Harmony, unity,
Oneness, togetherness
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God’s will for all
Disciples, believers
Followers, churches
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bible
Reflection on Genesis 45:1-15
Scripture
“So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me adviser of Pharaoh- the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.”
Observation
Joseph has become the top leader in Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. His brothers have come seeking aid in the famine and have not recognised their long lost brother.
Joseph reveals his identity to his brothers. Rather than being angry with them for their ill-treatment of him, he recognises that God is the one who sent him to Egypt for all of their sakes.
Joseph tells them to go and tell Jacob their father to come with the extended family and live in the region of Goshen until the famine ends.
Application
Joseph is an example of a mature man of faith.
Firstly, he sees his whole life, even the bad parts, as being directed by the Lord for the long term good of himself and his family.
Secondly, he has learned to forgive this brothers for callously selling him into slavery.
Both of these are big challenges in all of our lives- faith and forgiveness.
Prayer
Lord, please help me to see your hand in every part of my life and to always forgive those who hurt me. Amen.
Reflection on Matthew 13:24-30
Scripture
“Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.”
Observation
Jesus tells another parable about the kingdom of heaven.
A farmer plants good seed in the soil. An enemy comes at night and plants weeds amongst the wheat. The weeds grow up amongst the wheat.
The farmer’s workers ask what they should do. The farmer instructs them to leave the weeds until harvest time. Then the weeds will be separated, bundled and burned, but the wheat will be kept safe.
Application
People condemn the church as being “full of hypocrites” as if this is a bad thing.
Some of the so-called hypocrites are immature christians who are yet to be completely sanctified.
Others, though, are people who, for whatever reason, are in the church but are not a part of the people of God. They are not truly saved or wanting to be led by the Holy Spirit. These are the weeds in the parable, people planted by the enemy not sown by the Saviour.
The parable tells us that we must not judge, for that is God’s job. Judgement will take place at the end of the age when it is clear what the fruits of a person’s life are.
Prayer
Father I know that judgement is real and that one day the weeds will be separated from the wheat. May I always be faithful to you so that on the Day I will be found amongst the wheat. Amen.
Reflection on Romans 8:12-25
Scripture
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption.
Observation
To live according to the flesh (the unredeemed human nature) is to die, but to walk by the grace of the Holy Spirit is to live for ever.
If you are led by the Holy Spirit you are a child of God. If you are a child of God, you are a joint heir with Christ to all the glory that He owns.
At the moment we may go through various trials and sufferings, but they are nothing compared to the glory that awaits us. The whole of creation is groaning in anticipation of the revelation of this glory.
Application
This passage is about the future glory that lies ahead of us. We can be overwhelmed, discouraged, and burdened by the trials of this world, but they are nothing compared to what is waiting for us.
The Holy Spirit prompts us to call out to God as Father. This reminds us that we belong to Christ and therefore we will inherit everything with Him. All that the Father has is waiting to be shared with us.
One day this world will pass away and we will see a new creation together with its Creator whom we will see face to face.
If we stand firm in Christ to the end we will receive His commendation “Well done!”
Prayer
Lord may I walk in your will today regardless of what the world throws at me. Amen.
Reflection on Genesis 28:10-22
Scripture
“Know tat I am with you and I will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for O will not leave you until I have done all that I have promised you.”
Observation
Jacob leaves Beersheba and heads towards Haran looking for a suitable wife. He sleeps at a particular place along the way and dreams of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels coming and going upon it.
The Lord appears to Jacob and confirms the promise made to Jacob’s father Abraham. He promises that Jacob’s offspring will be like the dust of the earth and that the Lord will go with him.
Jacob wakes up and sets up a memorial stone. He calls the place Bethel, meaning House of God.
Application
Jacob was seeking a wife, but found God first. It would take another, more violent, encounter with the Lord before Jacob would be surrendered to the Lord’s purposes.
The Lord is always with us- we cannot flee from Him. He is often reaching out to us. But, because we a re preoccupied with our own concerns, we miss Him.
We need to be ready to hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit at any time, not just when we are seeking Him.
Prayer
Father, I thank you that you are constantly revealing yourself to the hearts of men and women. Help me to listen to your voice in the midst of daily living. Amen.
Reflection on Psalm 65
Awesome God
Creator of all things
When our sins crowd in
You forgive us
and wipe them away.
You save us from enemies
And water the earth to bring
Harvest and beauty.
