracles are evidence of God’s power and compassion, without faith, we are still free to reject them, still free to conclude that his offer of mercy is irrelevant or unnecessary.

Though none of us know what went on in the heart of the man who was healed, we are troubled by the way he responded and the way he failed to respond to the miracle he experienced. We may even wonder if, by his own choice, he finally succeeded in placing himself beyond the reach of God’s mercy. Only God knows.

Reflect On: Psalm 86:1–8
Praise God: For his grace, mercy, and the faith to believe.
Offer Thanks: For the blessings of healing and wholeness.
Confess: Any tendency you may have to blame others rather than to admit your own sinfulness and receive Christ’s pardon.
Ask God: To give you courage to stand, face those crippling hurts, and live with freedom and hope.

Today’s reading is a brief excerpt from Men of the Bible: A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture by Ann Spangler and Robert Wolgemuth (Zondervan). © 2010 by Ann Spangler. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Enjoy the complete book by purchasing your own copy at the Bible Gateway Store. The book’s title must be included when sharing the above content on social media.
It was an outrageous question to ask a man who had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years; a man forced to beg for a living.

John Piper Devotional — Do Not Harden Your Heart

 

Do Not Harden Your Heart

So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.

— Hebrews 3:19

Even though the people of Israel saw the waters of the Red Sea divide and they walked over on dry ground, the moment they got thirsty, their hearts were hardened against God, and they did not trust him to take care of them. They cried out against him and said that life in Egypt was better.

That is what this verse is written to prevent. O how many professing Christians make a start with God. They hear that their sins can be forgiven and that they can escape hell and go to heaven. And they say: “What have I got to lose? I’ll believe.”

But then in a week or a month or a year or ten years, the test comes—a season of no water in the wilderness. A weariness with manna, and subtly a growing craving for the fleeting pleasures of Egypt, as Numbers 11:5–6 says, “We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.”

This is a terrifying condition to be in—to find yourself no longer interested in Christ and his Word and prayer and worship and missions and living for the glory of God. And to find all fleeting pleasures of this world more attractive than the things of the Spirit.

If that is your situation, I plead with you to listen to the Holy Spirit speaking in this text. Give heed to the Word of God. Do not harden your heart. Wake up to the deceitfulness of sin. Consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our great confession, and hold fast to your confidence and hope in him.

And if you have never even made a start with God, then put your hope in him. Turn from sin and from self-reliance and put your confidence in a great Savior. These things are written that you might believe and endure and have life.
Even though the people of Israel saw the waters of the Red Sea divide and they walked over on dry ground, the moment they got thirsty, their hearts were hardened against God, and they did not trust him to take care of them.

Un dia a la Vez — Apunta hacia la excelencia

 

Apunta hacia la excelencia

Consideren bien todo lo verdadero, todo lo respetable, todo lo justo, todo lo puro, todo lo amable [...] todo lo que sea excelente o merezca elogio.

— Filipenses 4:8

Estamos casi a las puertas del último día del año. Así que es muy importante que todo lo que Dios nos mostró en estas pequeñas meditaciones diarias las empecemos a poner en práctica. De esa manera no solo llegaremos a tener éxito en la iglesia, sino en todo lo que emprendamos en la vida.

Procuremos siempre modelar a Jesús para que nos vaya bien en las cosas que emprendamos. Que siempre esté delante de nosotros la sinceridad, la honestidad, la transparencia, la humildad, la integridad y la verdad. Aunque a los demás les moleste esto de ti, recuerda que servimos a un Dios bueno e íntegro y Él espera lo mejor de nosotros.

No importa cuál sea tu trabajo, hazlo de buena gana. Sé que a veces nos ha tocado hacer cosas que nunca nos imaginamos, sobre todo en este país, y eso nos puede frustrar. Sin embargo, nosotros debemos ver las cosas diferentes. Así que piensa que esto que haces hoy es pasajero y que Dios tiene un mejor futuro para ti.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón
Estamos casi a las puertas del último día del año. Así que es muy importante que todo lo que Dios nos mostró en estas pequeñas meditaciones diarias las empecemos a poner en práctica.

Devocional CPTLN — ¿Dónde cayó?

 

¿Dónde cayó?

