UPDATED Today’s AMI QT Devotional, provided by Pastor Ryun Chang (AMI Teaching Pastor), was first posted on August 18, 2014.
Devotional Thought for This Morning
“More Important Than the Universe and Angels”
Psalm 8:3-5
When I consider your heavens the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
The universe is much bigger than what David had imagined: in fact, “it is expanding the same in all directions” (Craig). But one thing has remained constant despite the presence of more than 170 billion galaxies in the observable universe: The earth is still the only place where God created life, men who are most dear to Him. No one has proven it otherwise. (Sorry, UFO fans.) While humans may have been ranked lower than the angels in the Old Testament, for those who have partaken of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, these same angels now “serve [us] who will inherit salvation” (Heb. 1:14). Keep that in mind the next time life brings disappointments, for, in light of such a privileged status we enjoy in Christ, how can we not bounce back! So be encouraged!
As a new day dawns, see your problems considering how our God thinks of you: more important than the universe itself and ranked higher than the mighty angels!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is so easy to get down on myself because of my many inadequacies and mistakes. Yet, it is amazing that You would consider me that important because I am created in Your likeness, and because I am a child of God in Christ. Thank you! Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Nehemiah 12
Lunch Break Study
Read Romans 1:22-23: Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Questions to Consider
- Who said this and to whom was it said? (Rom. 1:1. 7)
- Why was this said? (Rom. 1:18-21; 1 Cor. 8:5)
- Why do men prefer to worship created things over the Creator? (Rom. 1:25; Acts 19:24-7)
Notes
- The apostle Paul said this about the Romans during the time when the decadent Nero was the emperor.
- Paul, being aware of the many gods worshiped in the Empire (e.g., Mithras, Cybele, Isis, Bacchus, etc.), wanted to clarify that they were doing so despite clear evidence for the existence of the Creator God.
- The Marxist analysis of religion is not entirely wrong: men can manipulate religion for their own benefit and pleasure. In Ephesus, many promoted the worship of Artemis (which promoted sensuality) because the sale of her image was very profitable. By keeping the masses uninformed and ignorant of the truth, this brutal cycle could last a long time. While the Christian church, at times, behaved shamefully, there was always a remnant who worshiped the Creator, upheld His moral and ethical laws, and loved their neighbors.
Evening Reflection
This afternoon we talked about idolatry. In what ways do we commit the sin of idolatry, worshiping “things” instead of our Creator? What does it mean that we worship “things” (last part of Col. 3:5)? It means that, because we are greedy for more things (e.g., wealth, fame, power), we dedicate the best of our thinking, energy, and time to get more wealth and power instead of serving God’s interest. In view of that, who are you truly worshiping? Is it time for a change?