June 4, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Friend of God”

Exodus 33:9-11 (NASB)

Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses.10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

The gods of the Ancient Near East were unpredictable. The people would offer sacrifices to these deities to appease them or please them and invoke some type of blessing upon them. But these gods were mysterious in nature and the people often did not know their standing before these gods: Were the gods pleased with them or were they angry at them? They wouldn’t know what was asked of them, and these gods could seem very distant from them. Yet when we look at the God of the Israelites, we see how different the relationship between God and His people is compared with the gods of the Ancient Near East. God was not unpredictable. Each time Moses entered into the Tent of Meeting, God would be there to speak with Moses. God was not distant. He did not have to speak to Moses remotely or through another medium, but He would be there to speak to Moses face to face.

In verse 11, it says that the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. There was an intimacy that Moses experienced with the God of this universe. Often times, I think to myself how amazing it would have been to be in Moses’ shoes. He got to encounter the living God face to face. He got to see the glory of God. But the truth is, Moses would have been so jealous of the position that we are in—what he saw in part, we now see in fullness. He was only permitted to see part of the glory of God, whereas we have the fullness of the glory of God dwelling inside of us. I often forget that the Holy Spirit dwells within me. This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday – it’s a reminder that the Holy Spirit has come down upon His people to dwell in their midst. It’s a reminder that we are baptized by the Holy Spirit and the fullness of His glory.

Do you truly believe that this glory resides in you? My prayer is that you would not live another day believing the lie that God is far away, hard to predict, or hard to appease. Rather, believe that if you have confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior, you have to right to become a child of God. And as a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you.

Prayer: Father, I often forget the glorious truth that Your glory and Your very Spirit resides within me. Help me never to forget that. Help me to live a life that reflects that reality – that I don’t have to go through intermediary means, but that I have direct access to You. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for what Jesus did on that cross so that we would be able to be filled with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 26

Lunch Break Study

Read John 1:29-34 (ESV): “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son[i] of God.”

Question to Consider

What does John the Baptist say about Jesus?
What does Jesus being the baptizer of the Spirit mean for us?
Have you asked for the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Notes

John the Baptist prophetically declares that Jesus would be the ultimate Passover lamb of God, who would come to take away the sins of the world, but he also goes on to declare that Jesus would be the baptizer of the Spirit.
We often focus on the fact that Jesus is the Passover Lamb—and He definitely is that—but He is more than that. He is the one who has baptized us with the Holy Spirit so that we have the glorious presence of Holy Spirit in our lives. While the cross and the atonement of our sins is important, we also need to remember that Jesus came not just to die for the sins of the world, but to give us His very Spirit—something that has been restored to us since before the fall of man.
In Acts 19, Paul asks some new converts whether they received the Holy Spirit when they believed, but they did not even know of this baptism. We must know that when we come to know Jesus, we not only go through water baptism as an outward manifestation of an inward transformation, but we also must receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit – the one who will help us to walk out our faith with power and victory.

Evening Reflection

Baptism of the Holy Spirit is something that every believer receives when they become part of the family of God (through confession and repentance). But the filling of the Holy Spirit, however, is something that we need to ask for – because we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that we can overcome and be victorious in our life. Tonight, ask that the Holy Spirit would fill you in every aspect of your life, so that you would be able to live this life in power and victory.

June 3, Monday

The AMI Devotional Blogs from June 3-8 are written by Phillip Chen, college pastor at Church of Southland. Philip, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, completed his Master of Divinity program at Talbot School of Theology this past spring. More importantly, he and his wife Esther recently became brand new parents—congratulations! May God richly bless this family.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“God Keeps His Promises”

Exodus 33:1-3 (NASB)

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ 2 I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3 Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.”

Have you ever had to work with people who were a pain in the neck? Multiply that a thousand and you have the Israelites. The Israelites were an incredibly hard group of people to lead. In fact, they were called an obstinate people. The definition of obstinate, according to the dictionary, is to be “stubbornly refusing to change one’s opinion or chosen course of action, despite attempts to persuade one to do so.” God had shown them miracle after miracle, mercy after mercy, direction after direction, and they were still so stubbornly stuck in their rebellious ways.

