mrshcloset
mrs H closet
Welcome to my world ... I am mrs H ... and I am not a FASHIONInsta! Just a tourist with a sense of style.
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God’s Worker
The Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. Genesis 39:23
READ Genesis 39:19–23
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In a refugee camp in the Middle East, when Reza received a Bible, he came to know and believe in Jesus. His first prayer in Christ’s name was, “Use me as your worker.” Later, after he left the camp, God answered that prayer when he unexpectedly secured a job with a relief agency, returning to the camp to serve the people he knew and loved. He set up sports clubs, language classes and legal advice—“anything that can give people hope”. He sees these programmes as a way to serve others and to share God’s wisdom and love.
When reading his Bible, Reza felt an instant connection with the story of Joseph from Genesis. He noticed how God used Joseph to further His work while he was in prison. Because God was with Joseph, He showed him kindness and granted him favour. The prison warden put Joseph in charge and didn’t have to pay attention to matters there because God gave Joseph “success in whatever he did” (Genesis 39:23).
God promises to be with us too. Whether we’re facing imprisonment—literal or figurative—hardship, displacement, heartache or sorrow, we can trust that He’ll never leave us. Just as He enabled Reza to serve those in the camp and Joseph to run the prison, He’ll stay close to us always.
By Amy Boucher Pye
REFLECT & PRAY
When have you experienced God’s redeeming action, such as Reza and Joseph did? How does Joseph’s story help you to trust Him more?
Saving God, You never leave me, even when I face the hardest of circumstances. Please give me hope and eyes to see Your work in my life.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In Genesis 39, the word translated “prospered” (v. 2) or “success” (vv. 3, 23) is the Hebrew word tsalakh. In Genesis 24, it’s used in connection with the mission of Abraham’s “senior servant” to find a wife for Abraham’s son Isaac (vv. 21, 40, 42 ). Elsewhere in Scripture, “success” is associated with obedience to the Scriptures. After the mantle of leadership had been transferred from Moses to Joshua, God told Joshua that he’d be “prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8) when he obeyed God’s law. In Psalm 1, the person who delights in the words of God “is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers” (v. 3). The success of God’s servants is based on God’s provision—His presence and His strength to obey Him. Arthur Jackson
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Ripe for God’s Restoration
Restore us, God Almighty; . . . that we may be saved. Psalm 80:7
READ Psalm 80:1, 7–14, 19
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The pictures coming from a friend’s text stream were stunning! Photos of a surprise gift for his wife revealed a restored 1965 Ford Mustang: brilliant, dark blue exterior; sparkling chrome rims; reupholstered black interior; and a motor to match the other upgrades. There were also ‘before’ pictures of the same vehicle—a dull, worn, unimpressive yellow version. While it may be difficult to envision, it’s likely that when the vehicle rolled off the assembly line, it was also an eye-catcher. But time, wear and tear, and other factors had made it ripe for restoration.
Ripe for restoration! Such was the condition of God’s people in Psalm 80 and thus the repeated prayer: “Restore us, O God; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved” (Psalm 80:3; see vv. 7, 19). Though their history had included rescue from Egypt and being planted in a land of plenty (vv. 8–11), the good times had come and gone. Because of rebellion, they were experiencing the hand of God’s judgement ( vv. 12–13). Thus, their plea: “Return to us, God Almighty! Look down from heaven and see!” (v. 14).
Do you ever feel dull, distant or disconnected from God? Is joyful soul-satisfaction missing? Is it because alignment with Jesus and His purposes is missing? God hears our prayers for restoration (v. 1). What’s keeping you from asking?
By Arthur Jackson
REFLECT & PRAY
When have you experienced the restorative, reviving work of God? What areas of your life need restoration now?
Father, I long for Your restoration. Help me to see my need for it and to receive it.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Understanding the imagery used in Psalm 80 helps us understand the psalm as well as the One to whom the psalmist appealed. Two different images of the leader of God’s people are wedded together in verse 1: “Hear us, Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock. You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth.” Stunningly, the One who can restore both cares like a shepherd and occupies heaven’s throne! The prayer chorus included in the psalm is repeated three times (vv. 3, 7, 19 ) and asks the One who commands and controls the universe to “restore us . . . make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.” The petition echoes the priestly blessing of Numbers 6:25: “The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.”
