reflection

Reflection on Exodus 3:1-15

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Scripture

Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.”

Observation

Moses is tending his father-in-law’s sheep. He comes to Mount Horeb where he sees a bush enveloped in flame yet not burning up.

As Moses approaches, God speaks to him. He identifies Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Lord says that He has heard the cry of His people and He is going to rescue them and take them to their own land.

The Lord tells Moses he is to go to Pharaoh to set His people free. Moses says, “Who am I to go to Pharaoh?” The Lord promises that He will be with him.

Moses’ next question is “Who are you?” The Lord says, “I am who I am.”

Application

The Lord appears to Moses with a big mission- go to the leader of the world’s biggest power and demand that he set the Hebrew people free. This is huge, even for Moses who was raised in Pharaoh’s palace.

Moses asks for a sign and God tells him, “I will be with you. And you will know this because you will bring my people back here to worship me.”

In other words, God is telling Moses to trust Him, and after he has completed the task then he will see the sign.

I wonder how many people have missed out on God’s call because they wanted a sign up front. Sometimes God gives us a sign before we start, but His way often is to ask us to trust Him.

Prayer

Lord help me to trust you. Help me to see that you are with me even when it all seems too hard. Amen.

Reflection on Luke 13:31-35

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Scripture

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing.”

Observation

Some Pharisees come to Jesus with a warning that Herod wants to kill Him. Jesus tells them to tell “that fox” that He is curing people and working miracles until the third day when His work is done. He must go to Jerusalem because it is there that prophets are killed.

Jesus laments over Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets sent to it. He longs to gather her children together, but they will not see Him until the time is right.

Application

Jesus was very aware that His mission was to die in order to be the sacrifice for our redemption.

He resolutely walked onwards to Jerusalem, not flinching from His purpose.

As christians, we need to be certain of God’s purpose for our lives. He tells us that we must die to ourselves, allowing Him to live in us and through us.

Prayer

Lord I confess my selfish ambition to you. It is not easy to die to my own desires. Please help me to live for you and you alone. Amen.

Reflection on Philippians 3:17-4:1

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Scripture

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Observation

Many live in opposition to the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction because they worship the flesh, and their minds are set on earthly things.

Our citizenship is in heaven, and our bodies will be transformed form a place of humiliation to a place of glory. Therefore we must stand firm.

Application

A christian’s allegiance is not to this world but to heaven. The people of the world pursue worldly goals and seek to maximise their personal pleasure.

As citizens of heaven, we must not merely pursue earthly desires. We have a much higher destiny in view.

To some extent we all compromise in some ways with our culture. We must not look to the world to tells us how to live. It is Christ, through the Scriptures and the conviction of the indwelling Holy spirit who directs our thinking and our actions.

For this reason we will always be at odds with unbelievers and with the culture. We can expect to be vilified and hated because God’s values are so different from those of sinful people.

Regardless, we must stand firm and, at the end of the age, we will be transformed into the glory of Christ,

Prayer

Lord, I thank you that this world is not all there is. I thank you that you have called me to eternity. Amen.

Reflection on Genesis 15:1-18

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Scripture

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”

Observation

The Lord promises Abram that he will have a great reward. But Abram is worried about his lack of heirs. The Lord promises that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Abram then asks how he can know that God’s promise to give him land will come true. The Lord tells him to get a heifer, a goat, a ram, a turtledove and a pigeon. When the sun goes down a smoking firepot and a torch pass through the carcases, acting out a covenant ceremony. So the Lord solemnly promises to give land to Abram’s descendants.

Application

Sometimes it is hard to see how God’s promises can possibly some to pass. We may feel inadequate to a task laid before us. Perhaps the promise we have been given seems impossible in any human means.

When God acted out the covenant ceremony, He was using the most solemn vow possible to say to Abram “You have my word. You will have both land and descendants.”

What seems impossible with man is always possible with God, who always keeps His promise.

Prayer

Lord, I recognise that you always keep your promises. Help me to trust you in this. Amen.

Reflection on 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

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praise

Scripture

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Observation

Moses veiled his face to hide the end of the glory what would later be set aside in the new covenant.

The minds of the Israelites were hardened and indeed still are. Only Jesus can remove the veil that is now over their minds.

When a person turns to the Lord, the veil is lifted. The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. Now we see His glory with unveiled faces, and we are being transformed from glory to glory in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Application

Religion blinds us with veils, and binds us with rules that restrict behaviour but do nothing to change the heart.

Jesus comes and takes the veil away. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. This is not freedom to sin, but freedom to carry the glory of Christ, and to grow in His glory as we look towards Him.

As I focus on His glory, the lure of sin seems less attractive, and I find myself choosing righteousness rather than sin.