Before we look down upon the Israelites and their attitude towards God, we need to ask ourselves: Are we that much better? Do we not have our stubborn moments where we refuse to bend to the leading of God, sometimes to the point where something has to break in order for us to start paying attention to Him? Aren’t we also at times so stuck in our ways that we don’t even recognize God’s promptings to change direction? This may be an indictment against Israel, but it definitely speaks to me as well.

But while this passage is intended to show God’s anger against Israel and His plan to send them away without His presence, what I am amazed by is the overwhelming faithfulness of God. He vows to fulfill the promise that wasn’t even directly given to the Israelites. This promise was given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and yet He chooses to honor it, even though the Israelites have broken covenant with God so many times. God has every right to forsake His covenant with His people, but He chooses not to. He will still honor His covenant to bring the Israelites into the Promised Land.

When I first became a believer, I made promises to God that I would love Him forever, that I would always seek His face and desire Him above all things. As I’m older now, I don’t make those promises as quickly. Rather, I ask God for His grace to enable me to honor Him in the way I should. I know that I will break those promises and grieve the heart of God, but I am confident in this: God is faithful and full of mercy. God knew from the beginning that we would not be able to uphold our end of the bargain, and thus He has made a way, through Jesus Christ, to once and for all bring us into the promised land of His presence.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your faithfulness. I know that there are so many times in my life that I act stubbornly and resist Your perfect leadership. I recognize my rebellion and I ask for Your mercy to submit to Your lordship. Help me to trust in Your goodness and trust in Your faithfulness. Thank You for Your patience and Your loving kindness towards me. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 25

Lunch Break Study

Read Numbers 23:19 (NASB): God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Question to Consider

What does this verse tell us about the character of God?
Is this particular attribute of God (trustworthiness/faithfulness) something that you believe about God?

Notes

God’s character is different than that of humans. Even though He is often described with human features, He is entirely different than us. This verse tells us that particularly in trustworthiness, God is not to be doubted – what He says will happen will happen and what He does cannot be disputed because He cannot betray His character.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Are there areas of your life that you are particularly stubborn in? Sometimes those areas are our biggest blind spots. We don’t even think that these areas need change or bend to the will of God. But perhaps God is highlighting something to you through discipline or circumstance. Humble yourself before God and ask Him for His perfect leadership.

June 2, Sunday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“Forgiveness”

Exodus 32:21-24

And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

When ministering to people, I am often reminded of two things: how easily we can hurt others and the importance of forgiveness. As I often counsel people through their past hurts or frustrations, I am reminded of how I am dealing with my own issues—whether it be asking for forgiveness or forgiving others. This causes me to make sure that I am first heeding the wisdom of God as I am helping others. It’s often said in our church that there’s nothing that will hinder our relationship with God like unforgiveness.

In today’s passage, we see Moses confronting Aaron regarding the golden calf and the role he played in it. Aaron’s response in v. 24 is quite dissatisfactory: “So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

What we actually read in the account is quite different. Aaron (or perhaps someone under Aaron’s direction) fashioned with a graving tool the golden calf (32:4). This is very different from what Aaron tells Moses—that in went the gold and out came the calf. It’s unsatisfactory because it doesn’t seem like Aaron is owning up to his mistakes; there is a passivity to Aaron’s response.

And the narrative just carries on. We see Moses purifying Israel as those who rebelled are put to death, but we know Aaron is spared. The priestly garments are made according to God’s instructions and given to Aaron and his sons to serve as priests. There is no account of resolution or even full acceptance by Aaron. Despite his disobedience, God showed mercy on Aaron and continued to use him.

For Moses, I imagine he had to deal with this. He had to continue to serve beside someone who betrayed his trust. And this greatly challenges me when I consider those that I struggle with or people who have wronged me in the past. We are called to forgive, just as God has forgiven them and has forgiven us.

Brothers and sisters, the truth is that if we do not forgive those whom God has forgiven, it is no longer their wrongdoing, but it is our sin before God.

It’s not easy. Often, we commit in our heads but have to keep fighting for our hearts to catch up. Forgiving others is impossible without the Holy Spirit. Therefore, our first step must be to pray. Pray for ourselves. Pray for the other person. Deuteronomy 9:20 shows us that even Moses prayed for Aaron: “And the Lord was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.”