Arthur Jackson
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The Meaning of Myrrh
Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11
READ Matthew 2:9–13
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Today is Epiphany, the day which commemorates the event described by the carol “We Three Kings of Orient Are” when gentile wise men visited the child Jesus. Yet they weren’t kings, they weren’t from the Far East (as Orient formerly meant), and it’s unlikely there were three of them.
There were, however, three gifts, and the carol considers each. When the magi arrived in Bethlehem, “They opened their treasures and presented [Jesus] with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11). The gifts symbolise Jesus’ mission. Gold represents His role as King. Frankincense, mixed with the incense burned in the sanctuary, speaks of His deity. Myrrh, used to embalm dead bodies, gives us pause.
The fourth verse of the carol says, “Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume / breathes a life of gathering gloom; / sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, / sealed in the stone-cold tomb.” We wouldn’t write such a scene into the story, but God did. Jesus’ death is central to our salvation. Herod even attempted to kill Jesus while He was yet a child (v. 13).
The carol’s last verse weaves the three themes together: “Glorious now behold him arise; / King and God and sacrifice.” This completes the story of Christmas, inspiring our response: “Alleluia, Alleluia, / sounds through the earth and skies.”
By Tim Gustafson
REFLECT & PRAY
How do you feel when you ponder the truth that Jesus was born to die for you? How does His resurrection inspire you?
Heavenly Father, may Your Spirit help me live my life in gratitude for Your Son giving His life for me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The word Magi (Matthew 2:1) is translated “wise men” in many Bible versions. Because these men followed a star in search of a king, we know they were also astrologers. Coming from the East, they could’ve originated from the Arabian Desert, Babylon, or Persia. They’re first mentioned in 1 Kings 4:30: “[Solomon’s] wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East” (NLT). They could be the astrologers found in the courts of Babylon (Daniel 2:2; 4:6-7). Interestingly, Daniel was placed in charge of them ( 2:48; 5:11) and could’ve told them about the coming Messiah. For five hundred years, these magi looked forward to this prophecy. These men of great faith—whose main lead was a star in the sky—travelled thousands of miles in search of a Jewish king. As representatives of the gentile world, they saw God wrapped in human clothes and “bowed down and worshiped him” (Matthew 2:11).
K. T. Sim
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God at the Crossroads
Stand at the crossroads and look; . . . ask where the good way is, and walk in it. Jeremiah 6:16
READ Deuteronomy 30:15–20
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After days of illness and then spiking a high temperature, it was clear my husband needed emergency care. The hospital admitted him immediately. One day folded into the next. He improved, but not enough to be released. I faced the difficult choice to stay with my husband or fulfil an important work trip where many people and projects were involved. My husband assured me he’d be fine. But my heart was torn between him and my work.
God’s people needed His help at the crossroads of life’s decisions. Far too often, they hadn’t adhered to His revealed instructions. So Moses implored the people to “choose life” by following His commands (Deuteronomy 30:19). Later, the prophet Jeremiah offered words of direction to God’s wayward people, wooing them to follow His ways: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it” (Jeremiah 6:16). The ancient paths of Scripture and God’s past provision can direct us.
I imagined myself at a physical crossroads and applied Jeremiah’s template of wisdom. My husband needed me. So did my work. Just then, my supervisor called and encouraged me to remain home. I drew a breath and thanked God for His provision at the crossroads. God’s direction doesn’t always come so clearly, but it does come. When we stand at the crossroads, let’s make sure to look for Him.
By Elisa Morgan
REFLECT & PRAY
Where do you need direction today? How might God be revealing Himself to you?
Dear God, when I’m uncertain, help me to stand at the crossroads and look for Your provision.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
After God delivered the Israelites from Egypt, that generation (except for Caleb and Joshua) disqualified themselves from being permitted to enter the promised land because they failed to trust God (Deuteronomy 1:32-37). The book of Deuteronomy (the name comes from a Greek word meaning “second law”) addresses the younger generation about to enter the land. In it, Moses teaches them God’s law and stresses the importance of fully obeying it.
In chapter 30, Moses urged them to enter into a covenant, or binding commitment, to be wholly devoted to God (vv. 15-20). Through this covenant, the new generation would pledge anew their devotion to God and His law. In the ancient Near East, covenant ceremonies would typically include calling on deities as witness to the promises made. Since God is the only true God, in this covenant, His creation—heaven and earth—is called as a witness (v. 19).
Monica La Rose
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Quiet Faithfulness in Christ
Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: you should mind your own business and work with your hands. 1 Thessalonians 4:11
READ 1 Thessalonians 4:1–2, 9–12
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I didn’t notice him at first.
