reflection

Reflection on Micah 5:1-5

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Scripture

But you, O Bethlehem Ephratha,

are only a small village among all the people of Judah.

Yet, a ruler of Israel will come from you,

one whose origins are in the distant past.

Observation

The enemy is laying siege to Jerusalem, and they will strike down Israel’s leader. But a king will come out of Bethlehem whose origins are from the past.

The people of Israel will be abandoned to their enemies, but they will return from exile. This king will lead his flock with the Lord’s strength, and his people will live peacefully in the land. He will be the source of peace.

Application

When the wise men asked Herod where the Messiah was to be born, it was this passage that his advisers quoted.

While Jerusalem, the centre of power, was under siege, the Lord was pointing to a small inconsequential place, from where an important king would emerge.

Bethlehem was the home of King David. It was the pace to which Joseph and Mary were forced to travel to have their baby.

Bethlehem became the birth place for this king, Jesus whose origin was in eternity past.

Today Bethlehem is famous all over the world as the place where the King of Kings was born.

God’s ways are truly amazing.

For those of us who are inconsequential in the way the world sees things, we know that God sees us. That is all that matters.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you choose the lowly to confound the high born, the poor to overcome the elites. Please help me to always be submitted to you and to follow your ways. Amen.

Reflection on Philippians 4:4-9

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Scripture

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!

Observation

We must rejoice always in the Lord. We are not to worry about anything, but instead pray to God and thank Him for all that He has done.

Finally, we are to fix our thoughts on what is true, honourable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. When we think about things that are excellent and praiseworthy, then the God of peace will be with us.

Application

How can we rejoice always? Everybody has bad days, so how can we rejoice then?

I often think of Job, who lost his family and his wealth in a single day. His response to this terrible loss was, ” I came naked from my mother’s womb, I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the Name of the Lord.”

The key to surviving tough times with your integrity intact ,is to determine beforehand that you will rejoice, no matter what happens.

This does not mean that we ignore or suppress our emotions. They are important and need to be acknowledged. But like Job, we must look to the big picture, and recall that all that we have comes from God, and we are stewards of His blessings not owners of them.

Prayer

Lord, I choose to rejoice. I praise you for your great love for me. Thank you for sending Jesus to rescue me from sin. Please help me to rejoice in you on every occasion. Amen

Reflection on Isaiah 12:1-6

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Scripture

With joy you will drink deeply

From the fountain of salvation.

Observation

In the day when the Messiah comes, Israel will sing praise to the Lord. His judgement has given way to salvation. He was angry, but now He comforts His people.

God has come to save us. He is our strength and song. We will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation.

Let’s tell the whole world about what the Lord has done. Let us rejoice in the Lord.

Application

As in Zephaniah3, the emphasis in this passage is about joy. When we recognise the great love of God, we come to Him with joy and happiness.

When I first came to see who Jesus is, there was so much joy in my heart! I drank deeply at the fountain of salvation.

Many people do not drink deeply, or even at all.

Many walk right past the miracle of grace totally unaffected.

Some people take a sip and count themselves saved. They never really give themselves entirely to God. It’s a prayer or a ritual.

But some of us understand this is a fountain that you get right into – head, shoulders, whole body, soaking in the refreshment of new life in Christ.

God is a mighty waterfall bringing life and energy to all who come under its influence.

Drink deeply!

Prayer

Father, I received your salvation now. I drink deeply of this grace. Soak me and transform me, Lord. Amen.

Reflection on Zephaniah 3:14-20

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Scripture

Sing O daughter of Zion,

Shout aloud O Israel!

Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,

Oh daughter of Jerusalem!

Observation

Zephaniah brings to the people of Israel a command to rejoice. The Lord will remove His hand of judgement, and instead of enemy armies in their midst, the Lord Himself will dwell with them.

The announcement will be made: Cheer up for the Lord God is living among you and He will delight in you.

The Lord will judge their enemies and He will gather together those who were scattered. He will give His people a good name among the nations and restore their fortunes.

