Devotion for Wednesday 23 June
Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for today is taken from Psalm 63 verse 4, “I will bless you as long as you live; I will lift up my hands and call on your name,” (NRSVB). David wrote this psalm while he was hiding in the wilderness of Judah. He called on the Lord from a dry and thirsty land, where he found no water. Despite the lack of water in the desert, David lifted his hands up in praise. He experienced the love of God, for even in the dry desert, he found God’s loving-kindness better than life. The joy of the Lord nourished his whole being, and he felt refreshed, so much so, that he could praise God with joyful lips. A peace came over David as he was assured that God would not allow his enemies to overtake him in the desert. Instead of finding the desert terrain inhabitable and hostile, he experienced God’s help and refuge under the shadows of his wings.
Journeying with God, even when the road is steep and treacherous, is a journey of faith. We do not have faith in our faith, but we have faith in the grace of God that we received through the work of Christ on the Cross, that creates faith in us. This faith that God gives us, is faith for every day, faith for every step of our way, enough faith to walk the journey of each day. David called on God as he was fleeing from his enemies, his life in grave danger. There in the dry desert, David found God nourishing him and strengthening him with the revelation that he will not be overpowered by those who were eager to witness his destruction. God’s promises were made real to David and he returned ultimately as King of Israel and was blessed with peace in the latter part of his reign. David walked before God in humility. He expected God’s deliverance and patiently waited for God’s blessings as he journeyed home with God.
In the Gospel of Luke, in Chapter Four, we read that Jesus was full and controlled by the Holy Spirit. He returned from the Jordan, and was tempted by the devil during the forty days that he spent in fasting and prayer in the desert. After being tempted by the Devil Jesus went back to Galilee filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. He conducted teaching in the synagogues and was recognised, honoured and praised by all who came to listen to him. It was in the desert where Jesus received strength and wisdom to counter the attack of Satan. Jesus’ victory over the temptations of Satan was accomplished by Jesus’ feeding on the manna of Scripture, responding with the Word of God to Satan’s temptations. Satan had no answers for truths that Jesus spoke. He temporarily withdrew his attacks as Jesus started his ministry.
The Apostle Paul, in his Letter to the Colossians, writes in Chapter One verses 11 and 12, “We pray that you may be invigorated and strengthened with all power according to the might of His glory, to exercise every kind of endurance and patience, with joy, giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the heritance of the saints, God’s holy, sanctified people in the Light,” (Amplified Bible). Jesus shined his Light, for He is the Light of the World, and where he is, there is no darkness – and evil must flee. Because of the work of Jesus on behalf of us, we are able to stand and experience that evil flee and does not come to us, as we wait with faithfully and joyfully for his deliverance. As Children of God, we are given to be lights in the world, evil cannot flourish in the light of truth, and flees. God makes the desert place a meeting place where God establishes himself as the One who brings beauty from ashes and life out of dust.
Father, we come to you and ask that you will strengthen us for the times when we need to face our enemies. We thank you that you promise us that you will give us courage to face evil bravely and it will flee from us. We ask this in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.