I’d come down for breakfast at my hotel. Everything in the dining room was clean. The buffet table was filled. The refrigerator was stocked, the utensil container packed tight. Everything was perfect.
Then I saw him. An unassuming man refilled this, wiped that. He didn’t draw attention to himself. But the longer I sat, the more I was amazed. The man was working very fast, noticing everything and refilling everything before anyone might need something. As a food service veteran, I noticed his constant attention to detail. Everything was perfect because this man was working faithfully—even if few noticed.
Watching this man work so meticulously, I recalled Paul’s words to the Thessalonians: “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands . . . so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders” (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12). Paul understood how a faithful worker might win others’ respect—offering a quiet testimony to how the gospel can infuse even seemingly small acts of service for others with dignity and purpose.
I don’t know if the man I saw that day was a believer in Jesus. But I’m grateful his quiet diligence reminded me to rely on God to live out a quiet faithfulness that reflects His faithful ways.
By Adam Holz
REFLECT & PRAY
How should your faith affect the way you work? In what ways is being a faithful worker a powerful testimony?
Father, help me to remember that there are no small jobs in Your kingdom and to faithfully serve You each day with a sense of Your nearness.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Waiting for the second coming of Jesus is a consistent theme in Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians (see 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 2:19; 3:13; 4:13-17; 5:1-11; 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10; 2:1-12). The subject of work is also prominent (see 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12; 5:14; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-12). Paul’s labour for the gospel resulted in the establishing of the church, but he also laboured with his hands: “We worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you” ( 1 Thessalonians 2:9). “Waiting” and “working” should characterize believers in Jesus until He returns.
Arthur Jackson
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Spotting Hope
May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you. Psalm 33:22
READ Psalm 33:6–9, 12–22
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Oceanographer Sylvia Earle has seen the deterioration of coral reefs first-hand. She founded Mission Blue, an organisation devoted to the development of global “hope spots”. These special places around the world are “critical to the health of the ocean”, which impacts our lives on earth. Through the intentional care for these areas, scientists have seen the relationships of underwater communities restored and lives of endangered species preserved.
In Psalm 33, the psalmist acknowledges that God spoke everything into existence and ensured that all He made would stand firm (vv. 6–9). As God reigns over generations and nations (vv. 11–19), He alone restores relationships, saves lives and revitalises hope. However, God invites us to join Him in caring for the world and the people He created.
Each time we praise God for the whisper of a rainbow splashed across a clouded, grey sky or the glistening waves of the ocean crashing against a rocky shore, we can proclaim His “unfailing love” and presence as we “put our hope” in Him (v. 22).
When we’re tempted towards discouragement or fear as we consider the current state of the world, we may begin to believe we can’t make a difference. When we do our part as members of God’s care team, however, we can honour Him as the Creator and help others spot hope as they place their trust in Jesus.
By Xochitl Dixon
REFLECT & PRAY
How has God used nature to affirm your hope in Him? How can you serve as part of His care team?
Loving Creator and Sustainer, help me be a hope spotter who faithfully serves on Your care team.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
In Psalm 33, the unnamed psalmist calls the righteous to praise God, extolling Him as the Lord of creation (vv. 6-9) and the nations (vv. 10-22). The writer speaks of God’s power in creation: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made . . . . He spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm” (vv. 6, 9). The omnipotent Creator of the universe is also the supreme ruler of history ( vv. 10-15) and the providential provider and protector of those who trust in Him (vv. 16-22).
K. T. Sim
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Trusting God in the Dark
Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God. Isaiah 50:10
READ Isaiah 50:7–11
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Andrew and his wife Norine lived and worked in Turkey for two decades, sharing the love of Jesus. In 2016 they expected to receive permanent residency in their adopted country, but instead they were arrested on charges of espionage. Although the government authorities released Norine, Andrew ended up spending over two years in prison before finally being set free.
In captivity he felt broken. He had expected that God would carry him above his circumstances, “into joy”, and that he would sense God’s presence. Instead, he felt “abandoned by God”. He later admitted that he had to learn the lesson of Isaiah 50:10: “Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the Lord and rely on their God.” He reflected, “God was teaching me to stand in the dark, to persevere apart from my feelings, perceptions and circumstances.”
The prophet Isaiah was writing to God’s people, split into the northern and southern kingdoms, calling them back to God. He said that if they feared and obeyed God, even whenever they walked in the dark, they would be able to rely on Him. They only needed to look to Him.