Only when we invite the Holy Spirit to fight on our behalf so that we can forgive, can we experience breakthrough. On this day, as you go to worship (or perhaps you’ve already returned from worship), may our unwillingness to forgive never hinder us from offering acceptable worship before God. It is the touch of God that we need more than anything that empowers us to forgive.

Brothers and sisters, let us forgive one another as we have been forgiven.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for the incredible weapon, which is forgiveness; this powerful weapon that can cut the ties of the enemy and bring about healing to our relationships. But You know the weakness of our flesh, that we cannot do it without You. So we ask for the Holy Spirit to come and change our hearts. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1Samuel 24

June 1, Saturday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“God is Faithful to Himself”

Exodus 32:11-14

But Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the Lord relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

A joke we used to toss around in youth group was this: “Can God microwave a burrito so hot that He Himself could not eat it?” This question was answered by an incredibly wise teacher: “No, God doesn’t do anything stupid like that.” But even within this child’s play, there is a deep theological truth we must grasp: God always acts according to His perfect character. God is always faithful to Himself.

We see an interesting exchange between Moses and God. We first must recognize that God has every right to be angry at the situation – the people He had saved were now worshipping a manmade idol whom they claimed rescued them from Egypt. Now, this isn’t a surface level, teenager worried about His “rep” kind of response from God. There is a deeper importance to God’s zeal for His own Name.

It is about His character. God is always true to Himself. He is above all true to His glory. God’s faithfulness to Himself is the only thing that is holding the world together. This is the glory and grace of God. And the reality is that only when God is true to His glory can there be incredible grace and mercy that trickles down to us.

We know that the only reason why Israel is God’s people is because God chose them. It wasn’t because of their impressive stature. And in Moses intercession, he brings to remembrance (not that God forgets) the covenant that God had made with these people. The promise of blessing to not only Israel, but to all the nations. And this was to be fulfilled not because the people were capable of good, but because God is faithful.

Two things that we see here at play: (1) What is best for mankind is that God is always true to Himself. There are a lot of people out there who think that they understand what is best for the world, even if that means God going against His nature. But the truth is, no matter how unfair or unjust things may seem in our eyes, what is best for all of creation is that God remains faithful to Himself. And here we see the incredible mercy of God that results from God’s faithfulness to Himself as a covenant-keeping God.

(2) The power of prayer. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, said this: “God does nothing except in response to believing prayer.” It describes the reality in which we live where God responds to the intercessions of His people. More specifically, God responds to the prayers of His people who pray according to His will. And there is an incredible power and excitement when we come to pray the things of God’s heart. And just as one man Moses was able to assuage God’s wrath, we too have the ability to intercede on behalf of people who are in incredible duress, suffering, or even disobedience.

Brothers and sisters, let us continue to give Him no rest (Isa 62.6-7) to intercede on behalf of those who do not have a loving relationship with the Father. Although they may be living in disobedience, it is the Father’s heart that they return to Him.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You are, above all else, faithful to Yourself. For in Your faithfulness to Yourself, do I find grace, mercy, and eternal peace. As I learn and walk deeper in Your ways, help me to pray the things of Your heart, bringing to Your remembrance those who are in need of Your mercy. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 22-23

May 31, Friday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“When God Delays”

Exodus 32:11

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

My experience in ministry has mostly been with college students and young adults/singles, which often lends itself to conversations on dating. The question of “Will I find the right person?” can come off as a lighthearted, rhetorical question, cringing at “the game.” Other times, this question evokes deep seated fear and anxiety. People pray, waiting upon God. But they often wonder if they need to start taking action on their own.

In today’s passage, we see the Israelites growing tired and even anxious about waiting for Moses’ return. Not to say that taking action, whether in dating or any situation in life, is bad, but when we begin to take things into our own control, we often find ourselves in opposition to God.

Moses as a prophet was God’s representative to the people. The people could only understand the voice of God through Moses. So his delay from the mountain was not just a missing man, but it was the absence of God for the Israelites. Rather than waiting in this vast desert, aimlessly waiting for a man who for all they knew could be dead, they took matters into their own hands. And what resulted was an egregious act of defiance that became the iconic picture of sin.

