[APRIL 22] Like a Lamb

Read: John 15:9-17

"He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before it shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth."

--Isaiah 53:7

In 1602, Italian artist Caravaggio produced a painting called Taking of Christ. This work, an early example of the Baroque style, is compelling. Created in dark hues, it allows the viewer to contemplate Jesus' arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane. Two main elements of the scene depicted in the painting demand the observer's attention. The first if Judas as he delivers the traitor's kiss. Immediately, however, the viewer's focus is drawn toward Jesus' hands, which are passively clasped together to show that He offered no resistance to this injustice. Although He possessed the power to create a universe, Christ gave Himself up voluntarily to His captors and to the waiting cross.

Long before this scene took place, Jesus told His listeners that no one could take His life from Him--He would lay it down willingly (John 10:18). This heart of voluntary surrender was propheseid by Isaiah, who wrote, " He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened His  mouth (Isa.53:7).

Christ's lamblike self-sacrifice is a grand indicator of His powerful love. "Greater love has no one than this," He explained, "than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13). Think of it. Jesus loved you that much! --Bill Crowder

Love sent the Savior to die in my stead.

Why should He love me so?

Meekly to Calvary's cross He was led.

Why should He love me so? --Harkness

REFLECT ON THIS:

The nail-pierced hands of Jesus reveal the love-filled heat of God.

[APRIL 10] Gloating at the Enemy

Read: Obadiah 1:1-14

"Do not rejoice when your enemy falls" 

--Proverbs 24:17

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament. Yet hidden away in its brief record is a vital question that affects us all: How should we respond when we see an enemy experience misfortune?

The prophet Obadiah ministered during the time that the city of Jerusalem was under fierce attack by the armies of Babylon. The neighbors of Jerusalem, the Edomites, were actually cheering on the enemy armies to destroy and kill (Ps. 137:7-9). Ironically, these hurtful jeers were spoken by blood relatives of the Jews. They were descendants of Jacob, and the Edomites were descendants of Esau.

Obadiah condemned the Edomites for gloating: “You should not have gazed on the day of your brother in the day of his captivity; nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction” (Obad. 1:12).

If someone has repeatedly been hurtful to us, it is easy to give in to vindictive pleasure when they experience misfortune. But Scripture admonishes us, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles” (Prov. 24:17). Instead, we are to maintain an attitude of compassion and forgiveness, and trust God to bring justice in His time. --Dennis Fisher

FOR FURTHER THOUGHT

How to handle people-problems (Romans 12): Be patient (v.12), bless persecutors (v.14), 

be humble (v.16), don't take revenge (v.19), defeat evil with good (v.21).

REFLECT ON THIS:

Love for God can be measured by the love we show for our worst enemy.

[APRIL 6] For This I Have Jesus

Read: Psalm 66:1-15

"I will never leave you nor forsake you." 

--Hebrews 13:5

In an evangelistic meeting in Ireland, the speaker was explaining what it means to abide in Christ and to trust Him completely in every trial. Concluding his message, he repeated several times, “It means that in every circumstance you can keep on saying, ‘For this I have Jesus.’ ”

The meeting was then opened for testimonies. One young woman said, “Just a few minutes ago I was handed this telegram. It reads, ‘Mother is very ill; take train home immediately.’ When I saw those words, I knew that tonight’s message was meant just for me. My heart looked up and said, ‘For this I have Jesus.’ Instantly a peace and strength flooded my soul.”

Three or four weeks later the evangelist received a letter from this woman. It read, “Thank you again for the message you gave that day. Life has become an uninterrupted psalm of victory, for I have come to realize that no matter what life brings, for this I have Jesus.”

That believer in Christ had found in her Savior the One who would be with her “through fire and through water,” and who would bring her “out to rich fulfillment” (Ps. 66:12).

If you are enduring a great trial of affliction, remember—for this you have Jesus! --Henry G. Bosch

I've found  refuge from life's care in Jesus,

I am hiding in His love divine;

He fully understands my soul's deep longing,

And He whispers softly, "Thou art Mine." --Christiansen

 

REFLECT ON THIS:

If every circumstance finds us abiding in Christ, we will find Christ abiding with us in every circumstance.

[APRIL 4] A "Banana Slug" Lesson

Read: Micah 6:1-8

 "What does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"

--Micah 6:8

Sports team names have a variety of origins. they come from history (Spartans, Mountaineers), nature (Cardinals, Terrapins), and even colors (Orange, Reds). one even comes from mollusk family.

In the 1980s, the University of California at Santa Cruz was just starting to get involved in competitive sports. UCSC had a bit disdain for the overemphasis some big time schools place on athletics, so the student body sought a team name that would reflect a somewhat different approach. they decided on the Banana Slug, a yellow, slimy, slow, shell-less mollusk. It was a clever way for UCSC to give a balanced perspective on the relative of sports.