Even as Andrew trusted, so can we. Whatever our situation, God won’t leave us or forsake us. We might not always sense Him at work, but He promises that He will be with us.
By Amy Boucher Pye
REFLECT & PRAY
How do you believe God’s promises when you feel like you’re walking in the dark? How has God answered your prayers when you’ve trusted in Him at such times?
Loving God, thank You that You’ll never abandon me. Strengthen my faith in You, even when I experience trials and pain.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The Tyndale Concise Bible Commentary gives this description of Jesus Christ as the Suffering Servant: “[In Isaiah 50:1–11] it is revealed how the Servant learned through his own rejection to comfort the weary and discouraged. The phrase ‘Sovereign Lord’ occurs four times and may be better translated ‘My Master God.’ It emphasized that the Servant had a Master (God) to whom he submitted and in whom he found help. The ‘words of wisdom’ (50:4) was a reference to his speaking or prophetic ministry. The followers of the Servant were called upon to trust in God, who would bring judgment upon the disobedient ( 50:10–11).”
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Seeing Stars
When I consider your heavens, . . . the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them? Psalm 8:3–4
READ Psalm 8
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Amy Carmichael’s ministry in India placed her in frequent danger as she rescued enslaved girls and, to help them experience the love of Christ, gave them a safe home. Despite opposition and her own battle with crippling aches and pains, she never lost either her resolve or her joy. As she explained, “Two men looked through prison bars. The one saw mud, the other stars.” She continued, “There is always something to be happy about if we look for it.”
Unlike Amy, we often let our daily problems and responsibilities fix our eyes to the earth. Yet perhaps when we’re busiest we most need to follow the example of the psalmist who paused and looked up at God’s “glory in the heavens” (Psalm 8:1). His awe and joy was revitalised as he basked in the revelation of creation. “When I consider . . . the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them?” (vv. 3–4).
The vastness of the stars reminds us both of our smallness in God’s universe and of His infinite rule. Yet God has crowned us “with glory and honour” as His masterpieces (v. 5). Every bit of creation—including the stars—has been “set in place” (v. 3) to display God’s loving reign on our behalf.
Where do you look when you need joy or reassurance? Why not try drinking in the sight of the stars; they are a nightly reminder of God’s unrivalled majesty (v. 9).
By Chris Wale
REFLECT & PRAY
Where in creation do you think God’s glory is most clearly displayed? How can you take a moment to reflect on this when you are busy or stressed?
Creator God, the whole world is full of Your glory. I thank You for the constant reminders in creation—including the stars—of Your mighty power and wonderful love.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Psalm 8:3–4 express King David’s amazement that the Creator of the cosmos would pay any mind to the human race. Much of the rest of the psalm, however, reviews what is remarkable about human beings. We’ve been created “a little lower than the angels,” powerful servants of God (v. 5; 104:4; Hebrews 1:7). We’ve been “crowned” by our Maker “with glory and honour” (Psalm 8:5). And He’s charged us from the beginning of human history with caring for this wonderful planet ( Genesis 1:28). The psalmist notes that God made us “rulers over the works of [His] hands,” including every living creature on earth (Psalm 8:6–8). Ultimately, though, the glory isn’t ours at all. David rightfully begins and ends his psalm with this declaration of praise: “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
Tim Gustafson
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The Crown of Life
God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. James 1:12 NLT
READ James 1:1–12
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Twelve-year-old LeeAdianez Rodriguez-Espada was worried that she’d be late for a 5K run (just over 3 miles). Her anxiety led her to take off with a group of runners fifteen minutes earlier than her start time. She didn’t realise it, but they were participants of the half-marathon (more than 13 miles!). LeeAdianez fell in pace with other runners and put one foot in front of the other. At mile four, with the finish line nowhere in sight, she realised that she was in a longer and more difficult race. Instead of dropping out, she simply kept running. The accidental half-marathoner completed the race and placed 1,885th out of 2,111 finishers. Now that’s perseverance!
While undergoing persecution, many first-century believers in Jesus wanted to drop out of the race for Christ, but James encouraged them to keep running. If they patiently endured testing, God promised a double reward (James 1:4, 12). Firstly, “perseverance [would] finish its work” so they could be “mature and complete, not lacking anything” (v. 4). Secondly, God would give them the “crown of life”—life in Jesus on earth and the promise of being in His presence in the life to come (v. 12).
Some days the Christian race feels like it’s not the one we signed up for—it’s something longer and more difficult than we expected. But as God provides what we need, we can persevere and keep on running.
