Deuteronomy 11:19 KJV
And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Faith Investments
On his twelfth Christmas, the boy eagerly awaited the opening of the gifts under the tree. He was yearning for a new bike, but his hopes were dashed—the last present he received was a dictionary. On the first page, he read: “To Charles from Mother and Daddy, 1958. With love and high hopes for your best work in school.”
In the next decade, Chuck did do well in school. He graduated from college and later, aviation training. He became a pilot working overseas, fulfilling his passion to help people in need and to share Jesus with them. Now some sixty years after receiving this gift, he shared the well-worn dictionary with his grandchildren. It had become for him a symbol of his parents’ loving investment in his future, and Chuck still treasures it. But he’s even more grateful for the daily investment his parents made in building his faith by teaching him about God and the Scriptures.
Deuteronomy 11 talks about the importance of taking every opportunity to share the words of Scripture with children: “Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (v. 19).
For Chuck, the eternal values planted when he was a boy bloomed into a lifetime of service for his Savior. With God’s enablement, who knows how much our investment in someone’s spiritual growth will yield.
Reflect & Pray
Who invested in your spiritual life as you were growing up? How can you direct children’s hearts to the wisdom found in Scripture?
Father, help me take time to read the Bible and share it with others.
Insight
In the Hebrew Scriptures, books were named for their opening words. Deuteronomy was called Devarim (“words”), representing the opening phrase of Deuteronomy 1:1: “These are the words Moses spoke.” In our Bible, books were often named for their purpose, which explains the title Deuteronomy (“second law”). Deuteronomy records a second telling of the Mosaic law, which was important for two reasons. First, the people entering the land were a different generation than the one who had received the law at Sinai forty years earlier. That generation had died in the wilderness because of their rebellion. Second, the people had been together for these four decades as one vast tribal community. Upon entry into the land, they would scatter to the parcels set aside for each of the tribes. These significant realities made a retelling of the law a timely preparation for a different way of living than they had known in the wilderness.
Isaiah 41:13 KJV
For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.
Hold Steady
Harriet Tubman was one of the great American heroes of the nineteenth century. Showing remarkable courage, she guided more than three hundred fellow slaves to freedom after she first escaped slavery by crossing into free territory in the United States North. Not content to simply enjoy her own freedom, she ventured back into slave states nineteen times to lead friends, family, and strangers to freedom, sometimes guiding people on foot all the way to Canada.
What drove Tubman to such brave action? A woman of deep faith, she at one time said this: “I always told God, I’m going to hold steady on you, and you’ve got to see me through.” Her dependence on God’s guidance as she led people out of slavery was a hallmark of her success.
What does it mean to “hold steady” to God? A verse in the prophecy of Isaiah might help us see that in reality it’s He who holds us as we grab His hand. Isaiah quotes God, who said, “I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you” (41:13).
Harriet held tightly to God, and He saw her through. What challenges are you facing? Hold steady to God as He “takes hold” of your hand and your life. “Do not fear.” He will help you.
Reflect & Pray
What’s your biggest challenge right now? What can you do or say to let God know you trust Him?
Father in heaven, life is hard when I try to do it alone, so I need Your help. Please come alongside me in my greatest challenges and help me know I’m not alone.
Insight
Isaiah 41:10–13 begins with a call to courage: “Do not fear.” But this call isn’t an exhortation to “dig deep” and find the grit and determination to keep going. God doesn’t call anyone to forge ahead on their own. Instead, the summons is followed with these encouraging words: “I am with you” (v. 10). This phrase is repeated throughout Scripture, and is intended to give strength and courage. God said these words to Moses when he was sent back to Egypt to speak to Pharaoh (Exodus 3:12). And Jesus spoke these words to His disciples when He commissioned them to go into the world to spread the knowledge of the kingdom of God and to make disciples (Matthew 28:20). God’s dwelling with humanity came in Jesus (Immanuel). He now indwells believers in Christ through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 2:22; 1 John 4:15–16).
Ephesians 5:8 KJV
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
What’s Your Reputation?
At local high school sporting events, Ted was the largest and loudest cheerleader in the stands. Before a degenerative condition took its toll on him, he stood six feet six inches tall and weighed 290 pounds. Ted’s crowd-stirring chants of “Blue!” (the school’s color) and candy-tossing at school events were legendary, earning him the name “Big Blue.”
But Ted’s reputation in his community wasn’t just for cheerleading. Neither was it for the alcohol addiction he experienced as a younger man. No, he will be remembered for his love for God and family, for his generosity and kindness. At a four-hour “home-going service” that celebrated his life, person after person came forward to testify about the vibrant Christlike ways of a man who’d been rescued from darkness by the power of Jesus through the gospel.
