January 5, Friday

The AMI QT Devotionals from January 1-7 are provided by Pastor Jason Sato of OTR in Cincinnati. Jason, a graduate of UC San Diego (B.S.) and Westminster Theological Seminary in California (M.Div.), is married to Jessica, and they have three young children: Jonah, Lily, and Ayla (three months old).

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Love at First Sight

Genesis 34:1–4 (ESV)

Now Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to see the women of the land. [2] And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he seized her and lay with her and humiliated her. [3] And his soul was drawn to Dinah the daughter of Jacob. He loved the young woman and spoke tenderly to her. [4] So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, “Get me this girl for my wife.”

Love at first sight seems like a dream come true. After seeing any Disney movie such as Snow White, Cinderella, or Aladdin, this kind of magical moment appears to be the key to a life of “Happily Ever After.”

Unfortunately for Jacob’s family, love at first sight led to tragedy after tragedy. After Jacob settles his family in the city of Shechem, his daughter Dinah goes to socialize with the women of the land. Shechem, the prince and namesake of the city, sees Dinah, seizes her, and rapes her. All of this is done out of “love.”

Shechem’s love for Dinah is really nothing other than a love for himself. He loves how she looks to him, he loves the feelings she elicits in him, he loves the happy life he envisions for himself. This kind of “love” centers on the one who loves, rather than the one who is loved. It is a self-seeking, false lust.

Witnessing tragedies like these may tempt us to become cynical about love at first sight, but Jesus shows us that it truly can exist. In Luke 10, Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan sees a traveler lying naked and half dead on the side of the road, and he gives him his love. He binds his wounds, brings him to an inn, and pays for his care. All of this is done out of a godly love.

Throughout this day, we will meet new people – some outwardly lovable and others not, some that appear personable and others not. May we see each one with the eyes and heart of God, and love them with His love.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You see me as I am and offer me a generous and sacrificial love. My heart is small but I desire to be like You. May I love the strangers in my life and those in need who You send my way today.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 5

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 10:30–35 (ESV): Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. [31] Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. [32] So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. [33] But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. [34] He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. [35] And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

Question to Consider

Who failed to love the man going to Jericho?
What prevented them from loving him?
What did loving the man cost the Samaritan?

Notes

The robbers, the priest and the Levite failed to love the man.
The robbers failed to love because of their greed. The priest and the Levite failed to love because it was inconvenient. If the man turned out to be dead, they would become unclean.
Loving the man cost the Samaritan energy, time, oil and wine, and money.

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day. Did God give you the opportunity to meet anyone new? How were they easy to love? How were they difficult to love? Ask God to continue to grow your love for strangers.

January 4, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Good Enough

Genesis 33:18–20 (ESV):

[18] And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. [19] And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. [20] There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

When I was a college student, grades were not very important to me. My goal was to get the best grade possible for the least amount of work possible. My academic philosophy could have been called “good enough.”

At this time in his life, Jacob is a changed man. He courageously repents and reconciles with Esau, he resists the temptation to follow Esau into Seir, and he even buys a plot of land in the promised, making an altar to his God.

But Jacob is not perfect yet. He settles in Shechem, not Bethel. When Jacob was fleeing from Esau, he vowed to build God a house in Bethel if God enabled him to return. Perhaps because Bethel is a mere 20 miles from Shechem, Jacob decides he is close enough.

Now of course, God did not demand that Jacob make that vow, nor is God unnecessarily concerned with the letter of the law rather than the heart. But there is a better reason than legalism for Jacob to keep his vow and go on to Bethel, just as there is a excellent reason for believers to rise above a half-hearted, “good enough” mentality of faith: love.

Good enough is fine for things that are peripheral or temporal – things like our salaries, reputations, or material comforts. But “good enough” is deadly and beneath the dignity of a friendship, or a marriage, or a relationship with Jesus Christ. While we may have little to give to the Lord, let us give Him the best that we have each day.