Prayer

Lord help me to look upon you with an unveiled face. Today I choose your glory and your freedom. Amen.

Reflection on Exodus 34:29-35

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moses

Scripture

When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him.

Observation

Moses has been on Mount Sinai receiving the Law for the second time. As he comes down, he is unaware that his face is shining from being in the presence of the Lord. Aaron and all the people are afraid when they see him because of his changed appearance.

Moses calls the leaders to come close and he tells them what the Lord has said to him.

From that day, Moses wears a veil over his face which he takes off when he speaks to the Lord.

Application

Being in the presence of the Lord changes Moses’ appearance, causing his skin to glow.

Our daily walk with Jesus, our worship of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit inside us should bring physical changes. Christians should be the ones with glowing faces, living happy, healthy and longer lives than unbelievers.

Of course there are times when the storms of life take their toll on us, but they should drive us even closer to the Lord.

Prayer

Father, may your presence in my life shine out from me so that I am always being your light in the darkness. Amen.

Reflection on Luke 4:21-30

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Scripture

“Truly no prophet is accepted in his home town.”

Observation

In the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus reads from the prophet Isaiah and then announces that this Scripture has been fulfilled. The people are amazed at His words.

Jesus then goes on to say that they will want to see a sign like the miracles He performed in Capernaum. He says that no prophet is accepted in his home town and gives examples from scripture where it was Gentiles who were healed not Israelites.

This infuriates the people, and they drive Him to the top of a hill to throw Him over the cliff. But Jesus just passes though them and continues on His way.

Application

The reaction of the people in Jesus’ home town seems extreme. From approval they move quickly to deadly rage. I believe that this must have had some kind of demonic origin in order to stir up such rage.

Part of the problem is that Jesus did not fit into the box of their expectations of the Messiah. They wanted miracles on demand, but He refused to play their game.

God never fits into our expectations. We want Him safely locked into a box to be pulled out when required. But God is bigger than our boxes, and His plans are more comprehensive than we can imagine.

Prayer

Lord please help me to pull back from putting demands and limitations on you. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

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Scripture
And now faith, hope and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Observation
I can speak in tongues and prophesy or give all my possessions away. But without love these seemingly godly things are useless.

Love always looks to the other, being patient, kind and bearing all things.

Love is eternal. Prophecies and knowledge will come to an end. Just three things will last- faith, hope and love. Of these the greatest is love.

Application
Everything I do must be done from a place of love for God and love for my neighbour.

Many deeds in the christian life can be done for the glory of the doer. Only those done in love will last.

Paul tells us we can do supernatural or spiritual things such as prophecy, or have faith to move mountains. Unless our hearts are centred on God these things become worthless. So all of our worship, all of our programs, all our work- it’s all without value unless genuine love is at the centre of it.

Prayer
Lord please help me to love you and my neighbours more and more. Amen.

Reflection on Jeremiah 1:1-10

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Scripture

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you

And before you were born I consecrated you

I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Observation

Jeremiah came from a priestly family and the word of the Lord came to him during the reigns of the last three kings of Judah- Josiah, Jehoiakim and Zedekiah.

The Lord says that from before Jeremiah was born He had appointed him a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah resists, saying he is only a boy. The Lord tells him that He, the Lord, will protect him as Jeremiah goes with the message.

The Lord then touches Jeremiah’s mouth and says that He has put His word in Jeremiah’s mouth, and Jeremiah will be used to pull down and raise up nations.

Application

It is important to remember always that the word of the Lord is in us in the form of the Holy Spirit.

I may not have the internationally influential ministry that Jeremiah had, but as long as I obey the Lord’s directions, I can be sure of His presence and protection.

Prayer

Lord I often feel inadequate for the task you have called me to, just like Jeremiah. Thank you that my calling is not dependent on my ability but on yours. Amen.

 

Reflection on 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

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Scripture

Now you are the body of Christ, and individually members of it.

Observation

We have a body that has many parts but is just one body. In the same way, the church is made of many different kinds of people baptised into it and united by the one Spirit.

If a human body was all one part, it would be less for that. In fact it would not work at all. If the body were just an eye, it could not hear or smell.

In the same way every part of the Body of Christ, every member, is essential to it.

God appoints different roles and responsibilities to different individuals, but we are all parts of the same Body, put there by God.

Application

There are no unnecessary people in God’s church. We are all needed.

Sometimes it’s hard to work out where we fit, and it might even feel like we don’t fit at all. Yet, the Bible tells us we have a part to play in God’s mission in the world.

Equally we should not envy the gifts or ministries of other people, as if they are more important than we are.

Our bodies work because ultimately every part takes its cue from the head. The Body of Christ works best when every part takes its orders from the head, that is Christ.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to hear your voice so that I can understand who I am in you and where I best serve you in your Body. Amen.