Un día, algunos de los profetas le dijeron a Eliseo: «Mira, el lugar en que vivimos contigo ya nos resulta muy estrecho. Vayamos al río Jordán y tomemos cada uno de nosotros una viga de allí, y levantemos allí mismo un lugar donde podamos vivir.» Eliseo les dijo que fueran, pero uno de ellos le pidió que los acompañara. Y Eliseo aceptó. Y así, se fue al Jordán con ellos, y cuando llegaron allá cortaron la madera. Pero sucedió que, mientras uno de ellos derribaba un árbol, el hacha se le cayó al agua; entonces comenzó a gritar: «¡Ay, señor, el hacha era prestada!» El varón de Dios le preguntó: «¿Y dónde cayó?» Cuando aquél le mostró el lugar, Eliseo cortó un palo y lo echó al agua, con lo que hizo que el hacha flotara; entonces le ordenó que recogiera el hacha, y aquél extendió la mano y la sacó del agua.

— 2 Reyes 6:1-7

Las tardes lluviosas de otoño proporcionan una deliciosa excusa para explorar una habitación que rara vez se toca. Escondidos en un rincón lejano se encuentran tesoros medio olvidados que garantizan evocar carcajadas o ensueños de recuerdos agridulces. Ciertas partes de las Escrituras a menudo se encuentran escondidas en un rincón lejano de la memoria. Los eruditos las exponen con menos frecuencia y los pastores predican sobre ellas con menos frecuencia. Sin embargo, cuando se les quita el polvo y se traen a la luz, sonreímos al descubrir una vez más una faceta olvidada del cuidado de nuestro Padre.

Uno de mis ejemplos favoritos de esto es el relato de Eliseo y el proyecto de construcción que se encuentra en 2 Reyes 6:1-7. Parece que el lugar que había estado albergando a quienes estudiaban con el profeta Eliseo se había vuelto demasiado pequeño, por lo que uno de ellos sugirió hacer algo más grande. Eliseo estuvo de acuerdo, por lo que comenzaron a talar árboles para obtener madera. Mientras trabajaban, una pobre alma aparentemente más apta para blandir un lápiz que un hacha, accidentalmente dejó caer la herramienta en el cercano río Jordán. El horror se apoderó de inmediato de su corazón, pues el hacha era prestada. Eliseo lo calmó preguntándole simplemente: "¿Y dónde cayó?" Mostrado el lugar, el profeta arrojó un palo al río. Pronto, la cabeza del hacha salió a la superficie balanceándose como un corcho en el agua.

La lección de ese día necesitaba poca explicación: Dios se preocupa hasta por las cosas más pequeñas de nuestra vida: la llanta pinchada, el jefe malhumorado, el pastel de carne quemado.

Y no son solo las pequeñas cosas que le preocupan. En Jesús, el Padre se ha ocupado de todos los detalles de nuestra vida: las heridas que nos cuesta superar, los lamentos que no podemos callar y los pecados que no podemos eliminar. Jesús llevó todo a la cruz, allí lo conquistó y nos dio su victoria (ver 1 Corintios 15:57). Sabiendo esto, no nos queda duda que él está siempre con y por nosotros.

Así que recuerda: cuando necesites ayuda con los detalles, él se inclina para susurrarte suavemente "¿Dónde cayó? ¿Qué es lo que necesitas? ¿Cómo te puedo ayudar?"

ORACIÓN: Padre Celestial, gracias por tu cuidado atento. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

The Lutheran Layman, 1980, Jane Fryar

Para reflexionar:

1. ¿Le has pedido ayuda a Dios ante una situación que te parecía imposible de solucionar?

2. ¿Has tenido la oportunidad de hacerles saber a otros que Jesús está con ellos cuando la vida se pone difícil?

© Copyright 2020 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. Que a través de estos devocionales, la Palabra de Dios te refresque en tu diario caminar.
Las tardes lluviosas de otoño proporcionan una deliciosa excusa para explorar una habitación que rara vez se toca.

Lời Sống Hằng Ngày — Khi Chúa Phán

 

Khi Chúa Phán

Đọc: Ê-sai 55:10-13 | Đọc Kinh Thánh suốt năm: Ca Thương 1-2; Hê-bơ-rơ 10:1-18

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Thì lời của Ta cũng vậy, đã ra khỏi miệng Ta sẽ không trở về luống công.