By Marvin Williams
REFLECT & PRAY
What difficulty are you enduring right now? What can you do to remain faithful to God as you undergo testing?
Dear God, my legs are tired, and I feel like giving up. Please strengthen me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
James encourages believers in Jesus experiencing “trials” (1:2, 12) by describing their unseen value—growth in perseverance, maturity, and wisdom (vv. 3-5). How believers respond to difficulty witnesses to their faith in Christ, who promises them a “crown of life” (v. 12).
Many believe these trials included persecution for their faith. New Testament scholar Scot McKnight argues that James’ emphasis on the dangers of wealth and the value of humility and poverty (vv. 9-11; 2:1-7) suggests that this persecution took the form of economic oppression. In James 2:6-7, the author describes the wealthy exploiting and oppressing believers.
Monica La Rose
#thoughts#me moi en mezelf#bible readings#daily devotion#december 2023#odb#mentalheathawareness#the crown of life
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Meeting the Needs of Others
If you take your neighbour’s cloak as a pledge, return it by sunset. Exodus 22:26
READ Exodus 22:22–27
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Phillip’s father suffered from severe mental illness and had left home to live on the streets. After Cyndi and her young son Phillip spent a day searching for him, Phillip was rightly concerned for his dad’s wellbeing. He asked his mother whether his father and other people without homes were warm. In response, they launched an effort to collect and distribute blankets and cold-weather gear to homeless people in the area. For more than a decade, Cyndi has considered it her life’s work, crediting her son and her deep faith in God for awakening her to the hardship of being without a warm place to sleep.
The Bible has long taught us to respond to the needs of others. In the book of Exodus, Moses records a set of principles to guide our interaction with those who lack plentiful resources. When we’re moved to supply the needs of another, we’re to “not treat it like a business deal” and should make no gain or profit from it (Exodus 22:25). If a person’s cloak was taken as collateral, it was to be returned by sunset “because that cloak is the only covering your neighbour has. What else can they sleep in?” (v. 27).
Let’s ask God to open our eyes and hearts to see how we can ease the pain of those who are suffering. Whether we seek to meet the needs of many—as Cyndi and Phillip have—or those of a single person, we honour Him by treating them with dignity and care.
By Kirsten Holmberg
REFLECT & PRAY
How has God supplied your needs through others? Whose needs might you be able to meet?
Heavenly Father, please open my eyes to the needs of others.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
God gave the Ten Commandments to instruct His people how to bring honour to God through their lives. Commandments 1-4 (Exodus 20:1-11) instruct us to love God and commandments 5-10 (vv. 12-17) deal with loving our neighbour (Leviticus 19:18, 34). Moses then laid down various stipulations to teach God’s people how to love their neighbours (Exodus 21:1-23:9). In Exodus 22:21-27, Moses teaches us how to love the foreigner, the widow, and the orphan—the epitome of the poorest of the poor in ancient Jewish society. Love for neighbours means justice and compassion for the needy. Moses reminded the Israelites that God “shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10:17-18). And Moses warned, “Cursed is anyone who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow” (27:19).
K. T. Sim
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God’s Wisdom Saves Lives
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and the one who is wise saves lives. Proverbs 11:30
READ Proverbs 11:24–31
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A postal worker became concerned after seeing one of her customers’ post pile up. The postal worker knew the elderly woman lived alone and usually picked up her letters every day. Making a wise choice, the worker mentioned her concern to one of the woman’s neighbours. This neighbour alerted yet another neighbour, who had a spare key to the woman’s home. Together they entered their friend’s home and found her lying on the floor. She had fallen four days earlier and couldn’t get up or call for help. The postal worker’s wisdom, concern and decision to act probably saved her life.
Proverbs says, “the one who is wise saves lives” (Proverbs 11:30). The discernment that comes from doing right and living according to God’s wisdom can bless not only ourselves but those we encounter too. The fruit of living out what honours Him and His ways can produce a good and refreshing life. And our fruit also prompts us to care about others and to look out for their wellbeing.
As the writer of Proverbs asserts throughout the book, wisdom is found in reliance on God. Wisdom is considered “more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her” (8:11). The wisdom God provides is there to guide us throughout our lives. It just might save a life for eternity.
By Katara Patton
REFLECT & PRAY
How can you use wisdom to help someone today? How much do you value wisdom?