The Bible repeatedly calls us to wait patiently upon the Lord. But in reality, all of us can think of times where waiting feels unproductive. We justify our actions through pseudo-religious principles, choosing what we think is best. The result is an object of worship of our own making, an altar dedicated to something not worthy of our lives.

What we must understand is that this is more than what we do. It is about what we are professing through our actions. In other words, our actions reflect our understanding of God. In verse 4, after the golden calf is made, Aaron proclaims, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” We see how twisted and misrepresented God becomes in our minds. The work of our own hands receives the credit for the blessings of our lives.

This iconic story serves as a warning to us, not just about the dangers of idolatry, but more so, concerning the times we grow impatient and act on our own accord. It is in these moments that we must remind ourselves who it is that actually delivered us from our spiritual Egypt. We must remind ourselves of the unchanging character of God—God who has loved us with an everlasting love. And when theology that we profess aligns to that of God’s true character, we are then in a place where we can hear His voice and act accordingly.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for taking over the direction of my life whenever I become impatient over the “deliberate speed” in which You guide my life. Help me, once again, to trust You and Your plan for my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 21

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Samuel 13:8-13a: [Saul] waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him. 11 Samuel said, “What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, 12 I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you.

Questions to Consider

Take some time to decipher what exactly is going on in the passage (you may need to skim through the rest whole section to understand the context). What exactly is happening?
What did Saul do wrong? What does this reveal about who Saul was or what was going on through his mind? What does it reveal about his understanding of God?
It’s easy for us to look at passages and in hindsight, see things very black and white. But try to understand the kind of pressures that were surrounding Saul. In what ways might you be tempted to take things into your own hands?

Notes

This is early in Saul’s reign over Israel (2 years, [1]). Jonathan, Saul’s son, attacked the Philistines in Geba [3], and now the Philistines were coming to retaliate [5]. Seeing the approaching Philistines, Israel became afraid and started to scatter, hiding away in caves… and pits [6]. Saul was waiting for Samuel to come to intercede on behalf of Israel; however, when Samuel is delayed, Saul takes things into his own hands and offers a burnt offering himself [9]. Samuel comes as soon as Saul finishes, rebuking Saul for his actions and the pending punishment that is to come because of Saul’s disobedience.
Saul disobeyed God’s commands on who is to present offering that is acceptable before Him. A few things we can gather: (1) Saul thought the offering was more important than obeying God’s instructions; this is typical of someone who practices religion over relationship with God – the act of worship is more important than the heart of worship; (2) Saul was afraid because the people were scattering and needed to take control of the situation; (3) perhaps Saul looked to God as more of a “lucky charm” than One who was to be revered and worshipped.
Personal response. More than we realize, we might have more “Saul-like” tendencies than we’d like to think.

Evening Reflection

Is there anything you are waiting on the Lord? Take a moment to remind yourself who God is, especially in light of the passages that we spent time in today. Spend some time in prayer, sharing your honest struggle with waiting; yet confess your faith in who God is.

May 30, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Rhythm of Life”

Exodus 31:17

“It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.”

A major part of my life was spent in the pool. Elementary, junior high, high school, and even one year of college, I swam competitively and played water polo, and the people on my swim team were some of my closest friends. You could say, swimming was life for me. But swimming is also a source of one of my regrets in life.

There is a part of me that believes that I could have30 given more—you know that thought in your mind where you’re really trying but at the same time, you know you’re still holding back a little bit. Whether it be fear or what not, you know there is something holding you back. And I finished my swimming career with that thought lingering in my head, that I could have pushed a little harder, achieved a faster time or accomplished more. This caused me to vow that I wouldn’t make the same mistake in life.

I think I carried some of that mentality into ministry—the idea that if you give more, more will result from it, the more input will result in more output. But I soon discovered as God begin to work through my heart, addressing the insecurities and fears, that ministry—let alone life— doesn’t work that way. Yes, we are called to be diligent, but there is no formula or mechanism that guarantees success.