I have always loved sports, but I know that they can easily become more important than they should be. What matters most in life is what Jesus said is most vital--loving God with all of our hearts and loving our neighbors as ourselves (Matt. 22:37-39). Micah listed God's requirements this way: "do justly," "love mercy," and "walk  humbly with your God" (6:8). For believers in Jesus, it is vital that nothing else takes top priority over god's expectations for us.

What matters most to you? The Spartans? The Red Sox? Or loving God in thought, word, and action? --Bill Crowder

Lord, what matters most to Your today?

What can direct us in each thing we do?

Could it be to let nothing at all

Interfere with our deep love for You? --Branon

REFLECT ON THIS:

Beware of spending too much time on matters of too little importance.

[MARCH 27] Loving God

Read: 1 John 4:7-21

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

--1 John 4:11

Early in our marriage, I though I knew the ultimate shortcut to my wife's heart. I arrived home one night with a bouquet of a dozen red roses behind my back. When I presented the flowers to Martie, she thanked me graciously, sniffed the flowers, and then took them into the kitchen. No quite the response I had expected.

It was an introductory lesson in the reality that flowers are not my wife's primary language of love. While she appreciate the gesture, she was mentally calculating the cost of an expensive bouquet of flowers--a budget breaker for a young couple in seminary! And as I've discovered through the years, she is far more interested in my time and attention. When I devote myself to her in an uninterrupted and attentive way, that's when she really feels loved.

Did you ever wonder how God wants us to show that we love Him? We get a clue when we read, "He who loves God must love his brother also" (John 4:21). It's that simple. One of the primary ways we show our love for God is by loving our brothers and sisters in Christ. When we genuinely love each other, it brings pleasure to our heavenly Father.

So watch for opportunities to tell Jesus that you love Him. He's infinitely worth whatever it costs. --Joe Stowell

All those who say they love the Lord

But don't love one another,

Should question the relationship

They have with God the Father. --Sper

REFLECT ON THIS:

To show your love for God, share your love with others.

[MARCH 20] A Worthy Offering

Read: Genesis 4:1-7

"If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door."

--Genesis 4:7

I was delighted when a mutual friend gave my neighbor a Bible. But my neighbor told me she stopped reading it because she couldn't understand why God would be so unfair as to reject Cain's offering. "After all," she said, "as a farmer, He simply brought to God what he had. Did God expect him to buy a different kind of sacrifice?" Sadly, she had missed the point. 

It wasn't that God didn't like vegetables. Rather, He knew that Cain's offering was masking an unrighteous attitude. Cain wasn't fully committed to God, as expressed by the fact that he wasn't living according to His ways.

It's easy to worship God on the outside while stubbornly keeping territory from Him on the inside. Jude writes about outwardly religious people who use religious activities to cover the reality of their sinful lives: "Woe to them! For the have gone in the way of Cain" (Jude 11). We can faithfully serve God, sing His praises, and give sacrificially to His work. But God doesn't want any of that without our hearts.

Does the Lord take priority over our plans and dreams? Is He worth more than the sin that tempts us? When we express to Him that He is more worthy than anything or anyone else in our lives, it's offering He won't refuse. --Joe Stowell

Lord, may our worship and our praise,

From our hearts surrendered to Your ways,

Be worthy offerings of love

For all Your blessings from above. --Sper

REFLECT ON THIS:

God won't refuse a heart that is surrendered to Him.

[MARCH 16] The Real Hero

Read: John 3:22-30

"He must increase, but i must decrease." 

--John 3:30

Louis B. Neumiller was known for his humility, integrity, and commitment to quality. As president f the Caterpillar Tractor Company from 1941-54, he led the manufacturer of earth-moving ewuipment through the challenges of World War II into global expansion. In the book In Their Time: The Greatest Business Leaders of the Twentieth Century, authors Mayo and Nohria describe Neumiller's leadership as "success without fanfare." His mark of greatness, they note, was that he took his identity out of the business and "let his company become a hero instead of himself."

We see the same quality of selflessness  in John the Baptist, the dynamic preacher who repeatedly affirmed his mission on paving the way for the Messiah. When John's followers became concerned that Jesus was baptizing people and crowds were following Him, John replied: "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but 'I have been sent before Him.'... He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:28,30).

As followers of Christ, are we lifting Him up instead seeking honor for ourselves? Rather than being disappointed when our contribution is unnoticed, we should be glad because our highest privilege is to magnify the Lord. He's the hero!

Honoring Him is the mark of greatness. --David McCasland

A Prayer: Lord, tech us to be humble. 

May our desire be that You be known, honored, loved, and exalted 

in every thought and action--above ourselves. Amen.

REFLECT ON THIS:

The great Christian is one who is small enough to let God be great in his life.

[MARCH 15] Last Line of Defense

Read: Romans 8:31-39

"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

--Romans 8:37

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was the site of a battle of America's Civil war. One of the focal points of the conflict was a rocky knoll called Little Round Top where Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and the men of the 20th Maine Infantry stood their ground. Had the Confederate troops gotten past Chamberlain's men, some historians believe the Union army would have been surrounded--possibly leading to the loss of the war. The "20th Maine" was the last line of defense.