Heavenly Father, please give me wisdom to follow Your path and directions. Help me to look out for others as You guide me.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
As general statements of wisdom and guidelines for living, proverbs predict expected outcomes based on our wise or foolish choices. Generosity is the theme of several of these proverbs (11:24-26), and the conclusion is clear: generosity is a wise approach to life. The apostle Paul highlighted the principle of sowing and reaping mentioned in verse 24 when he wrote, “Whoever sows generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6 ). Conversely, hoarding hurts both ourselves and others. By distributing what we have, we bless all concerned. Bible commentator David Stabnow points out how King Sihon of Heshbon refused to sell grain to the Israelites when they were passing through his land, and he and his people were destroyed (Deuteronomy 2:26-36). Joseph, on the other hand, stored grain for the purpose of distributing it. By doing so, he blessed the entire region with life—and preserved the nation of Israel in the process (Genesis 41:56).Tim Gustafson
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The Day after Christmas
Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19
READ Luke 2:15–20
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After all the joy of Christmas Day, the following day felt like a let-down. We’d stayed overnight with friends but hadn’t slept well. Then our car broke down as we were driving home. Then it started to snow. We had abandoned the car and taxied home in the snow and sleet feeling blah.
We’re not the only ones who’ve felt low after Christmas Day. Whether it’s from excessive eating, the way carols suddenly disappear from the radio, or the fact that the gifts we bought last week are now on sale half price, the magic of Christmas Day can quickly dissipate!
The Bible never tells us about the day after Jesus’ birth. But we can imagine that after walking to Bethlehem, scrambling for accommodation, Mary’s pain in giving birth, and having shepherds drop by unannounced (Luke 2:4–18), Mary and Joseph were exhausted. Yet as Mary cradled her new-born, I can imagine her reflecting on her angelic visitation (1:30–33), Elizabeth’s blessing (vv. 42–45) and her own realisation of her baby’s destiny ( vv. 46–55). Mary “pondered” such things in her heart (2:19), which must have lightened the tiredness and physical pain of that day.
We’ll all have ‘blah’ days, perhaps even the day after Christmas. Like Mary, let’s face them by pondering the One who came into our world, forever brightening it with His presence.
By Sheridan Voysey
REFLECT & PRAY
When are you prone to feeling low after a high? How can you ponder today all that Jesus has brought into the world?
Dear Jesus, I praise You for entering our dark world, forever brightening my days with Your presence.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Luke tells us that “all who heard” what had been told to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth “were amazed” (2:18). In the gospel of Luke, amazement or astonishment is a recurring description of how people respond to God’s actions (see 1:63; 2:33; 4:22; 8:25; 9:43; 11:14). Amazement is the appropriate and natural response to His wonders. But such amazement isn’t identical with belief. For example, in Luke 24:41 , after Christ’s appearance to His disciples after His death, we’re told “they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement.” It’s possible that Luke emphasizes that “Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” (2:19) to capture the value of not only reacting with amazement but also continually and daily wrestling with the realities of what God is doing. Luke’s comment on Mary’s pondering could also indicate Luke relied on her testimony (see 1:2-3) for his account of the shepherds.
Monica La Rose
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Fellowship in Jesus
Encourage one another and build each other up. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
READ 1 Thessalonians 5:11–15
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I’m not sure who’s responsible for turning out the lights and locking up the church after our Sunday morning service, but I know one thing about that person: Sunday dinner is going to be delayed. That’s because so many people love to hang around after church and talk about life decisions, heart issues and struggles, and more. It’s a joy to look around twenty minutes after the service and see so many people still enjoying each other’s company.
Fellowship is a key component of the Christ-like life. Without the connectivity that comes from spending time with fellow believers, we’d miss out on many benefits of being a believer.
For instance, Paul says we can “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11). The author of Hebrews agrees, telling us not to neglect getting together, because we need to be “encouraging one another” (Hebrews 10:25). And the writer also says that when we’re together, we “spur one another on towards love and good deeds” (v. 24).
As people dedicated to living for Jesus, we prepare ourselves for faithfulness and service as we “encourage the disheartened” and are “patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Living that way, as He helps us, allows us to enjoy true fellowship and “to do what is good for each other and for everyone else” (v. 15).
By Dave Branon
REFLECT & PRAY
What benefits do you gain from being with believers? How can you help others experience fellowship in Christ?