In Ephesians 5:8, Paul reminded believers that they “were once darkness” but quickly noted, “but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.” Such is the call for every believer in Jesus. Children of light, like Ted, have much to offer those engulfed in this world’s darkness. “Fruitless deeds of darkness” are to be avoided (see vv. 3–4, 11). Those in our communities and throughout the world need the brilliant, distinctive witness of those upon whom Jesus has shined (v. 14). How distinctive? As different as light is from darkness.
Reflect & Pray
What are some reasons you hesitate to more intentionally spread Christ’s light in this world? Where are the places around you that need His light?
Father, forgive me for my passivity about being light. Lead me and use me as light in the dark spaces of this world.
Insight
In the book of Ephesians, Paul doesn’t mention specific people and situations like he does in other letters. This shows that this letter was likely intended for all believers in Jesus in Asia Minor. However, the book may have been named according to where the letter was first sent.
In Ephesians 5:8–14, Paul refers to all believers in Christ when he explains that before following Him they were in darkness (v. 8). It was a part of their being, not simply a state they were living in. He then explains that living “as children of light” means living in “goodness, righteousness and truth” (vv. 8–9). Respectively, the three original words are practical, showing that believers are to take interest in the well-being of others, to conform to God’s standards, and to follow the truth in Scripture rather than living by the ways of the world.
1 Samuel 30:6 KJV
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
Recovering What’s Lost
At the phone store, the young pastor steeled himself for bad news. His smartphone, accidentally dropped during our Bible class, was a total loss, right? Actually, no. The store clerk recovered all of the pastor’s data, including his Bible videos and photos. She also recovered “every photo I’d ever deleted,” he said. The store also “replaced my broken phone with a brand-new phone.” As he said, “I recovered all I had lost and more.”
David once led his own recovery mission after an attack by the vicious Amalekites. Spurned by Philistine rulers, David and his army discovered the Amalekites had raided and burned down their town of Ziklag—taking captive “the women and everyone else in it,” including all their wives and children (1 Samuel 30:2–3). “So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep” (v. 4). The soldiers were so bitter with their leader David that they talked of “stoning him” (v. 6).
“But David found strength in the Lord his God” (v. 6). As God promised, David pursued the Amalekites and “recovered everything the Amalekites had taken . . . . Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back” (vv. 18–19). As we face spiritual attacks that “rob” us even of hope, may we find renewed strength in God. He will be with us in every challenge of life.
Reflect & Pray
What spiritual attacks or life loss are you experiencing? Turning from your despair to God, how will you find renewed strength in Him?
God, help me to find hope in You even as I face life’s challenges.
Insight
When God enabled David to rescue abducted loved ones (1 Samuel 30:1–20), his success called attention to the failures of Saul to help his own family. Outnumbered by the Philistine army, Saul asked God for help, but he received no answer (28:4–6). Desperate, he turned to a medium in an attempt to call back from the dead his faithful advisor Samuel (vv. 7–9). Samuel did appear, but he told Saul what he didn’t want to hear. The next day the army of Israel would be defeated and Saul, together with his sons, would die (vv. 16–20).
Saul and David both helped show us our need for another King who, by breaking the power of sin and death, would come to the rescue even of His enemies.
John 12:36 KJV
While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
Trust the Light
The weather forecast said bomb cyclone. That’s what happens when a winter storm rapidly intensifies as the atmospheric pressure drops. By the time night fell, the blizzard conditions made the highway to the Denver airport almost impossible to see. Almost. But when it’s your daughter who’s flying home to visit, you do what you have to do. You pack extra clothes and water (just in case you get stranded on the highway), drive very slowly, pray without ceasing, and last but not least, trust your headlights. And sometimes you can achieve the almost impossible.
Jesus foretold of a storm on the horizon, one that would involve His death (John 12:31–33), and one that would challenge His followers to stay faithful and serve (v. 26). It was going to get dark and be almost impossible to see. Almost. So what did Jesus tell them to do? Believe, or trust, the Light (v. 36). That was the only way they could keep going forward and stay faithful.
Jesus would only be with them a little while longer. But believers have His Spirit as our constant guide to light the way. We too will face dark times when it’s almost impossible to see the way ahead. Almost. But by believing, or trusting in the Light, we can press on.
Reflect & Pray
What dark season have you been through lately? How did Jesus, the Light, help you keep going?
Jesus, thank You for being the light in my darkness. Help me to trust and keep going.
Insight
The Greek word φῶς phōs (light) is used five times in John 12:35–36, and is one of the apostle John’s favorite words. Jesus’ references to Himself as light in John include His words in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” As light, Jesus is the true source of radiance, illumination, and revelation. Those who truly believe in Him (12:36) become children of light—they become His disciples and a part of the light force in the world (Matthew 5:14).
