Today’s AMI QT Devotional is written by Pastor Shan Gian (Fenway Site Pastor, Symphony Church).
DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS FOR TODAY
“The Great Staircase”
Psalm 61:1-3
Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; 2 from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, 3 for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.
I’m typically not one to enjoy touristy sites, but a few years ago I had the privilege of going with a group of people to the Great Wall of China. It was a beautiful sight; we not only got to see the wall up close and personal, but we got to walk on the surface itself and climb up to the highest point.
It was a great experience, but what we visited that day was not a great wall, but rather (as Pastor Young puts it) “The Great Staircase”. To reach the highest point, we must have climbed something to the tune of 40 flights of stairs. It was physically exhausting.
But what made this trip up the Great Stairs of China especially painful was that as we went up the stairs, we could see what we thought was the summit of the Wall. So even though we were getting tired, in our minds, we kept thinking, “At least we just have to get to that part.” But when we got to “the top”, we discovered the stairs didn’t end there; there was another long stretch of stairs to go until we reached the actual summit. So again, we’d push ourselves to get the “real” summit, but when we got there, that wasn’t it! Yet another long stretch to go. We repeated this at least 5 times over. Get to the top, it’s not the top. Keep going. Get to the top, bamboozled again. Keep going. We were so close to giving up not just because we were physically tired but because our spirits were constantly being crushed.
When David says in Psalm 61, “Lead to the rock that is higher than I,” I think he might have understood my Great Wall experience. In his life and in our lives, we seek to ascend different summits: the summit of education, the summit of career, the summit of material wealth, the summit of relationships, etc. But every time we reach one of these summits, we discover that it’s not the top, and then we have to keep going to the next summit. This happens over and over again because any summit we can reach is never high enough, and the results are just like my Great Wall experience: tiring and spirit-crushing.
I think David asks God to lead him to a rock that was higher than himself, because he had experienced the same letdown of reaching his own summits and heights on his own power. David knew that only God could take him to a place where he would be secure. He knew that only God could lead him to the ultimate summit.
As we reflect on these words from David, consider what summits we’ve been trying to reach in our own lives. Let us lay down those pursuits that tire us and crush our spirits and ask God to lead us to the rock that is higher than us.
Prayer: Jesus, I pray that you will lead me to places where only you can take me. I lay down my own pursuits and ambitions and recognize that I will only find joy and contentment with you. Lead me to you, Lord. Amen.
Bible Reading for Today: Isaiah 4
Lunch Break Study
Read Mark 10:17-22: And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Questions to Consider
- What summits had this man already ascended?
- Why does Jesus tell him to sell all that he had and give to the poor?
- How do we see the grace of Jesus in this passage? How can we experience that grace in our own failures?
Notes
- This “rich young ruler” should be commended in a few ways. He (at least in his own view) lived a very moral life in keeping all of these commandments. Also, in going to Jesus, he was seeking eternal life. Finally, in the eyes of the world at least, he was commendable in that he had great wealth.
- Jesus’ concern for this man was not that he lacked compassion for the poor, but rather it was his attachment to his possessions. This young man had achieved great things in many respects, but in reaching his summit of wealth, he was not willing to let it go in order to reach higher heights and the far greater riches of the treasures in heaven.
- It says in verse 21 that Jesus looked at this young man and loved him. As we study this passage, we notice that this young man is a classic example of someone we all might dislike because he was young, proud and rich. But Jesus, in spite of knowing all of this young man’s flaws and sins, looks at him with eyes of love and grace. We are not very different from this rich man, and like him we are often unwilling to lay down our pride or achievements or riches; but Jesus looks at us with the same eyes of love and grace. In our own failures, all we need to do is to seek the love and grace that Jesus reserves for us.
Evening Reflection
Do you feel worn out and tired by life? Do you feel like you have striven to succeed but getting nowhere? Perhaps, you’ve been reaching for heights that pale in comparison to the rock that God wants to lead you to. Tonight, surrender your life and heart to God, and ask for Him to lead you.
The AMI QT Devotionals for August 14-16 are provided by Joanna Tzen, who graduated from U. Penn and currently works in Philadelphia. Her husband Paul and Joanna attend and serve at Grace Covenant Church.
