Entries by YMI

ODJ: Overwhelmed

May 23, 2016 in , /by

May 23, 2016 

READ: Luke 22:39-5 

He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood (v.44).

Their faces are wrung with anguish. Bloodied survivors of a terrorist attack stumble out of their Kenyan campus. German families grimly gather at a crash site in the French Alps. Nepalese parents dig through rubble, desperately calling the name of their lost child. As long as we live in a fallen world, humans will have moments when it seems we can’t go on.

Even if they’re the Son of God.

Jesus was always in control. He knew exactly what to say and do in any situation. When a mob tried to throw Him off a cliff, He quietly walked right through them. He calmed stormy seas, healed the hurting and shrugged off trick questions with ease. What to do with a woman caught in adultery? Should He heal on the Sabbath? Pay taxes to a corrupt government? Each time Jesus’ answer stymied His opponents and elevated the discussion. He seemed prepared for anything, until He wasn’t.

Jesus never gave up, but He faced a time when His heart was deeply troubled. Sweat poured out so profusely that it ran like blood, the blood He knew He must shed. Jesus confided to His friends, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death.” Then He staggered onwards alone and prayed, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Matthew 26:38-39).

Jesus arose and steadied Himself. Choosing to rest in His Father’s will, He marched out to meet the band of arresting soldiers.

What storms are you facing? You are not alone. Your Saviour “has gone through suffering and testing”, and “he is able to help us when we are being tested” (Hebrews 2:18). Jesus has been where you are, and He will carry you through.

—Mike Wittmer

365-day plan: Isaiah 53:1-12

MORE
Read Hebrews 2:5-18 to learn why Jesus understands whatever painful trial you’re suffering. 
NEXT
What has sunk your spirits today? Give it to Jesus. Ask Him for the grace you need and praise Him for His presence. 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Why Me?

May 23, 2016 in , /by

May 23, 2016 

READ: Ruth 2:1-11 

Why have I found such favor in your eyes? Ruth 2:10

 

Ruth was a foreigner. She was a widow. She was poor. In many parts of the world today she would be considered a nobody—someone whose future doesn’t hold any hope.

However, Ruth found favor in the eyes of a relative of her deceased husband, a rich man and the owner of the fields where she chose to ask for permission to glean grain. In response to his kindness, Ruth asked, “What have I done to deserve such kindness? . . . I am only a foreigner” (Ruth 2:10 nlt).

Boaz, the good man who showed Ruth such compassion, answered her truthfully. He had heard about her good deeds toward her mother-in-law, Naomi, and how she chose to leave her country and follow Naomi’s God. Boaz prayed that God, “under whose wings” she had come for refuge, would bless her (1:16; 2:11-12; see Ps. 91:4). As her kinsman redeemer (Ruth 3:9), when Boaz married Ruth he became her protector and part of the answer to his prayer.

Like Ruth, we were foreigners and far from God. We may wonder why God would choose to love us when we are so undeserving. The answer is not in us, but in Him. “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Rom. 5:8 nlt). Christ has become our Redeemer. When we come to Him in salvation, we are under His protective wings.

— Keila Ochoa

Dear Lord, I don’t know why You love me, but I don’t doubt Your love. I thank You and worship You!

Gratefulness is the heart's response to God's undeserved love.  

ODJ: Greater

May 22, 2016 in , /by

May 22, 2016 

READ: Mark 4:35-41  

Soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water (v.37).

Howling winds, booming thunderclaps and lightning flashes tend to make me nervous, even when I’m sheltered in a safe, dry place. Gentle rain showers I can handle. It’s the clamour and din of an intense storm that get me. So Jesus could well have been speaking to me when He asked His disciples, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40).

Caught in the midst of a raging storm, the disciples must have stared incredulously at their slumbering rabbi. Waking Him, they asked reproachfully, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” (v.38). When Jesus rebuked the storm and all became calm, the terrified men couldn’t believe their eyes. “ ‘Who is this man?’ they asked each other. ‘Even the wind and waves obey him!’ ” (v.41).

By that time the disciples had seen Jesus do and say enough to have an inkling of His identity. Yet the pounding waves made them lose perspective to the point of wondering who their Teacher really could be. I can imagine how they felt. When facing a storm in life, I often forget that I’m safe in Him and instead allow circumstances to make me anxious.

The noise and turmoil of life have a way of obscuring our vision from the truth of God’s Word and who He is. Isaiah 30:15 says, “Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength.” When we turn off our distractions and rest quietly in God’s presence, His peace permeates our hearts and strengthens our confidence.

Rather than using our minds to conjure up images of calamity and chaos, we will see—as the disciples did—that He who is with us is greater than the storms we face, no matter how large and loud they are.

—Remi Oyedele

365-day plan: Isaiah 6:1-13

MORE
Read Psalm 107:23-30 for the Bible’s view of who is ultimately in control of all things. 
NEXT
What’s frightened you the most about a storm (physical or emotional) you’ve experienced? How does the knowledge that God is greater than our storms impact the way you feel? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: Paddling Home

May 22, 2016 in , /by

May 22, 2016 

READ: Philippians 3:12-16 

One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. Philippians 3:13

 

I like Reepicheep, C. S. Lewis’ tough little talking mouse in the Chronicles of Narnia series. Determined to reach the “utter East” and join the great lion Aslan [symbolic of Christ], Reepicheep declares his resolve: “While I may, I sail East in Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I row East in my coracle [small boat]. When that sinks, I shall paddle East with my four paws. Then, when I can swim no longer, if I have not yet reached Aslan’s Country, there shall I sink with my nose to the sunrise.”