The land displays your glory
As every rut and track
River and creek
Flow with blessings
As the paddocks are covered with sheep
And the plains bursting with wheat
The whole earth is covered
With the glory of the Lord.
Reflection on Matthew 11:16-30
Scripture
“Come to me all of you are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Observation
Jesus criticises the religious people who condemned John for being too serious and Jesus for being a glutton and a drunkard who hangs out with the wrong people.
He goes on to denounce the towns where He has demonstrated His power in miracles and healings, but they refuse to repent. The people of Tyre, Sodom and Sidon will be better off on judgement day than these people.
The only way to salvation is by the Father and through the Son to whom the Father has entrusted all things. Jesus invites all who are worn down by the burdens of religion to come to Him and enjoy His rest.
Application
Those who are motivated by the religious spirit never find rest. They will always be critical of those who fail to perform to their expectations- even the Son of God.
They pile up burdens of duties and behaviours and sacrifices on themselves and on others. These burdens don’t bring any freedom or reconciliation with God. They just make them miserable.
Jesus lays no expectation on people but that they follow Him. He brings us into relationship with the Father, not by performance but by grace. We don’t have to earn God’s favour or forgiveness, just receive what He already gives.
His yoke truly is easy to bear.
Prayer
Lord Jesus I take your yoke. I connect myself to you, trusting you to lead me, direct me and mould me. Amen.
Reflection on Romans 7:15-25
Scripture
I have discovered this principle of life- that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
Observation
Paul here is describing the struggle of a life without Christ. We know that God’s Law is right and we want to obey it, but even when we want to do what is good, we end up doing what is wrong.
It is as if sin is an independent force in our lives that fights against our minds, making us a slave to sin.
Is there an answer to this? Yes! Jesus Christ sets us free from a life dominated by sin and death.
Application
Although Paul is describing the dilemma of non-christians trying to live good lives, it also applies to christians. To the extent that I try to live the christian life on my own strength, I allow sin to continue to have its reign over me. There is no goodness in me that will defeat sin.
The answer is to give up the battle. Stop fighting sin- you will never win. Instead surrender entirely to Christ. Let Him kill you before sin does.
When christians continue to battle sin in one area, it’s a sign that they have not yielded that area to Christ. The answer is to let Christ have control of every part of my life.
Prayer
Thank you Jesus that you have the victory over every sin. You alone can set me free from slavery to sin. Show me how to surrender entirely to you. Amen.
Reflection on Genesis 24:34-67
Scripture
And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah’s tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.
Observation
Abraham, now very old in years, sends his servant to the region he had come from to find a suitable wife for Isaac. The servant finds Rebekah, sister of Laban. He proceeds to tell Laban and his father Bethuel of his mission and his desire to take Rebekah home.
Laban and Bethuel agree to the request. The servant then brings gifts of clothes and jewellery for Rebekah and her family.
The servant then takes Rebekah to Isaac and they are married.
Application
To our ears the idea of sending a servant to a distant land to find a wife for your son seems somewhat unromantic. In those days, finding the right wife for your sons was an important task which affected the whole family, and who better than a trusted senior servant? Whatever our opinions, it worked for we are told that Isaac loved Rebekah deeply.
The servant clearly trusted the Lord for the fulfilment of his mission. It must have seemed like finding a needle in a haystack, but the servant prayed for success.
Whatever we are called to do, prayer and trust in the Lord can make the impossible mission achievable with far less effort than we might have thought.
Prayer
Father forgive me for the times when I rely on my own resources instead of trusting in you. Help me to remember to hand over every impossible mission to you and grant me success in those things you call me to. Amen.
Reflection on Matthew 10:37-42
Scripture
“Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.”
Observation
Jesus demands a dedication stronger than love for our parents or children. We must take up a cross and follow Him. To find your life is to lose it, and to lose your life in him is to find it.
To welcome a disciple is to welcome Jesus. Even a cup of water to His disciples brings a reward.
Application
When our relationships get in the way of eternal life with Christ, we have to be prepared to let them go for His sake. Love for Jesus must be even greater than our love for family.
We even have to give up our life for Christ. To take up a cross is to walk towards certain death.
Everything- my possessions, my dreams, my family, my life- has to come under the lordship of Christ. He, and He alone, must determine all that I do. Anything that gets in the way of my total surrender to Christ must go.
Does that mean I stop loving my family? Of course not! It does mean that there is a higher love, a higher calling, that must take precedence.
Prayer
Lord your love for me means everything. Help me to put you first today. Amen.