Application

The Lord often commands his people to rejoice. It is right through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

It can be hard to feel joyful sometimes. They can be so much in life that drags us down and pulls us apart.

Even when we grieve, we must rejoice, because God is in our midst.

This rejoicing is not saying words through gritted teeth. It is not a resentful, unwilling obedience to a command.

No, it is about recognising that God is with us. There is a higher truth than this moment of my sadness.

I will rejoice because God is with me all the time.

Prayer

Hallelujah! I thank you for the command and the promise of joy. Thank you Father for the assurance that you will never abandon me. Amen.

Reflection on Luke 3:1-6

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Scripture

“All people will see the Salvation sent from God.”

Observation

The word of the Lord comes to John who was living in the wilderness. He starts travelling along the Jordan River preaching that people should be baptised for repentance and turn to God to be forgiven.

Isaiah had prophesied concerning John when he spoke of the voice shouting in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord.” Every Valley will be filled and the mountains pulled down. Then all people will see the salvation sent from God.

Application

It is really awesome that salvation is for all people.

You don’t have to be part of a particular ethnic group or nation. You can be a homeless person or a corporate CEO. Kings and queens, peasants and paupers, are all welcome in God’s Kingdom.

People of every race, generation, and tribe are all welcome. God’s love is shown to all people.

There is no entrance exam or need to perform certain good deeds.

All people will see God’s salvation and can enter in.

Christmas is about the birth of a a baby, but it is so much more. It is the birth of a Kingdom that is above every Kingdom, an opportunity for all people to be friends of God.

The way in is so easy. Simply turn away from sin, ask God to forgive you, and received His grace through Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Jesus Christ, thank you for setting me free from sin and for rescuing me from Hell. Amen.

Reflection on Philippians 3:1-11

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Scripture

Yes, everything else is worthless compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.

Observation

Whatever happens, Paul urges, we should rejoice in the Lord. We should also watch out for the people who seek to do evil by leading us away from the gospel. We don’t rely on works done in the flesh such as circumcision. We rely on Christ alone.

Paul was the true Hebrew, circumcised in accordance with the law. He was zealous for the Jewish faith, even persecuting the church. But now, all of these things which he once thought were valuable, are garbage. The only thing that is of value is relationship with Christ.

We are made righteous through Christ. Paul wants to know Him more and to experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead, and even His suffering.

Application

Everything is garbage when compared to the value of knowing Jesus.

Why do we get distracted so easily? We want things that we think will make our life more meaningful or pleasant – the right job, the new car or house. Right now, people are worried about international borders closing again because of Covid. Really? is getting overseas for a holiday the most important thing right now?

When we look at Jesus, all of these other things seem trivial. The only thing, the one thing, is to know Jesus more, to become one with Him in every way.

How do we do that? We read the Bible slowly, meditating on the Word of God. We pray, and we listen to the Holy Spirit. We seek to love and to serve others.

As we follow these practices and keep our attention directed to Jesus, then we become more like Him. Better still, we enter into deeper fellowship with Him, becoming one with Him.

Prayer

lord Jesus, please help me to come to that place where you are my one thing, my everything. Amen.

Reflection on Malachi 2:17-3:5

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Scripture

But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? He will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.

Observation

The people of God weary Him with their words that call evil good, and ask, “Where is the God of justice?”

The Lord will send His messenger, and the Lord will come to the temple. Who can endure the day of His coming? He will be like a refiner’s fire. He will purify the priests so that they will bring their offerings to the Lord in righteousness.

The Lord will come in judgement to condemn all who do not fear the Lord.

Application

At Christmas, we celebrate the coming of the Lord Jesus into the world to bring salvation to all who trust in Him.

This reading remind us that the coming of the Lord implies judgement as much as salvation. If we need a Saviour, then that tells us we need salvation from something .

The coming of Jesus into the world removes all the grey areas and ambiguities in the law. We are on one side of the line or the other. In fact, Jesus spoke of this often, talking about sheep and goats, wheat and weeds, good fish and bad. A sorting will take place at the end, and people will be either in heaven or in Hell, in eternal Joy or eternal death.