In today’s passage, we see how the idea of the Sabbath is deeply rooted in the Divine life. A commentator notes that just as God created for six days, resting on the seventh, there is a rhythm to life that is exemplified by God. As we know from the creation account, the work is not fully done—God invites Adam to join Him in the work of naming all the creatures (Genesis 2:20). And yet God sets the seventh day apart for rest.

I think the greater spiritual lesson we can draw from this is not just the importance of keeping the Sabbath holy through rest and worship, but it is a reminder that our lives are meant to become more in sync with God. Just as a musician doesn’t make more or better music by increasing the tempo, we too must remember that in God’s Kingdom, success does not work that way. We are never meant to get in front of God or fall too far behind.

In the Sabbath is a beautiful picture of God and His people, moving through life in synchrony. It is a paradigm shift where the abundant life is not about achieving more but being rooted and in sync with He who is life.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You know us so well. You know our tendencies to want to move ahead of You or behind You. We want to live according to the beat of our own drum. But thank You for the reminder that true abundant life comes from a life that is in sync with You. Help us to live like this. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 20

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 11:25-30: At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Questions to Consider

Before He gets to the section on what our relationship looks like with Him, what does Jesus first establish in verses 25-27? How does this become an anchor to what He teaches us in the remainder of the passage?
If you’ve never seen what a yoke is, take some time to look on Google. Seeing how a yoke works, what insights can you draw upon how this is to be a picture of our relationship with God, especially in light of our reflection today?
How is your co-laboring with Christ? Are you experiencing the kind of rest Jesus promises? What should your response be?

Notes

Before Jesus offers this relationship with us, He reiterates His relationships with the Father and to whom these things have been revealed. It also establishes Jesus’ authority as all things have been handed to Him. This thus becomes the foundation upon Jesus’ offer of rest to us is established.
One of the insights we can draw upon the imagery used by Jesus is about pace. As a yoke ties two animals together to work together in tilling the field, one animal cannot move in front or fall back behind the other animal without the yoke becoming ineffective. The lightness and restfulness of being yoked with Christ comes with not only learning from Him, but walking in the pace that He establishes for us.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

As you close off another day, take a moment to “take your pulse.” How is your sense of rest? How might this be a reflection in terms of living according to God’s pace of life? As you reflect, lift up a prayer to the Lord asking Him to help you in calibrating your life to His.

May 29, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“A People of Rest”

Exodus 31:13-14

“But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you. 14 Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people.

You know you’re from Atlanta (pronounced At-lan-na) when Chick-fil-A isn’t just fast food; it’s a way of life. And you know that there’s no other day that you want Chick-fil-A more than on a Sunday—the day when this icon of delicious Southern hospitality is closed nationwide. This is what is said on their website in regards to their weekly Sunday closure:

“Having worked seven days a week in restaurants open 24 hours, Truett [Cathy, founder] saw the importance of closing on Sundays so that he and his employees could set aside one day to rest and worship if they choose – a practice we uphold today.” And despite opening one day less than most of its competitors, we see that Chick-fil-A on average sales per restaurant is greater than the likes of McDonalds and KFC.

In today’s passage, God once again reiterates the importance of the Sabbath. We see how important the Sabbath is by looking at the language used: “you shall surely… it is holy… put to death… cut off from among his people.” And the ultimate reason why this commandment is given is so that in observing the Sabbath, the people may know God is the Lord that sanctifies them. It is recognizing that it is God alone who delivered the Israelites from Egypt, it is God alone who provides for them as they wandered in the desert, and it is God alone who shall lead them into the Promised Land.

The Sabbath represents the relationship that God’s people enjoy with Him as they are able to rest from all labor and worship Him on this day. What is implied is that those who are not under this covenantal relationship with God cannot enjoy this kind of rest—they must continue to toil and struggle. It is an expression of trust—trusting that in our obedience, God will take care of the rest. Not that we believe that just because we observe the Sabbath, we will be rewarded with financial success like Chick-fil-A, but there is a peace and freedom that comes from knowing that He is our God and we are His people.

