Devotion – Friday 2 January 2026
Dear Readers
The second day of this New Year brings us a word from the Psalmist that speaks of God’s blessings. The Hundredth and Fifteen Psalms in Verse Thirteen reads as follows: The Lord will bless those who fear him, both small and great. The word “fear” as it is applied in Scripture, was explained by Martin Luther as approaching situations in our lives by seeking God’s loving presence in our daily existence. Looking for our God, not as one of whom we are afraid, one who will punish us, but one whom we respect, trust and love above all things. Yesterday’s reading told of God’s promise of making all things new, this is our God who creates newness of life. When we come to God with our love, respect and trust, acknowledging his mighty power to create and bring about something new and beautiful in our lives, we profess our experience of his reality for us. We see, we behold, how he changes and brings about blessings, beauty from ashes. These blessings are to be enjoyed by all who respect God, the young and the old, the significant and insignificant. God wants to bless earth and the humans he created. He waits for the world and her people to come and adore him.
This is truly the Good News; this is the Gospel for us. God sends his blessings so that we can have the fullness of life and enjoy what he has created for us. Because God rewards us generously and forgives us our mistakes, he wants us to think on those around us in the similar way: forgiving them their trespasses against us. Our doctrinal verse is taken from the First Epistle of Peter, Chapter Three Verse Nine, “Do not repay evil, for evil or abuse for abuse, but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing.” The apostle Peter encourages the Christian congregations to do the opposite of what is expected. They must not retaliate – not an eye for an eye, nor a tooth for a tooth, but following the example of Jesus, praying to God to bless those who are persecuting them.
The law gives one rights and responsibilities, but there is no-one that stands completely innocent before the law. The slightest deviation from the law renders one guilty of not being fully compliant, thus technically guilty of breaking the law. All fall short of this perfection. However, the Gospel speaks through the work of Jesus on the Cross for us. This is the Good News: Christ fulfilled the law on our behalf. God sees those who love him as not guilty, but innocent, ready to receive his blessings. We daily have this glorious possibility of living a new blessed life, received from the hand of God. He wants us to be generous, forgiving those around us, believers and non-believers alike.
Father God, thank you that we are assured that what happens in our lives will be used by you to ultimately bless us and those around us. Help us to be a blessing to those around us as we bless them with our prayers. We are trusting in and hoping on you. Amen.