Dear God, please help me to be someone who generously encourages others in love and compassion.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Scholars believe that Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, likely written around AD 50, may be the oldest writing in the New Testament. In this letter, Paul writes to a new community of believers in Jesus who emerged as a result of Paul and Silas’ visit to Thessalonica during Paul’s second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-9). Paul described himself and Silas as like a “nursing mother” (1 Thessalonians 2:7) or “father” (v. 11 ) to the Thessalonians. The church was primarily gentile (non-Jewish) believers; we’re told they’d “turned to God” from idol worship (1:9-10), a primarily gentile practice. Paul seems to have written 1 Thessalonians in response to a visit from Timothy, who brought an encouraging report of the believers’ “faith and love” (3:6) but may have also hinted at things “lacking in [their] faith” (v. 10 ). In this letter, Paul reinforces the heart of the gospel message and encourages the Thessalonian believers on how to live out their new faith.
Monica La Rose
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Walls Torn Down, Unity Found
[Jesus] broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. Ephesians 2:14 NLT
READ Ephesians 2:11–22
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Since 1961, families and friends had been separated by the Berlin Wall. Erected that year by the East German government, the barrier kept its citizens from fleeing to West Germany. In fact, from 1949 to the day the structure was built, it’s estimated that more than 2.5 million East Germans had bolted to the West. One world leader stood at the wall in 1987 and famously said, “Tear down this wall.” Those words reflected a groundswell of change that culminated with the wall being torn down in 1989—leading to Germany’s joyous reunification.
Paul wrote of a “wall of hostility” torn down by Jesus (Ephesians 2:14). The wall had existed between Jews (God’s chosen people) and gentiles (all other people). And it was symbolised by the dividing wall (the soreg) in the ancient temple erected by Herod the Great in Jerusalem. It kept gentiles from entering beyond the outer courts of the temple, though they could see the inner courts. But Jesus brought “peace” and reconciliation between the Jews and gentiles and between God and all people. He did so by “[breaking] down the wall . . . that separated us” by “his death on the cross” (vv. 14, 16 NLT). The “Good News of peace” made it possible for all to be united by faith in Christ (vv. 17–18 NLT).
Today, many things can divide us. As God provides what we need, let’s strive to live out the peace and unity found in Jesus (vv. 19–22).
By Tom Felten
REFLECT & PRAY
What dividing walls do you see? How can you help remove them in Jesus’ strength?
God of peace, please help me tear down walls that deny Your truth and love.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Paul’s reference to the “uncircumcised” is rooted in the derision Jewish people misguidedly directed at gentiles (Ephesians 2:11). Circumcision was a sign that set Jewish males apart for God (Genesis 17:1-14). But Paul wrote that “a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code” (Romans 2:29). As he wrote Ephesians, Paul was in prison, wrongly charged with bringing a non-Jew into the temple area ( Acts 21:27-29). God, however, was bringing Jew and gentile together in the body of Christ, the church (Ephesians 2:19-21).
Tim Gustafson
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The Light of Hope
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God. Psalm 42:11
READ Psalm 42
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My mother’s shiny red cross should have been hanging next to her bed at the cancer care centre. And I should have been preparing for holiday visits between her scheduled treatments. All I wanted for Christmas was another day with my mum. Instead, I was home . . . hanging her cross on a fake tree.
When my son Xavier plugged in the lights, I whispered, “Thank You.” He said, “You’re welcome.” My son didn’t know I was thanking God for using the flickering bulbs to turn my eyes towards the ever-enduring Light of Hope—Jesus.
The writer of Psalm 42 expressed his raw emotions to God (vv. 1–4). He acknowledged his “downcast” and “disturbed” soul before encouraging readers: “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God” (v. 5). Even though he was overcome with waves of sorrow and suffering, the psalmist’s hope shone through the remembrance of God’s past faithfulness (vv. 6–10 ). He ended by questioning his doubts and affirming the resilience of his refined faith: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God” (v. 11).
For many of us, the Christmas season stirs up both joy and sorrow. Thankfully, even these mixed emotions can be reconciled and redeemed through the promises of the true Light of Hope—Jesus.
By Xochitl Dixon
REFLECT & PRAY
How has Jesus helped you process grief while celebrating Christmas? How can you support someone who’s grieving this season?
Dear Jesus, thank You for carrying me through times of grief and joy all year round.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Psalm 42 is one of the twelve songs (Psalms 42-49, 84-85, 87-88) credited to the descendants of Korah, members of a Levitical choir commissioned by David to serve in the temple as singers and gatekeepers (1 Chronicles 6:31-33; 9:19; 2 Chronicles 20:19). Scholars say that Psalms 42 and 43 were originally one song, characterized by the introspective question: “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” and the repeated assurance, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (42:5, 11; 43:5).