— Ê-sai 55:11

Lily, một dịch giả Kinh Thánh, đang trên đường bay về quê nhà thì bị giữ lại tại sân bay. Điện thoại của cô bị khám xét, và khi các nhà chức trách tìm thấy bản thu âm Tân Ước, họ đã tịch thu chiếc điện thoại và hỏi cung cô trong hai tiếng. Họ yêu cầu cô mở ứng dụng Kinh Thánh, và vô tình ứng dụng đang dừng ở Ma-thi-ơ 7:1-2: “Đừng xét đoán ai để các con khỏi bị xét đoán. Vì các con xét đoán người ta thể nào thì các con cũng sẽ bị xét đoán thể ấy, các con lường cho người ta mực nào thì các con cũng sẽ bị lường lại mực ấy.” Khi nghe những lời này bằng chính ngôn ngữ của mình, một viên chức tái mặt. Sau đó, cô được thả và họ không hề có thêm động thái nào nữa.

Chúng ta không biết điều gì đã xảy ra trong tấm lòng của viên chức tại sân bay, nhưng biết rằng “lời của [Chúa] cũng vậy, đã ra khỏi miệng [Ngài]” thì sẽ làm trọn điều Ngài muốn (Ês. 55:11). Ê-sai đã nói tiên tri những lời hy vọng này cho dân sự của Chúa đang bị lưu đày, bảo đảm với họ rằng như mưa và tuyết tưới nhuần đất đai, thì “lời đã ra khỏi miệng [Chúa]” sẽ đạt được mục đích của Ngài (c.10-11).

Chúng ta hãy đọc phân đoạn này để củng cố lòng tin quyết nơi Chúa. Khi đối diện với hoàn cảnh khó khăn, như cô Lily trước những nhà chức trách, ước ao chúng ta tin cậy rằng Chúa đang hành động – cho dù chúng ta không thấy kết quả sau cùng.

Lần gần nhất bạn thấy Chúa hành động là khi nào? Bạn đã nhận lãnh tình yêu của Chúa qua những lời mà Ngài đã công bố ra sao?

Lạy Cha thiên thượng, cảm ơn Ngài vì những gì Ngài đã bày tỏ, là điều đã mang đến cho con hy vọng, bình an và tình yêu. Xin giúp con lớn lên trong tình yêu con dành cho Ngài.

bởi Amy Boucher Pye

Chú Giải

Phân đoạn Kinh Thánh Ê-sai 55 là lời nhắc nhở mạnh mẽ về một trong những yếu tố quan trọng nhất của mối quan hệ giữa chúng ta với Đức Chúa Trời – yếu tố huyền nhiệm. Đôi khi chúng ta mắc sai lầm khi cố gắng phân loại hoặc chia nhỏ Đức Chúa Trời của vũ trụ thành những phần nhỏ và dễ hiểu. Tuy nhiên, bất kỳ vị thần nào mà chúng ta có thể phân chia như vậy thì không phải là Đức Chúa Trời của Kinh Thánh – cũng không phải Đức Chúa Trời mà chúng ta thật sự cần. Vấn đề này dường như nằm sau lời của J.B. Phillips viết trong quyển sách nhỏ đầy mạnh mẽ mang tên “Đức Chúa Trời Của Bạn Quá Nhỏ”. Đức Chúa Trời của chúng ta vĩ đại, to lớn và không thể hiểu được để có thể tối giản hóa hoặc nén gọn lại. Đường lối và suy nghĩ của Ngài vượt quá chúng ta (c.8-13), có nghĩa là trong sự hữu hạn của mình, chúng ta phải học cách chấp nhận tính huyền nhiệm về sự vĩ đại của Ngài.

Bill Crowder

© 2020 Lời Sống Hằng Ngày
Lily, một dịch giả Kinh Thánh, đang trên đường bay về quê nhà thì bị giữ lại tại sân bay. Điện thoại của cô bị khám xét, và khi các nhà chức trách tìm thấy bản thu âm Tân Ước, họ đã tịch thu chiếc điện thoại và hỏi cung cô trong hai tiếng.