Month: May 2023

Numbers 34:1-35:8; Proverbs 30:1-33; Luke 5:1-16

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. John 12:23

If we knew the future we might attempt to engineer our circumstances to avoid what was ahead of us. Not our  Saviour. Our omniscient Lord knew in eternity that He was the chosen Redeemer and what that would entail: the suffering at the hands of humanity, the loneliness, the horror of bearing infinite sin. Knowing every detail, He still came. For Christ, the joy of obedience and His future exaltation overshadowed the shame of the cross which glorified both Him and His Father. Who is like the Lord! —George Ferrier

There in the garden of tears
My heavy load He chose to bear.
His heart with sorrow was torn
“Yet not My will but Yours”, He said. —Graham Kendrick

Numbers 33:1-56; Proverbs 29::1-27; Luke 4:16-44

Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep. Psalm 36:5-6 NKJV

David begins this psalm, describing the evil of mankind. In spite of their pernicious ways, he reminds us of the majestic grandeur of God in four delightful attributes: mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgments (or just decrees) and relates these attributes to four aspects of His creation. David feels so small as He strives to picture
the greatness of his God. We may become overwhelmed with the sin around us, but peace comes when we lift our eyes heavenward and contemplate our great God’s lovingkindness to us. —Jim Comte

God is still on the throne, He never forsaketh His own;
His promise is true, He will not forget you, God is still on the throne.  —Kittie Louise Suffield

Numbers 32:1-42; Proverbs 28:1-28; Luke 4:1-15

And Peter followed him afar off… Mark 14:54
But having seen them afar off… Hebrews 11:13

Dear Christian, have you wandered from the Lord? Yes, you claim to still “follow” the Lord. You attend the meetings of the local church and maintain basic Christian routines. But, like Peter, you are following “afar off”. But why? Perhaps the problem is that you are no longer looking “afar off” as those Hebrews 11 heroes did. They understood that the very best this world has to offer lasts only “for a season” (Heb. 11:25) and leaves a bitter aftertaste. But the joys the Lord offers are sweet and eternal. Come back to the Father today. He is waiting to restore you, for He is “a God at hand…and not a God afar off” (Jer. 23:23). —Brian Cretney

Back to His dear loving arms would I flee,
When I remember that Jesus loves me. —Philip P. Bliss

Numbers 30:1-31:54; Proverbs 26:13-27:27; Luke 3:1-38

But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?…God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof. Job 28:12, 23
Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?… She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. Proverbs 8:1, 3

Someone has well said that “Wisdom stands at the intersection of every pathway”. Life is full of intersections and detours and personal choices. As we come to each intersection in our life, we need to seek the Lord for His will and direction. “Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom” (1 Cor. 1:30). May we have the mind of Christ as we
meet each choice this new year. —Elizabeth C. Bishop

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord. —Mary E. Byrne

Numbers 29:1-40; Proverbs 25:1-26:12; Luke 2:22-52

To him that is afflicted pity should be shown from his friend. Job 6:14

Job had every right to expect that his three friends would be pitiful and supportive of him in the adverse  circumstances he found himself in. Sadly the opposite was true! In theory they came to comfort him (Job 2:11) but in reality stayed to criticise. There are many believers who are passing through deep trials day-by-day. May the Lord help us to adopt a caring and understanding spirit towards them so that they feel supported. The Lord can minister His strength to them through us. —Philip A. Kaye

May the peace of God my Father,
Rule my life in everything,
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing. —Kate B. Wilkinson

Numbers 28:1-31; Proverbs 24:1-34; Luke 2:1-21

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. Psalm 62:5

Someone observed that expectations are resentments waiting to happen. What about the psalmist’s expectation quoted above? If we place our hope and expectation on our savings to provide security, or our health to bring happiness, or our friends to add fulfillment, we may well find resentment when those expectations are not met as we hoped. But if our hope is in the Lord, in His presence, in His unfailing love and kindness, we will never be  disappointed. Our hope will be secure, firmly anchored in Christ’s promises and in His multiplied blessings thus far. —Marilyn MacMullen

The work which His goodness began, the arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is yea and amen, and never was forfeited yet.  —Augustus Toplady

Numbers 26:52-27:23; Proverbs 23:12-35; Luke 1:57-80

[Jesus] said to him, “Do you want to be made well?” John 5:6

This seems an almost unnecessary question. After 38 years of immobility, surely anyone would not hesitate to cry out “Yes!”. But, as with all of the Lord’s words, there is more here than we might initially think. Being made well will involve leaving behind stagnant, unfruitful, and unhelpful situations that nevertheless are comfortable in their familiarity. This is often far harder than it sounds. It will involve exercising new vision for the future. It will demand exertion and carry an expectation of progress. It may bring us into conflict with those who are content for us (and themselves) to languish in the status quo. These are all life changing issues. Do I want to be made well? —S.  McEachern

Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way;
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay. —Adelaide A. Pollard

Numbers 25:1-26:51; Proverbs 22:17-23:11; Luke 1:26-56

You must be born again. John 3:7 NKJV

It was my privilege to sit beside an elderly man in prison telling him God loved him. Tears came into his eyes. On his knees he poured out his heart asking the Lord to save him! Later he said, “My mother told me about the Lord but I would not listen. Had I accepted Him then I wouldn’t have lost my wife, family, friends, everything!”. I said, “You can’t change the past but now you have a new start, for you are born again!”. Mothers today, don’t stop praying for wayward children, in prison or not! —Jim Paul

A mother’s love and prayer has caused the vilest soul,
To seek the pardon of the God he shunned,
A mother’s heart of love will go on loving,
Though all her loved ones from her ways have turned.  —Mary A. Round

Numbers 23:27-24:25; Proverbs 21:12-22:16; Luke 1:1-25

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, “Behold the Lamb of God!” John 1:36

There is something lovely about the walk of the Lord. It was a walk that never faltered or deviated. He never hesitated or had to retrace a step. Every step He took had a sense of purpose and direction. We never read of our Lord running and He was never late for any appointment. His timing was perfect. Each step took Him closer
to Calvary for each one of us. Indeed never man walked like Him. —John M. Clegg

O Lord, when we the path retrace,
Which Thou on earth hast trod;
To man Thy wondrous love and grace,
Thy faithfulness to God. –James G. Deck

Numbers 22:39-23:26; Proverbs 20:1-21:11; James 4:13-5:20

[Elimelech] went to sojourn in the country of Moab. Ruth 1:1
And Boaz said unto the elders, and unto all the people, Ye are witnesses this day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s. Ruth 4:9

The Lord allowed a great famine to grip Bethlehem (“house of bread”). Elimelech tried to escape this trial by going to Moab, the land of compromise. Boaz remained in Bethlehem and endured the trial. Elimelech died in Moab. Boaz became a part of the Messianic lineage! If the Lord allows a trial in our life, how much better for us to stay near to Him and learn what He has to teach us. Challenging though it may be, it will result in our good and His glory. —Lynn Shatford

Take the world, but give me Jesus, Let me view His constant smile;
Then throughout my pilgrim journey, Light will cheer me all the while.  —Fanny Crosby