You might have already heard of Murphy’s Law: “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” While the so-called law doesn’t exactly come from the Bible, it appears that Murphy wasn’t completely off base when we examine the life of Joseph. As if being sold into slavery by his own brothers wasn’t bad enough, Joseph was thrown into jail on false charges as a result of his faithfulness to God at Potiphar’s house. There, after meeting two prisoners who had served as Pharaoh’s chief baker and cupbearer, Joseph was able to interpret their dreams. He hoped he would be remembered by the cupbearer whose dream of freedom he had interpreted correctly, but “the chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him” (Gn. 40:23). Joseph waited two more years before being remembered and then summoned to interpret Pharaoh’s dream. Always spiritually alert no matter what the circumstances, Joseph attributes his gifting to God. And this is where Joseph’s life parts company with Murphy’s Law: after interpreting Pharaoh’s dream, he is lauded for his wisdom and appointed second in command of Egypt.
In continuing the story of Joseph, we see that after his brothers sell him into slavery, Potiphar’s household purchases him from the slavers. It must have been a moment of great despair for Joseph. Nevertheless, before the Lord began to bestow favor and success upon him in Potiphar’s home, there is little doubt that Joseph himself sought the Lord in his despair. Which came first? David, when facing a similar situation of hopelessness, said, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all fears” (Ps. 34:4). David didn’t solve his problems with his own strength; neither did Joseph, whose help came from the Lord (Ps. 121:2). Subsequently, his faith became evident to Potiphar who saw that Joseph was not like other slaves; that is to say, Joseph’s faith was expressed not only through his words but also by his work ethic and character-driven conduct. So impressed was Potiphar that he “left in Joseph’s care everything he had” (Gn. 39:6).
Many of us are familiar with the story of Joseph. We know he was his father’s favorite son, was sold into slavery by his brothers, but rose to be a man of power in Egypt. Joseph receives dreams from the Lord in this passage that he would be lifted above his family, clearly showing that he is favored and gifted by the Lord. He shares this with his family without much tact or wisdom, and it’s plain that his character leaves something to be desired.
Today’s AMI Devotional is written by Mei Lan Thallman. Mei Lan is originally from Taiwan and a graduate of Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary (M.A.) in Kentucky. She is the wife of Pastor Kirt, who serves at Grace Covenant Church (Philadelphia). They have two children, Nate (13) and Naomi (11).
At the beginning of this summer, I felt wearied and fatigued, like a car that has been on a long distance nonstop travel. My physical and emotional tanks were running on empty, warning lights flashing on all core components of my personhood. After sending the kids to their grandparents’ farm for a week, I told my husband that I desperately needed an extended personal time with Jesus.
The AMI QT Devotionals for today and tomorrow are provided Jasmin Izumikawa. Jasmin, a member of the Church of Southland, is currently a high school teacher.
The coldest and darkest night I experienced was on a mountain in Peru. My sister and I had nearly completed our three-day trek on foot and we stopped to rest for the evening. Each night, our team of hungry and weary travelers met in the communal tent and we listened for our trail leader to update us on the weather and such. We huddled together around a small lamp as he would encourage us, “Claro, claro, we will arrive in time to see the view at sunrise. It is very beautiful. Yes, there will be small train ride.”
The AMI QT Devotionals from August 7-11 are provided by Pastor Ryun Chang who writes about his recent teaching trip to Cuba. 
One word aptly describes the Korean-Argentian missionary who invited me to teach at the semiary where she operates with her Latino husband: overworked. Because everyone who comes there to teach for a week is Korean pastors, she must translate all their handouts to Spanish prior to their coming as well as interpret for them while they teach. So, my time there became half vacation for her but not by much since she prepared all my meals (Korean) while tending her two active daughters (2 and 4). Apparently, she is the only one in her organizaiton of 350+ missionaries who can do what she does.
Pastor Hugo probably spent more than 1,000 hours with me in the classroom over a period of 8 years; also, he often came to my house for further instruction. I sent him out to churches and schools in and outside of our city to teach my courses. He continues to impart them, including Greek which he has introduced to a college in Indiana that has a program for Hispanics. As for me, I feel a lot of joy, satisfaction, and gratitude toward the Lord.
While touring Havana, seeing even a single ad on the wall felt out of place; there really isn’t any need for advertising since products made by the Cuban government only come in one brand and size. Instead of choosing, you just line up and receive your monthly ration at the nearest bodega (warehouse). A family of four, for instance, is allotted one pound of chicken for an entire month but at a very low price. As for housing, once you build a house on land given by the government, you stay there indefinitely. When your daughter marries, her husband then moves into her room unless they have money to build a structure next to or above her parents’ house. 
In chapter 2 of my book on missions published in Mexico, while writing about the impressive growth of Christian faith in closed countries, I talked about Cuba without actually seeing what God was doing there. I finally had that opportunity during my recent teaching trip to Cuba for a week, taking back with me the reminder that “seeing is believing.”