Prayer Father, I am often tempted to believe that I serve You or love You enough. Thank You that there is grace for sinners like me. May this incredible grace and love spur me to give my whole heart to You.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 4

Lunch Break Study

Read 1 Samuel 15:2–3, 9, 13-15 (ESV): [2] Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. [3] Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’” …

[9] But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep and of the oxen and of the fattened calves and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them. All that was despised and worthless they devoted to destruction…

[13] And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the LORD. I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” [14] And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?” [15] Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the LORD your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.”

Question to Consider

What was the clear commandment of the Lord?
What did Saul do instead?
How did Saul excuse his disobedience?

Notes

To devote every living thing of Amalek to destruction.
Saul spared King Agag and best of the sheep and of the oxen.
Saul tells Samuel that the animals were spared in order to sacrifice them to the Lord. Saul spiritualizes his disobedience.

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day. In what ways were you tempted to serve God halfheartedly? Confess these things to the Lord and thank Him for His grace today. Ask God for strength to honor him wholeheartedly tomorrow.

January 3, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Israel’s God

Genesis 33:18–20 (ESV)

And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. [19] And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent. [20] There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.

When I proposed to my wife, I spoke about my love and commitment to her. I did not take this time to hash out the details of our marriage, such as negotiating household chores. Obviously this is appropriate, because marriage is not a business transaction.

The first time Jacob hears from God, he is fleeing his brother Esau. God declares,

“I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring…and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed… (Genesis 28:13-14)

Jacob’s response is to say:

“…If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, [21] so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God…” (Genesis 28:20-21)

God is giving Jacob His covenant promise to bless him, yet Jacob is in negotiation mode. He sees his relationship with God as a means to an end. If the Lord will fulfill Jacob’s demands, then Jacob will follow the Lord in return.

Even after fleeing his uncle Laban, Jacob still refers to God as “the Fear of his father Isaac” (Genesis 31:53). But after wrestling with the Lord all night and seeing the face of God in his reconciliation with his brother, Jacob knows God in a different way. He builds an altar and calls it “El-Elohe-Israel” (the God of Israel).

Jacob’s life has been transformed in two ways. First, Jacob becomes who God says he is. No longer is he Jacob (meaning “he cheats” in Hebrew); he is now Israel (meaning “he strives with God”). Second, God is not merely the God of Abraham and Isaac; He is now the God of Jacob as well.

As Jacob had asked, the Lord was with him, gave him bread to eat and clothing to wear, and brought him back to his father’s house in peace. But the Lord has done far more than fulfill the bargain that Jacob proposed. God has made Jacob a new man and shown him faithfulness and a love which amazed him. Jacob’s desire is no longer to bargain with God, but to worship Him.

Prayer: Father, You are greater and more wonderful than anything I can imagine or ask of You. Thank You that You are not my business partner, but my generous Father. You are not just the God of others but my God, and I am forever grateful.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 3

Lunch Break Study

Read Philippians 3:8–11 (ESV): Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—[10] that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Question to Consider

How much does Paul value Christ?
According to verse 9, what is needed to know Jesus?
According to verse 10, what does knowing Jesus involve?

Notes

He is willing to suffer the loss of all things in order to gain Christ.
To know Jesus, we need a righteousness that is not our own, the very righteousness of God that comes by faith.
To know Jesus is to know Him in the power of his resurrection and sharing in his sufferings and death.

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day. How were you tempted to use God as a means to an end? How did God invite you to know Him? Spend some time enjoying the presence of God.

January 2, Tuesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Journeying Onward

Genesis 33:12–17 (ESV)

Then Esau said, “Let us journey on our way, and I will go ahead of you.” [13] But Jacob said to him, “My lord knows that the children are frail, and that the nursing flocks and herds are a care to me. If they are driven hard for one day, all the flocks will die. [14] Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, at the pace of the livestock that are ahead of me and at the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.” [15] So Esau said, “Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.” But he said, “What need is there? Let me find favor in the sight of my lord.” [16] So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. [17] But Jacob journeyed to Succoth, and built himself a house and made booths for his livestock. Therefore the name of the place is called Succoth. [18] And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram, and he camped before the city. [19] And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for a hundred pieces of money the piece of land on which he had pitched his tent.

