From Our Daily Bread...
Fireworks of Life - Read: Ephesians 2:12-18
"He himself is our peace." (Ephesians 2:14)
On New Year's Eve, when high powered fireworks detonate across cities and towns worldwide, the noise is loud on purpose. By their nature, say manufacturers, flashy fireworks are meant to split the atmosphere, literally. "Repeater" blasts can sound the loudest, especially when exploded near the ground.
Troubles too, can boom through our hearts, minds, and homes. The "fireworks" of life - family, struggles, relationship problems, work challenges, financial strain, even church division - can feel like explosions, rattling our emotional atmosphere.
Yet we know the One who lifts us over this uproar. Christ Himself "is our peace", Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:14. When we abide in His presence, His peace is greater than any disruption, quieting the noise of any worry, hurt, or disunity.
This would have been powerful assurance to Jews and gentiles alike. They'd once live "without hope and without God in the world" (v. 12). Now they faced threats of persecution and internal threats of division. But in Christ, they'd been brought near to Him, and consequently to each other, by His blood. "For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility" (v. 14).
As we start a new year, with threats of unrest and division ever rumbling on the horizon, let's turn from life's noisy trials to seek our ever-present Peace. He quiets the booms, healing us.
- Patricia Raybon
What "fireworks" are shattering the calm in your life? When you give them to God in prayer, what peace do you feel?
Comforting God, when life's fireworks shock and unsettle me, draw me to Your peace.
From Beside the Still Waters...
Resolutions - Read: Hebrews 13
"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12:2
Resolving to do better is always in order. But have you noticed that many of the resolutions made at this time of year tend to focus on ourselves? "I resolve to lose weight." "I plan to be more organized." "I will overcome this bad habit." We certainly admire those who are able to stick to a program of self-improvement, for we all have areas where we could do better.
However, a closer look at Hebrews 13 reveals something different. This chapter has many nuggets of advice for improving our Christian walk, but these pointers focus on other people. One example is verse 2: "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Such a resolution certainly involves focus on others rather than ourselves.
Another example is verse 16: "But to do good and to communicate forget not." This is not simply a suggestion for improving ourselves, but a directive to reach out and share with people in need. We can "communicate" by sharing our material blessings or by visiting a shut-in, or encouraging a fellow pilgrim on his way.
Verse 17 encourages us to obey our church leaders so that "they may do it with joy, and not with grief". Our overall desire should be to "let brotherly love continue" on the basis that Jesus Christ is "the same yesterday, and today, and for ever."
"O Lord, as we enter this year before us, and as we resolve to reach out to others, grant that we may focus more and more upon You and Your kingdom, and less and less upon ourselves."
Allen Hoover - Ephrata, PA
Each day I'll do a golden deed, By helping those who are in need;
My life on earth is but a span, And so I'll do the best I can.
-William M. Golden
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