The Christmas story is a happy event, and it calls us to worship our great and merciful God. We all need to put our lives into His hands, and commit ourselves to walking in His paths.

Prayer

Thank you Lord Jesus, for saving me from my sin. I pray that my family and friends who do not know you will turn to you and receive your salvation. Amen.

Reflection on Luke 21:25-36

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Scripture

“Watch out! Don’t let your heart be dulled by carousing and drunkenness and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware.”

Observation

There will be strange signs in the heavens. On earth, the nations will be in turmoil. People will be terrified, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and glory.

We can tell the seasons by the trees and plants. We see the signs in the natural. When we see these things happen, we know the Kingdom of God is here. This generation will not pass until these things happen.

Watch out! Don’t live like the pagans do, consumed by partying and the worries of this life. We are to be prepared, ready for the coming of the Son of Man.

Application

There is some dispute about whether this passage refers to events in the future or in the past, such as the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. I think the most straightforward interpretation is that Jesus was warning his followers about the horrific events of 70 AD.

But the warnings apply to every Christian in every time period and every place.

Be ready for the coming of the Son of Man.

We are citizens of Heaven. We have a destiny in view that goes beyond this present life. As ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, our home is not in this world.

Therefore, we do not live as the people of the world do – consumed by entertainment, pleasure, and the endless anxieties that beset those who do not know that God is their Father.

We must live every day as if it were our last day, as if we could meet with Jesus tonight. We must always be ready to give an account of our lives.

This is not to say that we should live in misery and fear. It is not to say that we must never be happy or celebrate. We are the people, above all others, who are happy and joyful.

It is a matter of focus. Am I living for this life only, or do I set my heart on eternity?

Prayer

Lord, please help me to live everyday with the awareness of your presence. Amen.

Reflection on 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

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Scripture

May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.

Observation

Paul thanks God for the church at Thessalonica. They give him great joy whenever he prays, day or night.

Paul prays that the Lord will bring him to them soon. He prays that the Lord will cause their love for one another to increase and overflow. May their hearts be strong, blameless and holy.

Application

Paul’s prayer for the church of Thessalonica is that the Lord will make their love for one another and for other people to increase and overflow.

The hallmark of any true christian community should be love. God is love, so His followers should be growing in love for one another and for people outside the community of faith.

There is a sense in which love is commanded, and is therefore something we can do. “Love one another as I have loved you,” is the new commandment that Jesus gave to His disciples.

But equally, love is a part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Love comes as a natural result of living in the Spirit.

Sometimes we find ourselves growing in love without any thought or action on our part. Other times, the Holy Spirit convicts us of attitudes or actions which might need to change.

The true christians community will be marked by three loves – love for God, love for other christians, and love for unbelievers.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for the grace to love other people. Please grow this in me so that, like Paul, I overflow in your love. Amen.

Reflection on Jeremiah 33:14-18

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Scripture

And this will be its name: “The Lord Is Our Righteousness.”

Observation

Jeremiah, writing at the time of the Exile, writes of Israel and Judah’s future hope.

The Lord will do all that He has promised. At the time of His choosing, He will raise up a righteous descendant of David. This man will do all that is just and right in the land. Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will be called, “The Lord Is Our Righteousness.”

The Lord promises that David will have a descendant on the throne for ever, and that there will always be priests offering sacrifices and grain offerings to the Lord.

Application

The Lord is our righteousness.

We cannot be cleansed from our sin and guilt by our own efforts. We cannot earn it through religious sacrifices or by doing good deeds. Elon Musk does not have enough dollars to buy his righteousness.

No, the Lord is our righteousness. He is the one who declares that we are not guilty.

He does this because of the death of Jesus on the cross. The sin of the world was laid on Christ, and when He died, our guilt died with Him.

The Lord is our righteousness. He is the one who declares that our sin has been atoned for.

Now we are welcomed into His family, His Kingdom. Nothing can separate us from the Lord.

Prayer

Hallelujah! Lord I could never be good enough by myself. Sin always finds me. But you have declared that I am righteous. Please help me to live in your righteousness. Amen.