Picture a scene with me. You are going on vacation with your family to Disneyland. Your children are thrilled. You’ve mapped out which rides to go on and how to spend the day. The day arrives, and everyone gets out of the car and rushes toward the entrance. But while making your way through Downtown Disney (a collection of stores and restaurants outside of Disneyland), you decide that you might as well just stay there. Downtown Disney is exciting enough so why go to the trouble of walking further?

Of course that would be ridiculous. Your family would protest and leave you in Downtown Disney if necessary. Yet so often we find ourselves distracted, lazy, or tempted to settle in our journey of faith. In our passage this morning, Jacob finds himself at this type of crossroads.

Jacob has finally repented and been restored to his brother Esau. In his joy, Esau invites Jacob to come and live with him. But Esau lives in Seir, the country of Edom, outside the Promised Land (Genesis 32:3).

While tempting, Jacob politely declines and respectfully insists that he must part ways with Esau. Certainly Jacob’s children and flocks are frail, and there may be a need for

Esau to leave some of his people to guide Jacob’s family to Seir, but these are not Jacob’s true concerns. Jacob knows that loving his brother Esau is not the same thing as following him away from God’s promise. Instead, Jacob settles in Succoth and buys property in Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan.

To live with Esau and perhaps even renew their relationship may have been tempting for all the right reasons, but Jacob knows that he must follow God first. Maybe this foreshadows Christ’s call for us to follow him even at the cost of leaving behind our family.

May God grant us a deeper and more sacrificial love for our family and friends and the restoration of broken relationships, yet also the conviction and courage to continue to seek God’s face first, and not grow satisfied with the good people and things of this life.

Prayer: Father, thank You for being the God who redeems and restores. May every miracle and blessing increase my love and longing for You.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 2

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 14:16–24 (ESV): But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. [17] And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ [18] But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ [19] And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ [20] And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ [21] So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’

Question to Consider

Who was invited to the great banquet?
Why did some say they were unable to attend the banquet?
Why was the banquet host angry?

Notes

Everyone! Many people were invited and when they would not come, even the poor, crippled, blind and lame were invited as well.
They were busy with good things – a field, oxen, and a new marriage.
Verse 18 says that these good things were excuses to not attend the banquet. There was no real desire to be there and enjoy the fellowship and hospitality of the host.

Evening Reflection

Reflect upon your day. What blessings has God generously given you? What do these blessings say about God (i.e. is he gracious, faithful, etc.)? Take a moment to praise God for His goodness to you.

January 1, Monday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

Eyes to See

Genesis 33:1–11 (ESV)

And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. [2] And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. [3] He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. [4] But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. [5] And when Esau lifted up his eyes and saw the women and children, he said, “Who are these with you?” Jacob said, “The children whom God has graciously given your servant.” [6] Then the servants drew near, they and their children, and bowed down. [7] Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down. And last Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. [8] Esau said, “What do you mean by all this company that I met?” Jacob answered, “To find favor in the sight of my lord.” [9] But Esau said, “I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.” [10] Jacob said, “No, please, if I have found favor in your sight, then accept my present from my hand. For I have seen your face, which is like seeing the face of God, and you have accepted me. [11] Please accept my blessing that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough.” Thus he urged him, and he took it.

First, a joyous New Year to all!

Now back to Genesis:

In the movie Liar Liar, Fletcher Reede is a lawyer who lies to everyone – judges, clients, even his own son. But because of his son’s birthday wish, Fletcher is magically unable to lie. Throughout the movie, Fletcher does everything he can to regain his power to lie until he begins to speak about his parenting and blurts out, “I’m a bad father!” It’s the first time he faces the truth about who he is.

