15th. July. 2020. Daily Devotion
Faith is often born and nursed in the most difficult circumstances, and what we experience as an uncomfortable or painful situation may be the occasion of the increase or strengthening of faith. Here is a scripture and commentary on Moses experience of the burning bush which is the symbol of our Presbyterian churches.
Exodus 3:4-6
4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, ‘Moses! Moses!’ And Moses said, ‘Here I am.’
5 ‘Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’
6 Then he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
The learning of Egypt was not sufficient to equip Moses for his lifework. He is taken to the solitudes of the wilderness. That is God’s college. All who have done the greatest work in the world have graduated there – Elijah at Horeb, Ezekiel at Chebar, Paul in Arabia, John in Patmos. God’s workers may take their arts course in the universities but must take their Divinity course alone with him. Often during daily duty, we come onto the outshining of his Presence. Let us be on the outlook for it and take off our shoes.
This burning bush has generally been taken as the emblem of the Church amid the fires of tribulation, but there is a deeper meaning. The fire was the token of God’s presence. The bush was unconsumed, because God’s love is its own fuel.
But there should be no shrinking back when God says I AM. Fill in this blank check with whatever you need for life or godliness, and God will do that and more also, with exceeding abundance.
FB Meyer.
Meditation
“A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” ~ John Shedd
A Prayer for courage to witness
Heavenly Father, Christ left with us his instructions to spread the gospel into every nook and cranny of the world, to let others know about him and find him, to save their souls and bring them into true peace and your ultimate purpose for us. But I am so stupid and ignorant, I do not know what to say. I am so filled with a desire not to offend others that I am afraid to speak up. It is so much easier for me just to sit back and leave everything up to you, or up to professional preachers. I retreat into thinking that this is somebody else’s job.
Help me dear Lord to do your work. I promise to try, but I cannot do this without your help. Fill me with the fire of your Holy Spirit and give me the words and the strength, if only to witness how much you have meant to me in my own life. Give me strength to plunge straight through feelings of awkwardness or potential hostility, and to offer to you just the simplest witness before others. For I know that if I help only one person to find you, it is worth ten thousand rejections. Bless me to remember, that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. In Christ’s name, I pray.
Amen.
Prayer for Christ to be with Us
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with us,
wherever He may send us.
May He guide us through the wilderness,
protect us through the storm.
May He bring us home rejoicing
at the wonders He has shown us.
May He bring us home rejoicing
once again into our doors.
Amen.
Pray today for those places in the world where covid-19 is still on the rise, the US, Brazil, India, South Africa, Colombia, and resurgences in Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Australia. Here are some prayers from World Vision:
Father, we seek Your wisdom daily. Be with people making decisions that affect the lives and futures of our families, communities, countries, and the wider world. We pray that they communicate clearly, truthfully, and calmly — with each other and with the public — and that their messages are received and heeded. May truth and empathy be the touchstones of people setting policies for our protection.
Dear Lord, we lift to You our concern for people who are more likely than others to become severely ill from COVID-19 — the elderly and people with chronic health conditions. Protect them from harm and be their comfort in this time of uncertainty and, for many, preventive isolation from loved ones.
Amen
