Wednesday, December 30, 2015

AD's January 2016 Devotional


Fully Embracing God’s Sovereignty in 2016


Who or what will be in control of your life in 2016?    A Sovereign God or a random set of circumstances?   God’s Sovereignty evokes a sense of security conceptually but often distress pragmatically.   We can see this in Jesus’ birth. 

Jesus’ birth was prophesized to be in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).   It was only one of the many details of His life that was prophesized.  Statistically if only eight of those hundreds of prophecies were fulfilled, it would be at 1 in 1017 odds (“Science Speaks,” Stoner).   God’s Sovereign control of the minute details of Jesus’ life has strengthened believers throughout the centuries.  He is a Sovereign God that we can trust implicitly!

Yet, do we fully embrace God’s Sovereignty in the details of OUR lives when we feel “out of control?”   Think of Joseph and Mary.  Caesar Augustus’ decree for a census disrupted their lives at such an inconvenient time.   Their forced journey to Bethlehem accentuated their powerlessness in light of the almost god-like power of the Emperor.  Their lives could have been marked by resentment but instead they fully embraced God’s control of their lives.  The Messiah was born when and where He needed to be born and all of our faith was strengthened.

Regardless of your present circumstances, fully embrace that you serve a Sovereign God Who is orchestrating the minute details of YOUR lives.  As Proverbs 19:21 (TLB) affirms, “Man proposes, but God disposes.”   Trust Him with the details of your life and ministry right now and throughout this New Year.

Friday, December 11, 2015

AD's December 2015 Devotional


 

I See You Seeing Me!


“Enough of this!” screamed Hagar’s inner voice, as she fled from her mistress’ abuse.  After Sarai had forced her to conceive a son for Abram, she felt used and alone but God had not abandoned her.  The angel of the Lord found her beside a spring of water in the wilderness and asked, “Where have you come from and where are you going? “I’m running away!” she replied. “Go back and there I will bless you…” God exhorted her.
In that moment of vulnerability she discovered God’s sustaining love.  Hagar exclaimed, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” (Gen16: 7-14 NLT). In Hagar’s extreme circumstances with a challenging pregnancy, she sees God seeing her and that revelation changes everything.  God’s place for her growth was in her trials, not away from them.  (Devotion ideas from a sermon by Cheryl Jamison--Regional Retreat.)

Seeing the One who sees us in all of our circumstances is a key to our maturity.  There is a special mirror called the infinity mirror where one mirror reflects the image of a paired mirror in such a way that there is a depth of images of what appears to be a thousands mirrors.  In Hagar’s moment of despair, God’s infinite love invades her space, changes her attitude and gives her a depth of understanding of how much God loves her.
Whatever your circumstances, choose to look deeply into God’s infinite mirror of love as you fulfill your calling with His Grace and His Mercy.