The night before a meeting with his brother Esau, Jacob wrestles with God. He leaves this encounter with a permanent limp, the blessing of God, and the truth. Jacob is finally able to acknowledge his sin against God and his brother Esau. Before he fled his home, Jacob had stolen the blessing of his father Isaac from Esau. Isaac had blessed Jacob, saying

May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine…Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. (Genesis 27:28-29)

When Jacob finally sees Esau again, he attempts to return to Esau his stolen blessing. He and his family bow before Esau seven times and insist that Esau receive his livestock as a gift (or blessing). Perhaps Jacob had initially thought to simply avoid Esau’s wrath, but now after his struggle with God, Jacob has a genuine desire to return to Esau what was rightfully his. For Jacob, seeing Esau’s face and righting his past wrongs would right his own wrongs with God.

Certainly Isaac, Rebekah, and Esau had a part to play in the brokenness of the family, but only when Jacob could see himself clearly that his heart and life could change.

Prayer: Search my heart, O God, and grant me grace to bring to You all that I am, the good and the bad. Please forgive me for ways that I have sinned against others in my life. Please bring healing and reconciliation in my broken relationships.

Bible Reading for Today: Romans 1

Lunch Break Study

Read Luke 19:5–10 (ESV):  And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” [6] So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. [7] And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” [8] And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” [9] And Jesus said to him,
“Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. [10] For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Question to Consider

What was the crowd’s view of Zacchaeus?
What was Jesus’s view of Zacchaeus?
What was Zacchaeus’s response to Jesus’s love?

Notes

The crowd despised Zacchaeus because he exploited his position and power to make himself wealthy.
Jesus viewed Zacchaeus as a man lost in sin, the kind of person that Jesus came to seek and save.
Zacchaeus repented, not simply in word but in deed. He willingly made restitution to those he wronged even though it would leave him in poverty.

Evening Reflection

Reflect on your day. Have you sinned against those around you? How can you act to restore your relationships?

December 31, Sunday

The AMI QT Devotionals from December 25-31 are written by Phillip Chen, college pastor at Church of Southland. Philip, a graduate of University of California, San Diego, is currently studying at Talbot School of Theology. He is married to Esther.

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Scars of Remembrance”

Genesis 32:30-32 (ESV)

So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Peniel, limping because of his hip. 32 Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

When I tore my ACL in college, it wasn’t a quick and sudden tear—rather, it was a slow and partial tear each time. Every time I went to the doctor, he would say that it was just a sprained knee, and that I would need to rest it before resuming athletic activity. I ended up partially tearing it quite a few times—in football, in basketball, and even one time at one of those trampoline parks. I finally spoke to a doctor who told me to get surgery, and I did. To this day, the scar and the slight numbing sensation around my knee is a reminder of all of the painful moments of the tears and the post-surgery rehab. As I was chatting with a college student recently about how I don’t really play sports that much anymore—even though I am medically cleared to do so—we concluded that it was kind of like PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), where I am too scared to get hurt again because of the painful memories of getting hurt.

In today’s passage, we see that Jacob (Israel) is left with a limp because the angel of the Lord touched his hip socket and was put out of joint. We don’t know if this is a permanent limp, but this event must have been a very memorable one, for the people of Israel refuse to eat the sinew of the thigh on the hip socket because of this story (v.32). But why is there such an emphasis on this limp, and what is the significance of this?

When I think of the scar on my knee, it brings back painful memories of what happened, and regardless of how hard I try to forget it, I can’t because it is a part of me. Perhaps Jacob’s limp was meant to serve a similar purpose—bringing back memories for Jacob of the specific moment God blesses him. In this moment, Jacob has been stripped of everything that he has sought to use as a covering, and in this vulnerable place, he wrestles with God. Perhaps God purposely caused this limp so that he would forever remember this encounter with God.

