Wednesday Reading: 1 Samuel 9 18-21
 
Key Verse: 1 Samuel 9 21
21  And Saul answered and said, Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? And is not my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak so to me?

Devotion:
Have you ever been surprised to be picked for something or to be counted apart from others for some reason? Well there are going to be times when we think that of the things that God does in our lives... I’m not talking about all the bad stuff that happens in our lives because of the broken world that we live in but rather the good things that God does in our lives and we wonder why He should do that for us. I am sure that Saul was a bit amazed at how Samuel was talking to him because the Benjamites were not held in the best light after their last foray a few generations before this meeting.

But God has His ways and His methods for choosing the people that He does. The people of Israel were looking for a King instead of worshipping God in the way that they were required. Why should they have to do the worshipping to a God they cannot see when they can have a king that they can see. Isn’t that just like us? Why should we do something that we think may not be a certainty when we can do something else that we think will work out! God is the one who knows what will work and what will not. So it is little wonder then that He chose Saul to be king. Saul was a large man standing head and shoulders above everyone, literally. But he was also from the smallest and least worthy tribes at that time.

When God does anything in our lives you can be sure that if we are being selfish about what we ask for He will give us something unexpected that we then have to then live with. It is not because God wants to punish us for asking for something wrong but He does that so that we can learn that He does know best. If we ask for something that is just not going to ever work then we can expect something different that will work but may not be in the manner that we first thought of. God’s ways are best and the sooner we remember that and fall into line with His ways the better things will be for us.

Points to Ponder:
What do you ask for?
 
Are your ways in line with God’s ways?

Tuesday Reading: Psalms 37 23-24
 
Key Verse: Psalms 37 23
23  The steps of a good man are ordered by Jehovah; and He delights in his way.

Devotion:
There are always slight differences in translations between different languages and our bibles are no different either; but not all are written with God’s Word in mind but some with mans ways in mind. God’s ways and man’s ways are quite different unless that person is following God in which case they tend to agree more and more and that person follows in Christ’s footsteps. The original text may only say “the steps of a man are ordered by Jehovah” but that would give us a different meaning in English if the word “good” was left out. The original authors probably would have assumed that men would have wanted to be good by default and not put God aside whereas we tend to see the opposite, that man sins and falls away from God until he turns back to Him.

The simple fact is that if we are willing to follow God’s commandments and His ways, then our lives will be ordered by God. He will continue to encourage and guide us in His ways and to follow in His will. This is not just going to be spiritual but also things of this world too. Our lives will turn around and people will be able to see that we are different because we have a new heart – one that is willing to follow after God. God will continue to encourage us to be separate from this world so that we can continue to be that example through which others will see a better life than they have without God.

Yes, we still live in this rotten world in which we will still trip over all manner of rubbish that we come across, but even though we will trip up and fall, God will be there to make sure that we do not stay down because He wants us to continue in His way. The more that we depend on God, the more that we will be able to stand firm with Him. We will never be “good” unless Christ is able to make us so. We will never have that opportunity unless we know Christ. He wants us to walk with Him so He can order our lives...

Points to Ponder:
Whose guidance do you follow?

Are you paying God attention?

Monday Reading: 1 Samuel 6 7-14
 
Key Verse: 1 Samuel 6 14
14  And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there and there was a great stone. And they cut the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt offering to Jehovah.
 
Devotion:
We may read this story about how the Ark of the Covenant was sent back to the Israelites after various plagues came upon the Philistines after they carried it away in triumph and think that it was a bit harsh for the Israelites to use the very cows that brought the Ark back as the sacrificial offering to God, but they actually did the right thing. When God calls on us to give an offering of some sort it is not just something we find and give to Him but something that means something to us. But more than that, it is something that He has supplied for us that we give back to Him.

If you want to give someone very special a gift, you do not go out looking for something you can get for free so you can pass it on but instead you go out expecting to have to pay for that gift with hard earned money. That is the way that we see that the gift that we are giving is something meaningful. When we give to God we should not be looking for free gifts that we give to Him but rather something meaningful and special that we give to Him. What could be more special than the very best that He gives to us?

When the Israelites first saw the Ark coming back to them they must have been overjoyed. They had been taught that the sacrifices that they should offer should be the best that they had. The cows used to pull the cart were milk cows and were certainly a gift from God because He is the one that made sure that those cows walked straight from the Philistines back to the field of Joshua. They could have looked at them and though about how great it would be to have some free veal but instead they knew that they had to give them straight back to God because He had given them back the Ark after they had lost it. God does not want us to go without just so that we can give to Him... If we willingly give to Him, He will make sure that He does support us through our faith.

Points to Ponder:
Do you hold back those special gifts?

Are you depending on God?

Sunday Reading: 2 Corinthians 4 7-12
 
Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 4 7
7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us;

Devotion:
Have you ever wondered why you did not look like someone else or that you could not be like them or that you were not as good as others? I’m sure that we have all experienced those feelings at some stage in our lives but the fact remains, we are who we are. Maybe we think that we may not be the brightest of people nor the most eloquent, but God has created us in this way for His purpose. If He created us all the same then there would be no difference between people and we would have no choice. God has created us as unique individuals; even twins are never exactly the same in how they behave.

Throughout the ages God has used some pretty amazing people; at least we think they are amazing because of the things they have done. But when we look back and see their beginnings we realise that they were from backgrounds that we may consider being of no consequence. With God, there is always a way. No matter how much we are beaten down, He will lift us up. No matter how much we are persecuted, we know we have a sure end. No matter how much we are restricted, God will give us the opportunities – all we need do is take the opportunity when it is there.

God does not want us to sit around and do nothing because we feel like we are not able to do anything. Instead He wants us to trust in Him, depend on Him and allow Him to open the channels for us to do His will and His work in our lives. Always remember what He has already done for you and you will find it easy to do things for Him. Always remember what things are possible through Him and aim for those things, trusting Him to help you along the way. So, on this Mothering Sunday in the UK, don’t do nothing because you don’t think you can or don’t think it will make a difference; step forward and make a difference because you know God can!

Points to Ponder:
Are you ready?

God has always been ready with you...