K. T. Sim
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Learning from Scars
The sun rose above him as he passed Peniel, and [Jacob] was limping because of his hip. Genesis 32:31
READ Genesis 32:2
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Faye touched the scars on her abdomen. She had endured another surgery to remove oesophageal-stomach cancer. This time doctors had taken part of her stomach and left a jagged scar that revealed the extent of their work. She told her husband, “Scars represent either the pain of cancer or the start of healing. I choose my scars to be symbols of healing.”
Jacob faced a similar choice after his all-night wrestling match with God. The divine assailant wrenched Jacob’s hip out of its socket, so that Jacob was left exhausted and with a noticeable limp. Months later, when Jacob massaged his tender hip, I wonder what he reflected on?
Was he filled with regret for his years of deceit that forced this fateful match? The divine messenger had wrestled the truth out of him, refusing to bless him until Jacob owned up to who he was. He confessed he was Jacob, the “heel grabber” (see Genesis 25:26). He’d played tricks on his brother Esau and father-in-law Laban, deceiving them to gain advantage. The divine wrestler said Jacob’s new name would be “Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome” (32:28).
Jacob’s limp represented the death of his old life of deceit and the beginning of his new life with God. The end of Jacob and the start of Israel. His limp led him to lean on God, who now moved powerfully in and through him.
By Mike Wittmer
REFLECT & PRAY
What spiritual scars do you have? How might they symbolise the end of something bad and the start of something new?
Father, my limp is a sign of Your love.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
The context of Jacob’s mysterious wrestling match (Genesis 32:22-32) is his coming encounter with his brother Esau (vv. 3-6). Because of Jacob’s past treachery (25:29-34; 26:34-27:41), he feared Esau would attack him and his family (32:6-12). Soon after, “a man wrestled with him till daybreak” (v. 24 ). In other passages of Scripture, when God reveals Himself in human form, people are initially unable to recognize the visitor as more than human (see Genesis 18:1-2; Judges 6:11-22; 13:10, 21-22). But as daybreak dawns, Jacob seems to grow aware that the stranger is more than human, so he clings in hope of blessing (Genesis 32:26-30).
Monica La Rose
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My God Is Near
The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but . . . present your requests to God. Philippians 4:5–6
READ Philippians 4:4–7
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For more than thirty years, Lourdes, a voice teacher in Manila, had taught students face to face. When she was asked to conduct classes online, she was anxious. “I’m not good with computers,” she recounted. “My laptop is old, and I’m not familiar with video conferencing platforms.”
While it may seem a small thing to some, it was a real stress for her. “I live alone, so there is no one to help,” she said. “I’m concerned that my students will quit, and I need the income.”
Before each class, Lourdes would pray for her laptop to work properly. “Philippians 4:5–6 was the wallpaper on my screen,” she said. “How I clung to those words.”
Paul exhorts us to not be anxious about anything, because “the Lord is near” (Philippians 4:5). God’s promise of His presence is ours to hold on to. As we rest in His nearness and commit everything to Him in prayer—both big and small—His peace guards our “hearts and . . . minds in Christ Jesus” (v. 7).
“God led me to websites about fixing computer glitches,” Lourdes said. “He also gave me patient students who understood my technological limitations.” God’s presence, help and peace are ours to enjoy as we seek to follow Him all the days of our life. We can say with confidence: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (v. 4).
By Karen Huang
REFLECT & PRAY
How can knowing that God is near change your reaction of worry to one of peace? What specific requests can you present to Him?
Dear God, thank You for being near me. Because of Your loving presence, help and peace, I don’t have to be anxious.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT
Centuries before Paul penned the letter to the anxious believers in Jesus at Philippi (see Philippians 4:6-7), God inspired Asaph to write about the blessedness of His nearness (see Psalm 73:23-28). The psalmist’s faith had been challenged by what he’d witnessed around him (vv. 2-14). Those who were far from God—“the wicked” (v. 3 )—were doing well for themselves. The writer’s perspective changed, however, when he “entered the sanctuary of God” (v. 17). Then he acknowledged, “You hold me by my right hand. . . . Whom have I in heaven but you?” (vv. 23, 25). He concludes by saying: “But as for me, the nearness of God is good for me” (v. 28 NASB). When we’re anxious by what’s going on around us, we can be encouraged by His nearness. Paul assures us that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” ( Philippians 4:7).
Arthur Jackson
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