In a society driven by grit and hustle, it is truly refreshing to believe that as God’s people, we can live with this sense of peace and rest, because we know who we truly are in Him.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Jesus who is our peace. We thank You that because of the cross, that we no longer have to live based on our own righteousness, but we are able to live in the reality that we are Your children. Help us to observe the Sabbath as a testament of that truth, not just on Sundays, but everyday of our lives. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 19

Lunch Break Study

Read Matthew 6:25-27: “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

John 1:12-13: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Questions to Consider

What lesson is Jesus drawing for the crowd as He directs their attention to the creation? If the argument is from lesser to greater, how are we to understand our relationship with God?
What does the John passage teach us in regards to who we are for those who have received Christ? What connections can we make with the Matthew passage?
When you think about the things you are anxious or fearful about, how might these things conflict with your identity as a child of God? How is the Spirit leading you toward peace?

Notes

When looking at creation, we see that the animals and plants are taken care of by the natural order of God. Unlike their human counterparts, we see that creation does not have an elaborate tactic of security. And if God cares for them, the rhetorical question asked is, how much more so does our Heavenly Father care for us?
John teaches us that through Christ alone have we been given the right to be called children of God. In connection to the Matthew passage, Christ’s offer of grace seals our right to be children of God; therefore, more than all of creation, our Heavenly Father will provide and protect His children. This security is given to us by something more precious than our blood-lineage; it is guaranteed by the righteousness of Jesus.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

Gratitude is a good thermometer of how we are doing in terms of casting our anxieties upon Him. As you end another day, take some time to recognize and give thanks for God’s many provisions for you, how you can live in true freedom rather than under the yoke of constantly seeking security that can only be held by ourselves.

May 28, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Calling and Provision: Corporate”

Exodus 31.6b-11

“. . . and in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you: 7 the tent of meeting, and the ark of testimony, and the mercy seat upon it, and all the furniture of the tent, 8 the table also and its utensils, and the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense, 9 the altar of burnt offering also with all its utensils, and the laver and its stand, 10 the woven garments as well, and the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, with which to carry on their priesthood; 11 the anointing oil also, and the fragrant incense for the holy place, they are to make them according to all that I have commanded you.”

A favorite story of mine growing up is called “Stone Soup.” It is a story of a lonely traveler who seeks shelter in a village. But when the villagers refused to provide food or shelter, he begins to cook what he calls “stone soup.” Placing a large stone in a pot full of water, he shares how excited he is for his meal. This obviously perplexes nearby villagers. Long story short, the traveler tricks the villagers into contributing carrots, potatoes, meat, etc. so that the soup would be that much better; the moral of the story being how much better the outcome can be when everyone contributes.

Yesterday, we reflected on how God calls individuals to join Him in His work, having already placed within them through the Spirit the gifts and means through which they can uniquely contribute to that work. Today, let’s take a moment to reflect on how this can impact a community when people come together to contribute their gifts and talents for the work of God.

We read that the same kind of anointing God placed upon Bezalel and Oholiab will be placed in the hearts of all who are skillful. God did this so that they may make all that he had commanded them. Calling and provision: the commandment given by God along with the means provided by God to accomplish those commandments. I want to remind you of the context in which this is all happening. They have been wandering the deserts. There is no Walmart or Home Depot for them to pull into to get the materials to make the altar of incense or burnt offering, the utensils required, the thread for the garments for Aaron and his sons, the anointing oil, and the list goes one. Just take a glance over chapters 25-30, and you’ll see how exact God’s instructions are for the construction of these things. Even with a Walmart or Home Depot, these things would be near impossible to bring together.

And yet the people of God are able to fulfill the commandments collectively because God had called them, and through them, provided every means and skills required. We see the beauty of what happens when God’s people collectively respond in obedience to join in what He is doing. We see how the provisions for accomplishing these things are found right within the community. The joy an individual experiences in making his God-endowed, unique contribution to the work of God is that much more amplified when God’s people corporately respond in obedience. In this, we see that as much as we are called individually, we are called collectively—this is what it means to be the church of Christ.