Colossians 3:2 KJV
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
Looking Up
The cockeyed squid lives in the ocean’s “twilight zone” where sunlight barely filters through the deep waters. The squid’s nickname is a reference to its two extremely different eyes: the left eye develops over time to become considerably larger than the right—almost twice as big. Scientists studying the mollusk have deduced that the squid uses its right eye, the smaller one, to look down into the darker depths. The larger, left eye, gazes upward, toward the sunlight.
The squid is an unlikely depiction of what it means to live in our present world and also in the future certainty we await as people who “have been raised with Christ” (Colossians 3:1). In Paul’s letter to the Colossians, he insists we ought to “set [our] minds on things above” because our lives are “hidden with Christ in God” (vv. 2–3).
As earth-dwellers awaiting our lives in heaven, we keep an eye trained on what’s happening around us in our present reality. But just as the squid’s left eye develops over time into one that’s larger and more sensitive to what’s happening overhead, we too can grow in our awareness of the ways God works in the spiritual realm. We may not have yet fully grasped what it means to be alive in Jesus, but as we look “up,” our eyes will begin to see it more and more.
Reflect & Pray
How can you develop your “upward” vision? How can you set your mind on heavenly things?
Loving God, help me to set my mind and heart on those things that are of You!
Insight
Paul had meaningful ties with the Colossian assembly, although it was a church he hadn’t planted. One significant connection was the apostle’s longstanding friendship with Philemon—a leader in the Colossian church that met in his home (see Philemon 1:1–2). Throughout the brief letter of Philemon, Paul leverages his friendship with Philemon on behalf of his relationship with Onesimus, a Colossian believer and runaway slave from Philemon’s household (Colossians 4:9; Philemon 1:8–16). Perhaps these relationships allowed Paul to write to the Colossians with surprising familiarity, as we see in Colossians 2:2: “My goal is that [you] may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that [you] may . . . know the mystery of God, namely, Christ.”
Luke 2:25 KJV
And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Waiting in Hope
In the movie Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, a college professor befriended a stray Akita puppy named Hachi. The dog expressed his loyalty by waiting at the train station each day for the professor to return from work. One day, the professor suffered a fatal stroke. Hachi waited hours at the train station, and for the next ten years he returned each day—awaiting His loving master.
Luke tells the story of a man named Simeon who patiently waited for the coming of his Master (Luke 2:25). The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would not see death until he saw the Messiah (v. 26). As a result, Simeon kept waiting for the One who would provide “salvation” for God’s people (v. 30). When Mary and Joseph entered the temple with Jesus, the Holy Spirit whispered to Simeon that He was the One! The wait was finally over! Simeon held Christ in his arms—the hope, salvation, and comfort for all people (vv. 28–32).
If we find ourselves in a season of waiting, may we hear the words of the prophet Isaiah with fresh ears: “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” (Isaiah 40:31). As we await Jesus’ return, He provides the hope and strength we need for each new day.
Reflect & Pray
When have you become weary as you waited for God? What encouraged you to endure during that challenging season?
Jesus, I will wait for You. Through pain, tears, and uncertainty, help me to not become weary but to rest in Your provision.
Insight
Simeon had one clear characteristic: he was in tune with the Spirit. Luke 2 says “the Holy Spirit was on him” (v. 25). The Spirit had revealed that he wouldn’t die before he’d seen Jesus (v. 26) and moved him to go to the temple courts (v. 27). The surrounding verses also reveal the power of the Spirit in his life. The description of Simeon as being “righteous and devout” (v. 25) is connected to the Spirit being on him; and his recognition of Jesus, his song of praise, and his words to Mary and Joseph (vv. 29–35) came though the Spirit.
Psalm 37:7 KJV
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
The Ticking Watch
A group of workers were cutting ice out of a frozen lake and storing it in an icehouse when one of them realized he’d lost his watch in the windowless building. He and his friends searched for it in vain.
After they gave up, a young boy who’d seen them exit went into the building. Soon, he emerged with the watch. Asked how he’d found it, he replied: “I just sat down and kept quiet, and soon I could hear it ticking.”
The Bible talks much about the value of being still. And no wonder, for God sometimes speaks in a whisper (1 Kings 19:12). In the busyness of life, it can be hard to hear Him. But if we stop rushing about and spend some quiet time with Him and the Scriptures, we may hear His gentle voice in our thoughts.
Psalm 37:1–7 assures us that we can trust God to rescue us from the “wicked schemes” of evil people, give us refuge, and help us stay faithful. But how can we do this when turmoil is all around us?
Verse 7 suggests: “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” We could start by learning to keep silent for a few minutes after prayer. Or by quietly reading the Bible and letting the words soak into our hearts. And then, perhaps, we’ll hear His wisdom speaking to us, quiet and steady as a ticking watch.
Reflect & Pray
How can you be still before God each day? What will help you stay silent and listen?