As we carry physical scars, we also carry emotional and spiritual scars. Scars are not always a negative thing, because they often signify healing. Scars form after wounds have been healed. Are we aware of the ways our scars remind us of important moments in our lives? How fitting that today is the last day of the year— it is a time of reflection, and what better way than to look back on the different scars and marks we carry from our encounters with God. What has God done this past year in your life? What are ways that He left scars upon you because you needed to be healed of things? Let’s not only look forward with vision and expectation, but to do so with the reminder that we have each encountered God in powerful ways; and the scars that we carry are marks that stay with us for the purpose of reminders.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for the scars of remembrance in my life. Thank You for the reminder that You are present in my life and the ways You have healed me. As I start out this new year, I pray that the orientation and direction of this year would be dictated upon the ways You have touched me this past year. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 15-16

December 30, Saturday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Wrestling with God”

Genesis 32:22-29 (ESV)

The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” 27 And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” 28 Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,[f] for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” 29 Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.

Often times, we read this passage and we focus on Jacob’s tenacity and his unwillingness to let go of God until He has blessed him. We talk about how this applies to us and our approach in prayer, boldly and confidently wrestling with God until He has answered us. We talk about the perseverance, the grit, and the tenacity that Jacob had which we should emulate. Yes, we can learn a lot from Jacob and his desire to be blessed, but this morning, I’d like to focus on God’s willingness to wrestle with us.

I used to wrestle a lot with my dad as a child. There were many times when I thought I would almost beat him. We would wrestle for a while, and it would seem like we were both tied until the very end when he would pin me. Of course, looking back, I realize that my dad could have easily pinned me if he wanted to – but the continuation of his wrestling was an act of endearment towards me. In fact, the more I think about these wrestling matches, I realize that my dad had to harness his strength and power while exerting self-control to make it seem like he was trying without hurting me. There was actually a lot of love and tenderness in this father-son wrestling match.

This passage depicts Jacob wrestling with a man whom he encounters. We later finds out that this mysterious man is an angel of the Lord – or at least someone who caused Jacob to refer to as “seeing the face of God.” This is such a strange sight, because God actually comes down to wrestle with Jacob. Jacob is no match for God – but when I think of this scene in conjunction with the wrestling matches I had with my father, I am reminded of a father wrestling with his son and how endearing this scene would have been.

Many times, I think we can view God as someone with whom we have to wrestle, that His will is always opposing our sinful will. We can view God as a cosmic killjoy who is withholding blessing from us and wanting us to work to earn blessing from Him. If we don’t work hard enough, we don’t get the blessing. We see him as a stingy God who makes us work so hard to get so little. In our minds, we might see God as generous, but in our prayers and in our interactions with Him, we see Him as a distant and disengaged God who doesn’t want to really pour out blessings upon us. We think of Him as someone with whom we have to wrestle. Yet when I think of a father wrestling with his son, I see love and tenderness rather than stinginess and disengagement. Now when I read this story, I see a loving Father who wants to wrestle with one of His sons because He loves him so dearly. He comes face to face with Jacob to wrestle him for the sake of the interaction. I don’t think God’s intention was ever to withhold blessing from Jacob. This wrestling match wasn’t something that Jacob had to win on his own accord so that he could receive a blessing. The wrestling match itself was part of the blessing that God intended for Jacob. God was willing to come down in the form of man to wrestle with Jacob, and that itself shows us His desire to draw near to us and bless us.

As we reflect upon this past year, what are ways that you can see God ‘wrestling’ with you? May we be encouraged to know that you and I have a God who draws near to us and wrestles with us, ultimately so that we may partake of His abundant blessings.

Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your love for us. Thank You that You are not a distant God, but You are a God who draws near to us. Thank You that You don’t withhold blessing from us, but You actually seek us out so that You can pour out Your blessing upon us so lavishly. Help us to believe this truth, uprooting wrongful views we have of You. Even in the ways our earthly fathers have failed to accurately show this picture, help us to realize the goodness and the love of Your heart as our Father. We pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 13-14

December 29, Friday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“No More Barriers”

Genesis 32:13-21 (ESV)

So he stayed there that night, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, 14 two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, 15 thirty milking camels and their calves, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. 16 These he handed over to his servants, every drove by itself, and said to his servants, “Pass on ahead of me and put a space between drove and drove.” 17 He instructed the first, “When Esau my brother meets you and asks you, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?’ 18 then you shall say, ‘They belong to your servant Jacob. They are a present sent to my lord Esau. And moreover, he is behind us.’” 19 He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, “You shall say the same thing to Esau when you find him, 20 and you shall say, ‘Moreover, your servant Jacob is behind us.’” For he thought, “I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterward I shall see his face. Perhaps he will accept me.” 21 So the present passed on ahead of him, and he himself stayed that night in the camp.

Over the course of two decades, Jacob accumulated much wealth, power, and status: innumerable livestock, a large family and many servants. When he was fleeing from Esau’s presence, he left only with the clothes on his back; but now, in his return to meeting Esau, he is a wealthy man. In case Esau came as an enemy, Jacob’s plan is to split up the camp into different groups, so that if one group was attacked, the others have a chance to get away. He sends these groups out to meet his brother in different waves. And then finally, he is left all by himself in the camp. Tactically, this seems like a great idea—a very strategic and well thought move. However, I wonder if God intentionally planted this idea in Jacob’s mind so that he would be all alone that night, because we read in the subsequent verses of Jacob’s wrestling match with God.

God could have wrestled with Jacob at any given point and time, but perhaps it was in this moment—when everything has been sent away—that God chooses to show up to Jacob in a powerful way. Maybe before this, Jacob had become dependent upon the things that he has acquired over the years for his confidence and security. Who knows? He might have even missed this opportunity if the things that he had used as a defense mechanism had not been taken away.

We all have our own defense mechanisms, which we use as walls to protect ourselves. We all have layers that need to be peeled off. It is only human nature for us to discern whether we can trust others before letting them into the deeper layers of our lives. We all have built-in barriers which we set up to protect us from harm. While not necessarily a bad thing, we don’t realize that we do this with God as well. We have all these things in place that actually end up becoming obstacles for intimacy with God.

What do you use as a barrier in your life? Is it your education? Is it your career? Is it your relationship with your family, friends, or spouse? What are things that you need to set aside so that God can encounter you in a powerful way? If you are going through a season of stripping away – where it seems like everything you had put your confidence in is being taken away, pay close attention. Many times, God allows or even orchestrates this as preparation for a powerful encounter with Him.

Prayer: Father God, I desire to place my confidence and security in you. I confess there are so many other things that I have looked to for confidence and stability, but I remember that you strip those things away because you love me and care for me. Help me to look to you in those moments. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 12

Lunch Break Study

Read Hebrews 12:7-11 (ESV): It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Question to Consider

Why do we have to endure discipline?
What is the best attitude towards God’s discipline?
What are some ways that God is disciplining us for our good?

Notes

God disciplines us because we are His sons and daughters. Every parent that loves their children must discipline their children so that they may grow up in a healthy manner. In hindsight, we look at the discipline of our parents as one that might not have been fun, but was necessary to mold us into who we are today. In the same way, we look at the discipline of our Heavenly Father as one that might not always be enjoyable in the moment, but is necessary to produce the fruit of righteousness within us.
The best attitude towards God’s discipline is one that is founded in trust. Because we trust God is looking out for our good, it shouldn’t matter too much if he takes things away from us or gives us certain burdens to carry. Though we may have questions and become frustrated, if our baseline attitude is trust, we are able to respond to our Heavenly Father with respect and faith.
Personal Response

Evening Reflection

When you think of the Israelites, who had to wander in the wilderness for forty years for their lack of faith, what feelings does that bring up? God is greatly interested in maturing our faith in Him, and He will do whatever it takes to reach out to us. For the Israelites as a nation, it took forty years. For us, I hope it doesn’t take nearly as long. As we end the day, let’s yield ourselves to God and let go of any barriers that prevents us from placing our trust in Him.