Prayer: Lord, help us to recognize the importance of the Body of Christ, after which we immerse ourselves fully into its corporate functioning in such a manner that we all make important contributions to Your work of redeeming the nations. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 18

Lunch Break Study

Read: 1Peter 2:4-7a: As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 So the honor is for you who believe…

Questions to Consider

Take a moment to delve into the imagery used by Peter in this passage. What insights can you draw from the picture?
What is the promise that is provided in this passage when the holy priesthood of God is built up as a spiritual house? What might this imply to those who choose to be a part of God’s spiritual house?
Whether in the ministries you are serving in or your small groups, do you see this building up of living stone happening? In what ways is God calling you to a greater cohesiveness with other living stones?

Notes

There can be a lot of things we can pull from this image, but couple of highlights: (1) the imagery shows that Christ is the first stone that was rejected, and He is the ultimate cornerstone upon which we are built to become the spiritual house of God. Us being living stones = being Christlike. (2) One stone cannot be a house; only when stones are built upon each other can it become a house. Similarly, the church is built not only by one individual, but when all contribute for the sake of building up of the body.
The promise is twofold. When we become living stones like Christ, we will be rejected by the world. But despite being rejected by the world, the promise here is that the honor will be for those who believe. There is a great honor waiting for those who are part of God’s spiritual home.
Personal response. The passage we studied yesterday (Ephesians 4) can also help provide insight in your reflection.

Evening Reflection

When was the last time you took a moment to thank God for your church? Your local church community is one of the most tangible ways in which you see this collective response to God’s calling. It is the place in which you are built up and where you build up. This evening, take a moment to thank the Lord for your community.

May 27, Monday

The AMI QT Devotionals from May 27-June 2 are provided by Pastor Joshua Kim of Church of Southland. Joshua, a graduate of Emory University, Columbia Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Talbot School of Theology (Th.M.), serves as the pastor of Access group (singles). He is married to Christina. They recently had their first child.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Calling and Provision: Individual”

Exodus 31:1-6

Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, in silver, and in bronze, 5 and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, that he may work in all kinds of craftsmanship. 6 And behold, I Myself have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the hearts of all who are skillful I have put skill, that they may make all that I have commanded you:

Many of us have experienced the horrors of elementary school recess when the dreaded moment of picking teams comes upon us. It’s always the best athletes (or the most popular guys) who would be the captains, who then would proceed to pick one person at a time to be on their team. That’s when the bartering begins:

“If you pick me, I’ll give you the candy my mom packed for lunch.” “Pick me, I’ll just pass the ball to you, because obviously, you’re the best out there!” Then, the honor and gloat that comes from being chosen—there’s no feeling like it.

There is something about being chosen that we as human beings get a sense of satisfaction from. And in today’s passage, we see two examples of individuals—Bezalel and Oholiab—who are chosen, the term being called or appointed by God to carry out a specific task. But it goes much beyond that. With the calling comes a provision of the very skills and talents they would need to accomplish the task at hand. There is calling, and there is provision.

The thing is, these skills didn’t just appear. Yes, it does say that the Spirit of God endowed it upon them, but it’s not so much that Bezalel all of a sudden had these skills uploaded to him. Rather, understanding that most trades were developed through apprenticeship and learning from, most likely, their fathers, we see that there is a period of grooming of the individual to the point of excellence.

Not to disregard the truth that the Spirit of God endows these gifts upon individuals, but the wonderful thing we must remember is that God’s hand was on these individuals since their youth, grooming them in such a way that they may one day serve in the making of these instruments of worship onto God.

All of us have been endowed by the Creator with incredible skills and talents. We see in the world how these talents can be used for our own benefit, building temporary kingdoms of earthly glory. But when these God-given skills are joined together with the calling of God for His purposes—this is the satisfaction that is available to those who serve the Lord.

How has God endowed upon you incredible gifting? It may not look like much in the eyes of the world, but when used in the name of Jesus, there is incredible power and fruitfulness available. Brothers and sisters, God is at work all around us, and He is calling us to join Him, utilizing our God-given gifts and talents. So, how will you respond to Him today?

Prayer: Thank You, Father, that in Your provision of salvation, You have given me purpose and calling to join in Your work. Thank You for the Spirit of God that imparts me with gifts and skills that allows me to uniquely join You in Your work. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 17

Lunch Break Study

Read Ephesians 4:1-3, 7, 11-13: Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, And He gave gifts to men.” 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Questions to Consider

What is the main idea that Paul conveys in this passage? What does it mean “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which we have been called”?
Paul explains that through Christ’s victory through the Resurrection, one of the outcomes is that He gave gifts to men. In particular to people who serve within the church (v.11), what is the reason for these gifts?
How have you seen this happen in your life? Have others built you up so that you can utilize your gifts for the sake of building up others/the church?