Loving God, grant me the patience and discipline to stay still for a while each day, that I might hear Your gentle whisper in my life.
Insight
After Psalm 37’s opening exhortation not to be upset by the short-lived vitality and success of those who ignore God (vv. 1–2), a series of commands follow that call for faithful dependence on Him (vv. 3–8). The remainder of the psalm describes the conduct of two kinds of people (the righteous and the wicked), who follow two different paths and end up at two different places (vv. 9–11, 20). In various ways, the wicked harass and prey upon the righteous (vv. 12–15, 32). But the righteous aren’t alone. God—in whom they trust and delight and upon whom they wait—protects them, making them safe and secure (vv. 16–17, 23–26, 32–33). The conclusion speaks powerfully to those who place their faith in God. “The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them . . . because they take refuge in him” (vv. 39–40).
Revelation 19:7 KJV
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
A Joyful Celebration
My friend Sharon passed away one year prior to the death of my friend Dave’s teenage daughter Melissa. They both had been tragically killed in car accidents. One night both Sharon and Melissa were in my dream. They giggled and talked as they hung streamers in a large banquet hall and ignored me when I stepped into the room. A long table with white tablecloths had been set with golden plates and goblets. I asked if I could help decorate, but they didn’t seem to hear me and kept working.
But then Sharon said, “This party is Melissa’s wedding reception.”
“Who’s the groom?” I asked.
Neither responded but smiled and looked at each other knowingly. Finally, it dawned on me—it’s Jesus!
“Jesus is the groom,” I whispered as I woke up.
My dream brings to mind the joyful celebration believers in Jesus will share together when He returns. It’s portrayed in Revelation as a lavish feast called “the wedding supper of the Lamb” (19:9). John the Baptist, who prepared people for the first coming of Christ, had called Him “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He also referred to Jesus as “the bridegroom” and to himself as the “friend” (like the best man) who waited for Him (3:29).
On that banquet day and for all eternity we will enjoy unbroken fellowship with Jesus, our groom, and with Sharon and Melissa and all of God’s people.
Reflect & Pray
What does Jesus’ invitation to come to Him for forgiveness and eternal life mean to you? Who could you tell your story to?
I look forward to that day of celebration and seeing You, Jesus. Come quickly.
Read more about Christ’s ultimate triumph in this study of Revelation:
Insight
Who is the “great prostitute” who’s condemned in Revelation 19:2? It’s clear from Revelation 17:1–6, 15–16 that the prostitute is Babylon. However, this naturally raises the question: what is Babylon? Babylon is the world system that has “corrupted the earth” and killed God’s true servants (19:2). It’s a way of life—both cultural and political—at war with scriptural principles, with God-fearing people, and with God Himself. Not to be missed in the chapter is the contrast between the “great prostitute” and the true bride of Christ—the church. It’s this “bride” that’s the target of so much persecution. Revelation 19 celebrates the final judgment of the world system that opposes God.
Isaiah 43:19 KJV
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.
Something New
Farming is difficult in areas that lack fresh water. To help solve this problem, the Seawater Greenhouse company has created something new: “cooling houses” in Somaliland, Africa, and other countries with similar climates. Cooling houses use solar pumps to drizzle saltwater over walls made of corrugated cardboard. As the water moves down each panel, it leaves its salt behind. Much of the remaining fresh water evaporates inside the structure, which becomes a humid place where fruit and vegetable crops can flourish.
Through the prophet Isaiah, God promised to do a “new thing” as He provided “streams in the wasteland” for ancient Israel (Isaiah 43:19). This new thing contrasted with the old thing He had done to rescue His people from the Egyptian army. Remember the Red Sea account? God wanted His people to recall the past but not let it overshadow His current involvement in their lives (v. 18). He said, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness” (v. 19).
While looking to the past can bolster our faith in God’s provision, living in the past can blind us to all the fresh work of God’s Spirit today. We can ask God to show us how He’s currently moving—helping, remaking, and sustaining His people. May this awareness prompt us to partner with Him to meet the needs of others, both near and far.
Reflect & Pray
What new thing is God doing in your life? How is He using you to touch others’ lives and help make the world a better place?
Dear God, I praise You as the living One who constantly does new things. Help me to trust You to meet my changing needs.
Insight
The first half of the book of Isaiah (chs. 1–39) predominantly focuses on God’s judgment of Israel, which was fulfilled by Assyria and then Babylon. In the second half (chs. 40–66), the book explores more fully God’s promised hope and restoration.
Isaiah 43:14–21 compares the coming restoration of God’s people in exile to their past deliverance from Egypt. However, although these verses show the parallels between this coming deliverance and the exodus (such as “making a way in the wilderness” v. 19), it also instructs the Israelites to “forget the former things” (v. 18). The “new thing” (v. 19) that God would do for them would be even more extraordinary than the first exodus.