December 28, Thursday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Looking into Deep Wounds”

Genesis 32:6-12 (ESV)

And the messengers returned to Jacob, saying, “We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and there are four hundred men with him.” 7 Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. He divided the people who were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two camps, 8 thinking, “If Esau comes to the one camp and attacks it, then the camp that is left will escape.” 9 And Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your kindred, that I may do you good,’ 10 I am not worthy of the least of all the deeds of steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan, and now I have become two camps. 11 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I fear him, that he may come and attack me, the mothers with the children. 12 But you said, ‘I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

In today’s passage, we see that Jacob is preparing for his encounter with Esau. Years have passed since their last meeting, and they are entirely different people at this point; but when Jacob hears that Esau is coming with four hundred men, immediately he assumes the worst. I can’t blame Jacob for feeling that way – after all, the last time Jacob had seen Esau, he had stolen his birthright and blessing from Isaac. So Isaac begins to make preparations, in case Esau is coming to attack him. Jacob then prays to God and asks for His protection. Regardless of the fact that God had promised him the same descendants as Abraham, he is insecure about the fact that Esau is about to come and wipe him and his family out. Jacob is a total mess, and I’m sure we would be too if we were in his place.

It’s interesting that some of our deepest insecurities easily override God’s promises in our lives. We may have encountered God in a powerful way and heard from Him directly. We might have even experienced a partial fulfillment of His promise in our lives – yet there are some insecurities that are buried so deep in our lives that they automatically override what God has done as well. The moment those insecurities or past wounds flare up, we forget entirely all that God has spoken into our lives. All of a sudden, we question whether we heard God correctly or whether He even said anything at all.

Our nature is not so different from Jacob’s – he’d been running away and hiding from his brother all these years. We all tend to run away from our previous wounds: sin, brokenness, insecurities, severed relationships. We would prefer to hide rather than address them, but I suppose what happens to Jacob is what ends up happening to all of us. There comes a point when we realize we can’t run or hide anymore, and we need to address our problems head on. When we finally confront them, we realize that doing so can be for our good and for our benefit.

Prayer: Father God, I confess that there are things that I am running away from. There are certain areas of brokenness that I just don’t want to deal with. There are wounds and hurts to which I may have numbed myself. There is so much buried deep within from which I need healing and restoration. May my spirit be open to your healing and your restoring hand upon my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 11

Lunch Break Study

Read John 21:15-19 (ESV): When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Question to Consider

Why does Jesus ask Simon Peter three times if he loves him?
Why would Jesus tell Peter how he is going to die?
What are some things that God is calling you to confront and how does he want you to confront them?

Notes

Jesus is determined to restore Peter. He questions Peter three times just as Peter denied Jesus three times. He questioned whether Peter truly loves Him just as Peter probably questioned in His own heart whether he truly loved Jesus or not. Jesus wants to restore Peter not only personally, but to the ministry that He has called him to do – to feed his sheep, to be a fisher of men.
Jesus has a customized plan for each one of us. When Peter asks about whether another disciple will be led to the cross (as he eventually would be), Jesus tells him not to worry about it… because Jesus has a custom-tailored discipleship plan for each individual. God knows exactly what we need and it looks different for each person.
Remember, God has a customized discipleship plan for each one of us. Respond in a way that is personal for you.

Evening Reflection

What are some things that you might be running away from? It could be something from this past year, or even something that happened in your childhood. What are things that you are so fearful of? What are previous wounds that you are covering up? Bring these things to the Lord – ask Him to give you the strength to find restoration in these things.