Notes

As for the theme of Ephesians as a whole, Paul’s focus is on the unity of the church. Walking in a manner worthy of the calling entails humility, gentleness, patience, and tolerance (amongst others) so that through this, we are able to preserve the unity that the Spirit gives to the church.
Although verse 11 is a more specific calling to serve as leaders within the church, it can also be applied generally. Everyone has received gifts in order that they might fulfill their calling. Leaders within the church are called to equip others so that they too may join in ministering to one another.
Personal response. Think of how you have personally been equipped by others so that you may use your gifts for the blessing of others.

Evening Reflection

As you have gone throughout the day today, in what ways have you recognized God using your gifting or skills He has provided to bless others? How do you feel about these moments? Spend some time thanking God for His calling and provision in your life.

May 26, Sunday

Spiritual Food for Thought for the Weekend

“A Fragrant and Pleasing Aroma”

Exodus 30:22-38

Then the Lord said to Moses, 23 “Take the following fine spices: 500 shekel of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus, 24 500 shekels of cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil. 25 Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. 26 Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, 27 the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, 28 the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. 29 You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy. 30 “Anoint Aaron and his sons and consecrate them so they may serve me as priests. 31 Say to the Israelites, ‘This is to be my sacred anointing oil for the generations to come. 32 Do not pour it on anyone else’s body and do not make any other oil using the same formula. It is sacred, and you are to consider it sacred.33 Whoever makes perfume like it and puts it on anyone other than a priest must be cut off from their people.’” 34 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Take fragrant spices—gum resin, onycha and galbanum—and pure frankincense, all in equal amounts, 35 and make a fragrant blend of incense, the work of a perfumer. It is to be salted and pure and sacred.36 Grind some of it to powder and place it in front of the ark of the covenant law in the tent of meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be most holy to you. 37 Do not make any incense with this formula for yourselves; consider it holy to the Lord. 38 Whoever makes incense like it to enjoy its fragrance must be cut off from their people.”

Six years ago, while taking my last film class of my college career, I had the privilege of attending a guest lecture by an Oscar winning producer. When she walked on stage, to our surprise, she had brought a special friend to stand next to her the entire lecture. He was only 13.5 inches tall and weighed 8.5 pounds, but he caught the biggest attention and response from the crowd. The moment we saw her friend, everyone stood a little taller, our eyes grew wider, we became more attentive, and you could sense that everyone wanted to show their very best version. If you haven’t figured out who her friends was, it was the famous Oscar statuette.

Today we read the meticulous details of what it took to make the precious anointing oil that would be poured onto Aaron and his sons for their priestly work. It was, in fact, such a delicate work that verse 25 describes it as “the work of a perfumer.” Along with these instructions comes a clear command that the misuse of this oil would lead to their excommunication from the people (v.32-33). This passage may seem like a contradiction to yesterday’s devotional where we talked about the heart being the most important thing. However, the tabernacle was created for the unique purpose of offering worship to God. Worship is the place where we are called to give our very best to God, and the distinct role of giving God our best worship still applies to us today. We are called to exude worship that is holy and pleasing to God, like a pleasing and fragrant aroma.

I am confident that almost every aspiring filmmaker in that lecture hall wanted to give their very best when they saw the prized Oscar statuette. Timothy Keller once said in his message about worship, “If you’re not worshipping God, you’re worshipping something else.” God created every person to worship Him and the truth is, if God is not receiving the fullness of your worship, something else is. Can I ask you, where is your affection and worship pointed to? Is your desire to give God your very best or are you worshipping worldly idols? Let’s bring these things to the Lord that we may be able to give God true and proper worship. This is the heart that God has placed in us, to give our best to the things we love.

Prayer: God may my worship today be a fragrant and pleasing offering to you. Forgive me for the things that have taken your place and help me to lay down my idols to give you true and proper worship. In Jesus name. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Samuel 16