Paul put it another way: “I press on toward the goal” (Phil. 3:14). His goal was to be like Jesus. Nothing else mattered. He admitted that he had much ground to cover but he would not give up until he attained that to which Jesus had called him.

None of us are what we should be, but we can, like the apostle, press and pray toward that goal. Like Paul we will always say, “I have not yet arrived.” Nevertheless, despite weakness, failure, and weariness we must press on (v. 12). But everything depends on God. Without Him we can do nothing!

God is with you, calling you onward. Keep paddling!   

— David Roper

Lord, help us learn that we do not press on toward our goal by our own effort but through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Apart from You, we can do nothing. Work in us today, we pray.

God provides the power we need to persevere.  

ODJ: Voice of Reason

May 21, 2016 in , /by

May 21, 2016 

READ: Acts 5:29-39  

If it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them (v.39).

Except for technological advances, the first century AD wasn’t much different than the 21st. The human condition can be depressingly consistent: injustice, exploitation, oppression, violence.

You’d think that in Jerusalem—the centre of the early church—justice would have been gaining traction. Actually it took a step backwards. The powerful but aloof Romans remained disinterested in preventing religious oppression of the first Christians.

We read in Acts: “The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people” (5:12). As crowds came and the band of believers grew, “the high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy” (v.17). They threw the apostles in jail. But then an angel of the Lord miraculously delivered them (vv.19-20). The emboldened apostles went back to the temple. But rather than believe in the divine intervention at work, the religious leaders simply detained the men again. When Peter challenged their power, the religious leadership grew enraged and plotted to kill them (v.33).

God used an unlikely individual to intervene. A Pharisee named Gamaliel, “respected by all the people”, stood up and made a reasoned argument (v.34). “If [the apostles] are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!” (vv.38-39). A voice of reason had helped spare the grateful apostles’ lives! Later they continued to preach the good news: “Jesus is the Messiah” (v.42).

As we encounter rage and oppression today, may we provide a voice of reason that reflects God and His grace.

—Tim Gustafson

365-day plan: Ecclesiastes 12:1-14

MORE
Read Acts 5:12-28 for the whole story of how the apostles courageously taught in the temple despite the direct threat to their lives.  
NEXT
What situations have recently occurred in your circles that could use a voice of reason? How do you respond to the rage of others? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)

ODB: God’s Dwelling Place

May 21, 2016 in , /by

May 21, 2016 

READ: Revelation 21:1-7 

There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. Revelation 21:4

 

James Oglethorpe (1696–1785) was a British general and member of Parliament who had a vision for a great city. Charged with settling the state of Georgia in North America, he planned the city of Savannah according to that vision. He designed a series of squares, each having a green space and designated areas for churches and shops, with the rest reserved for housing. The visionary thinking of Oglethorpe is seen today in a beautiful, well-organized city that is considered a jewel of the American South.

In Revelation 21, John received a vision of a different city—the New Jerusalem. What he said of this city was less about its design and more about the character of who was there. When John described our eternal home, he wrote, “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them’” (v. 3). And because of who was there—God Himself—this dwelling place would be notable for what was not there. Quoting from Isaiah 25:8, John wrote, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death” (v. 4).

No more death! Nor will there be any more “mourning or crying or pain.” All our sorrow will be replaced by the wonderful, healing presence of the God of the universe. This is the home Jesus is preparing for all who turn to Him for forgiveness. 

— Bill Crowder

Thank You, Father, that Your Son is preparing a place for us to live with You. Thank You that it will be more than just a wonderful place. It is where we will live with You and know You forever.

While You prepare a place for us, Lord, prepare us for that place.  

ODJ: Source of Truth

May 20, 2016 in , /by

May 20, 2016 

READ: 1 Kings 13:4-24  

The Lord [commanded me]: “You must not eat or drink anything while you are there” (v.9).

Often, when I search for something on the internet, I’m not sure I can trust the information I find. If I type a topic into a well-known search engine, I may end up on a website that features unverified information. Disclaimers warn that experts haven’t reviewed the content and so there’s no way to guarantee that it’s accurate, complete or unbiased. No matter how authentic the material might seem, I know it’s unwise to trust it.

Trusting the wrong source of information was a key part of the downfall of the “man of God from Judah” (1 Kings 13:1). He set out to deliver a message from God with specific instructions: don’t eat or drink anything, and don’t go back the same way you came (vv.9-10). He prophesied and followed God’s rules until he met an old man who invited him to a meal (v.15). The younger man refused, but the old man said, “I am a prophet, too. . . . An angel gave me this command from the Lord: ‘Bring him home with you so he can have something to eat and drink’ ” (v.18).

That evident lie led the young man to go and satisfy his desires against God’s commands. The old man’s status as a prophet carried weight, but he wasn’t trustworthy. Sadly, however, the young prophet followed him and died soon afterward (v.24).

Like this young prophet, we can get into trouble if we turn away from God’s wisdom in favour of what other people tell us. Paul reminds us in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 to “test everything” by what God has revealed to us. As we seek the instruction found in Scripture, the advice of godly counsellors and the counsel of the Holy Spirit, we can make decisions that will honour Him. God is the Source of Truth—may we choose His wisdom today!

—Jennifer Benson Schuldt

365-day plan: Proverbs 5:1-23

MORE
Read Psalm 33:4 and consider what it reveals about God’s trustworthiness. 
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What does Scripture reveal about the issues on your mind today? How can you test the words and advice you’re receiving from others? 

(Check out Our Daily Journey website!)