December 27, Wednesday

Devotional Thoughts for Today

“Keeping Our Promises”

Genesis 31:43-50 (ESV):

Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, “The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day for these my daughters or for their children whom they have borne? 44 Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I. And let it be a witness between you and me.” 45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 And Jacob said to his kinsmen, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there by the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me today.” Therefore, he named it Galeed, 49 and Mizpah, for he said, “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight. 50 If you oppress my daughters, or if you take wives besides my daughters, although no one is with us, see, God is witness between you and me.”

Our church is notorious for having a lot of leftover snacks—from the leftover snacks of different retreats to the snacks that each of our ministries buy for future events, there is always food lying around somewhere. And what I’ve learned is to make sure to label everything, if I am saving it for something—otherwise, it will most definitely get eaten. Sometimes, even the snacks that are labeled get taken! So recently, I’ve started labeling our snacks with our ministry name, and then adding the line: “Please do not take, God is watching you.” Hopefully, this will deter whoever has been taking my snacks. I might not be there to protect these snacks from being stolen, but God is watching. The funny thing is, more often than not, this is a great deterrent.

In this passage, we see that Laban and Jacob are getting ready to part ways. If you remember, Jacob had fled, with his wives and his flock, but Laban had caught up to him. He accused Jacob of stealing his household gods, but they were nowhere to be found. As Laban is about to leave to return home, they take a bunch of stones and make a tower with it, calling it Galeed, which means “a heap of witness,” and Mizpah, which means “watchtower.” This heap of stones is to act as a watchtower to watch over both sides of the family, when they cannot see one another.

If you google Mizpah, you’ll see pendants that sell pretty well. Apparently, people have monetized it and made it into a romantic item, where “The Lord watch between you and me, when we are out of one another’s sight,” is a symbolic token of God watching over their love for one another. However, in the context of this passage, Mizpah is more of a warning—that God is watching whatever they do in the dark, and that God will be the final judge in these matters.

Sometimes we forget the fact that God is always watching—whether it’s the business deals or in our dealing with the different relationships that we have. Do we do things with the understanding that God is watching our every move? In Luke 12:3, Jesus says that whatever is said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what is whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. Sometimes we may get freaked out that we are being watched (especially with the NSA surveillance leak), but we should actually be comforted by the fact that our God is the ultimate watchtower of our lives, watching us for our well-being. May we live our lives with integrity and purity in light of this reminder that our God is the ultimate watchtower of our lives.

Prayer: Lord, we thank You for being the watchtower in our lives. Thank You that Your loving eyes are upon us, both in the good times and in the bad times. We ask for Your eyes of love and hand of protection to be upon us. May we live our lives in a way that is godly and honoring to You. Amen.

Bible Reading for Today: 1 Corinthians 10

Lunch Break Study

Read Psalm 139:1-12 (ESV): O Lord, you have searched me and known me! 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.

Question to Consider

What is the psalmist trying to communicate?
What patterns do you notice in this psalm?
Read this psalm in its entirety twice, then pause and ask God to speak to you through this psalm. What is He saying?

Notes

The psalmist is communicating that God is always with him. The key verse is verse 7, where David says that he cannot run away from God’s presence. Whether he goes down to Sheol, or if he ascends up to the heavens, God’s presence is always with him. His eyes are always upon him.
David uses contrasts (opposite ends of the spectrum) to explain this idea that God is always with him. Whether he is in the heavens or in the pits of Sheol, God is with him. Whether he is taken up in the wings of the morning or in the uttermost parts of the sea, God is there leading him. Whether he is in darkness or light, God is there with him. Whether he is laying down or rising, God is with him.
Personal response.

Evening Reflection

How do you react to the fact that God is a watchtower in your life? Does it bring you comfort? Does it bring you peace? Does it bring you anxiety or fear? Bring this up to the Lord and allow Him to minister to you tonight.