Restoration
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
SUNDAY, January 28
Isaiah 29:17-21
We serve an amazing God who has foresight into every situation that we experience. His timing may often be a difficult thing for us, especially when we feel that we are down to the end of our rope and all natural resources have run out. Isaiah describes a change that would occur in a very little while: “Will not Lebanon be turned into a fertile field and the fertile field seem like a forest?” (v. 17, NIV). Israel would be restored because their pride would no longer prevent them from hearing God’s Word or seeing God’s work.
Often our sin places us at a position of feeling alienated from ourselves, others, and ultimately God. We find ourselves turning to finite substitutes that can never replace the Ultimate (God). Those lead to more suffering, deep woundedness, and spiritual blindness. What I love about this text is that it reminds us that full restoration is available to all who humbly seek it.
Lord, thank you that your grace initiates your search for us in every condition and restores us. AMEN.
PRAYER FOCUS: SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHERS
God Is Always Present
MONDAY, January 29
Isaiah 43:18-25
The story of growing weary in faith, becoming tired of hoping, and giving up on God is all too familiar to each of us. Israel was demoralized and in exile in Babylon. They had suffered much; their livelihood was destroyed; Jerusalem and the Temple lay in ruins. It seemed as if God had abandoned them.
Here God’s Word comes, reassuring and promising that he is about to do something even greater than what he did in the past. The invitation is a call to remember his past salvation activity.
Sisters and brothers, no matter what is happening in your life today, let us remember what God has done for us in the past. Our faith is rooted in his faithfulness. In Jesus God paid the penalty for our sin and bore our suffering and is with us now and forever and will never abandon us.
Lord, we are thankful that as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you are the one who promises to make all things new. You are faithful and trustworthy. AMEN!
God of Comfort
TUESDAY, January 30
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
What does the word “comfort” mean? For my seven-year-old son, Josiah, it means his star blanket, his favorite stuffy Foxy, or being wedged between his mom and me on the sofa enjoying his favorite snack. For me it would be the elusive first-class seat that I never get to enjoy on a plane or a one-hour Swedish massage.
The meaning of this paragraph hinges on the word “comfort.” The English definition often carries the meaning “to soothe”; however, Paul is not just describing the notion that God soothes us when we experience hardship. Rather, God strengthens us in the midst of our affliction. This allows us in turn to be prepared spiritually to strengthen and encourage others in the future who face similar hardship. If you are going through affliction or deep waters, be encouraged. God will use your life situation to bring spiritual help, strength, and encouragement to others.
Lord, help me to see your greater purpose in the midst of my affliction. AMEN.
PRAYER FOCUS: AWARENESS OF THE WORLD’S NEEDS
Reputation Under Attack
WEDNESDAY, January 31
2 Corinthians 1:18-22
What do you do when your reputation comes under attack? In this passage Paul seems to have made a promise he was unable to fulfill. Accusations were made that he was unstable and untrustworthy because he vacillated on his decision to visit the Corinthians. Without spending much time defending his integrity, Paul quickly transitions from his own reputation to the integrity of God. He tells them, “If you cannot be certain about me, you can be certain about God.” The reputation of the gospel was more important than Paul’s. They could accuse him of not keeping his word, but to say his preaching was not of God was taking it too far.
Paul’s theology, philosophy, and practice had always been consistent. He modeled accountability to Silvanus and Timothy. His relational goal was to always bring glory to God. When offense inevitably comes, God is faithful in his commitment to grow us through all circumstances. In God we are loved eternally. That is the truth we need cling to.
Lord, help us when our reputation is under attack to ground our conversation in your reliability and commitment to grow us and our communities through all misunderstandings. AMEN.
The Aroma of Christ
THURSDAY, February 1
2 Corinthians 2:14-17
Paul describes two different visions of an apostle. One is the career apostle who uses the gospel to launch a successful and respectable career. The other is one who is called to humbly be displayed as a picture of Christ in the sacrificial giving of themselves. One is glorious and victorious in the world’s eyes; the other is conquered. The Corinthians seemed to prefer the first vision. I wonder which one is our preference? Like the Corinthians, we often don’t want an apostle who appears to be humiliated but rather one who looks like a respectable and successful professional.
For Paul, an apostle should look like a captive who has been decisively and publicly conquered by God. In our culture we like celebrity pastors and theologians, and value skills and success that does not look like a crucified Christ.
King Jesus, help us to live as a sacrifice giving off the aroma of Christ as we give ourselves to others. AMEN.
PRAYER FOCUS: GRATEFULLNESS FOR GOD’S GOODNESS
Whatever-It-Takes Faith
FRIDAY, February 2
Mark 2:1-12
This is a story of friendship and faith. Four anxious men arrive carrying their paralytic friend to Jesus. Undeterred by the obstacles they faced, they found a way by removing a few roof tiles and letting their friend down at the feet of Jesus. Jesus is moved by their faith in him and their love for their friend. The paralytic is dependent on his friends to bring him to Jesus, and it is their faith that Jesus acknowledges and responds to. The man never utters a word throughout the encounter. It is his friends’ faith that opens a door to a living relationship with God in Jesus. Faith was the door to his forgiveness, and then to his cure. Our whatever-it-takes faith may help someone we know or do not know.
Lord, we too have felt paralyzed at times, without the courage to act because of some failure or criticism that took the heart out of us. Lord, give us good friends we can rely on like the four stretcher-bearers, to bring us to the point where we can hear you say, “Get up and walk.” AMEN.
God Rescues
SATURDAY, February 3
Galatians 3:5-9
Paul reminds us that the God we worship as Christians is the Jewish God—the God of Abraham, of the Exodus, and of Wisdom. Yet this God is now known as the God who sends his Son and sends the Spirit. It is to him alone that the Galatians must give their full allegiance or risk sliding back to a state similar to where they were before. Paul challenges them to embrace this Triune God.
Israel’s Messiah is the world’s crucified, saving Messiah who brings Jews out of their real exile and rescues Gentiles like you and me from our bondage. As with Abraham who was justified by faith in Yahweh, so too we are justified. This is the good news to which we testify, and a sign that points to the coming fullness of the kingdom of God.
Lord, thank you for rescuing us and offering us your free gift of salvation that we can rest in. AMEN.
PRAYER FOCUS: THOSE WHO CARE FOR OTHERS