Followers of Christ are also engaged in a vital war. As the battle "the wiles of the devil" (Eph.6:11), we are called to wear the armor of God and to stand firm in the conflict (vv.10-18).

And like Gettysburg soldiers, we have a "last line of defense." For us, though, this defense is greater than any human force. In Romans 8:31-39, Paul says that our ultimate confidence is in the undying love of Christ. So complete is our protection that nothing can "separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (v.39).

When the enemy seems overwhelming and all seems lost, remember, we have an unbeatable last line of defense: "We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us" (v.37). --Bill Crowder

We are more than conquerors

Through Him who loved us so;

The Christ who dwells within us

Is the greatest power we know. --Carmichael

REFLECT ON THIS:
God's plan always leads to victory.

[FEBRUARY 14] Showing Real Love

Read: John 13:1-5,33-35

"By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" 

--John 13:35

Chinese New Year happens to fall on the same day as Valentine’s Day in 2010. While these two festivals have very different origins, there are some similarities in how they are celebrated. In both cases, loved ones give gifts to express love for one another. Whether it is giving roses to your beloved on Valentine’s Day or hong bao (red packets with money) to family and friends on Chinese New Year, they represent tokens of love.

Our Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to “love one another,” because “by this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35).

The love that our Lord wants His disciples to have for one another is different from the romantic kind displayed between loving couples and the brotherly kind shown between friends or family. It’s an unselfish love. The Greek word John used in Jesus’ command is agape—God’s kind of love that expects nothing in return. That was what Jesus showed to His disciples when He “poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet” (v.5). That is the kind of love He displayed when He went to the cross for us.

Today, look for someone to whom you can show such unselfish love. --C.P. Hia

Lord, teach us the secret of loving,

The love You are asking today;

Then help us to love one another;

For this we must earnestly pray. --Anon.

REFLECT ON THIS:

"Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" Galatians 6:2

[JANUARY 22] Neighborly Love

Read: Luke 10:29-37

"You shall love the Lord your God... and your neighbor as yourself" 

--Luke 10:27

It would have been simpler just to buy a new hair dryer. But determined to save a buck, I decided to fix it myself. In order to loosen the screw that was buried deep in the handle, I took out the ultimate handyman’s helper—my pocket knife. As I put pressure on the knife to turn the screw, the blade folded back—on my finger.

I learned a lesson that day: I love myself. And I am urgent about meeting my needs. There was no thought of, “Well, I don’t really have time to stop the bleeding now. I’ll get to it later.” Also, there was a tenderness about how the need was met. I instructed my first-aid team (my wife and kids) to wash my finger gently and then to put the bandage on in a way that would avoid having the hairs on my finger pulled up when it was removed. My thoughts, words, and actions were driven by my love for myself.

To love “your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27) requires the same urgent kind of love. It’s a love that notices the need of another person and won’t rest until it’s been met. It’s a gentle, tender love that thinks and acts carefully. It’s the sacrificial and compassionate love that a nameless Samaritan had for a fallen traveler. It’s the kind of love God wants to share with your neighbors through you. --Joe Stowell

Lord, help me see the heartfelt needs

Of those within my care,

And grant that through my words and deeds

Your love with them I'll share. --D. De Haan

REFLECT ON THIS:

You cannot touch your neighbor’s heart with anything less than your own.

[JANUARY 17] It is my Business

Read: Leviticus 19:11-18

"You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge... , but you shall love your neighbor as yourself" 

--Leviticus 19:18

In 1955, when the South was still highly segregated, Emmett Till, a black teenager from Chicago, visited relatives in Mississippi. After Emmett “dared” to talk to a white woman, two white men brutally murdered him. An all-white, male jury found the two “not guilty”—after deliberating for barely an hour. The two men later confessed to the crime in a Life magazine article.

Following the verdict, Emmett’s mother said, “Two months ago I had a nice apartment in Chicago. I had a good job. I had a son. When something happened to Negroes in the South, I said, ‘That’s their business, not mine.’ Now I know how wrong I was. The murder of my son has shown me that what happens to any of us, anywhere in the world, had better be the business of us all.”

Making another’s concerns our own is what Leviticus 19:18 calls us to do: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus quotes this verse and interprets it as not placing any limitations on loving those around us (Matt. 22:39; Luke 10:25-37). Our neighbor doesn’t just mean someone close by; it’s anyone who has a need. We are to care for others as we care for ourselves.

To love our neighbor means to make the persecution, suffering, and injustice of our fellow human beings our own. It is the business of all who follow Christ. --Marvin Williams

FOR FURTHER THOUGHT

How can we be a good neighbor? Be respectful to all.

Lend a hand. Volunteer. Join a neighborhood association.

Speak up when others are treated unjustly.

REFLECT ON THIS:

Compassion puts love into action.