The AMI QT Devotionals from October 16-22 are provided by Pastor Shan Gian, who serves as the Fenway site pastor of Symphony Church in Boston. Shan, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania and Gordon Conwell Seminary (M.Div.), is married to Jenny; and they are the proud parents of their first baby Tyler.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Wow!”

Genesis 13:14-18

The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, 15 for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. 16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. 17 Arise, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.” 18 So Abram moved his tent and came and settled by the oaks of Mamre, which are at Hebron, and there he built an altar to the Lord.

At the beginning of the movie The Lion King, Mufasa brings his son Simba to the top of a mountain at sunrise, and tells him that one day he would be king of all of the land that the light touches—it’s a majestic scene. Simba’s response is simply, “Wow,” for he is in awe of how great this promise is. The scene in Genesis 13 is uncannily similar to The Lion King, as God shows Abram (later Abraham) how great His promise is to him. Abram looks up at the land, and God says that “all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever.” Here was Abraham—just one man. And though he was already advanced in age and had yet to even have a son, God, the Creator and ruler of the world, comes to him promising him that he and his many offspring would rule over all of this land. We’re not told what Abram’s immediate response was, but I can just imagine that as he stood there, looking in all directions, seeing how vast and great God’s promise was, that he just said, “Wow.”

There is a sense of awe when we realize that we are part of something so much greater and bigger than ourselves. Many of us might wonder, though, “When will I ever be involved with something that compares to the greatness of God’s promise to Abraham?” The truth is, if you’re a follower of Jesus, you already are! We might not be kings of Pride Rock or owning the land of Canaan, but we are the body of Christ, the church; and Ephesians 1:23 tell us that we as the body are the “fullness” of Christ. As believers, we are called to make Christ “full” to the world, to be the means through which the world hears the good news and knows of the love of Jesus. As the royal priesthood of Jesus, we are the ones whom God will use to proclaim His kingdom to the world. And one day, when we’re in heaven, we’ll look up and see a great multitude of every nation, tribe and tongue, and we’ll altogether worship before the throne of God!

This is what God promises us and if we realize this, I think our response should be, “Wow.”

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for inviting me to be a part of Your kingdom and a part of your body. I thank You that I can live for something greater than myself. Help me to be in awe of You and Your promises to me. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: Acts 10

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Lunch Break Study

Read 2 Corinthians 9:12-14: For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.

Questions to Consider

1. What is the result of the ministry that Paul talks about in this passage?
2. What then can be the result of the ministry that we do?
3. How can you be living in such a way that others will give thanks to God and glorify Him?

Notes

1. This ministry resulted in the needs of the saints being met, but more than that it resulted in “many thanksgivings to God” and God himself being glorified.
2. It’s, of course, the same—meaning, if we, in the name of Jesus, serve and supply the needs of others, our ministry can glorify God and lead to people giving thanks to God. In this passage, Paul is talking specifically about giving financially, but for us, this can be any act of service that we do for the sake of the gospel.
3. Personal reflection—but it can be anything that we do that is not about ourselves but for the kingdom of God.

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Evening Reflection

Jesus invites every single one of us to be a part of His kingdom, as well as part of His royal priesthood, proclaiming His kingdom to the world. We may feel like we’re insignificant in the big scheme of things, but each one of us has a role to play as members of His body. Consider what purpose(s) Jesus has for you in His kingdom.