DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR MONDAY, JANUARY 8, 2018
Lord Jesus, thank you for healing the brokenness in our lives. Forgive us and transform each of us into the beautiful person you intend us to be. Amen.
If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:
everything old has passed away; see,
everything has become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17 (NRSV))
Four years ago I moved to a newly developed subdivision. In front of each house was a maple tree. I noticed that the tree in front of my house was infested with insects. One day during a windstorm, the tree broke at the damaged spot. I cleaned up the branches and cut the remaining trunk to the ground.
A few weeks later I noticed a green shoot coming from the stump. Before fall arrived, the shoot was more than three feet tall. Today the tree has beautifully formed branches and is at least 18 feet tall.
At times our lives may seem broken beyond repair. Troubles may leave us devastated and hopeless. But we have a God who loves us through our brokenness. God’s grace can remove the debris in our lives and help us grow into something even better than before. It may take time, but we can trust that God will help us transform our lives into something strong and beautiful.
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Four years ago I moved to a newly developed subdivision. In front of each house was a maple tree. I noticed that the tree in front of my house was infested with insects. One day during a windstorm, the tree broke at the damaged spot. I cleaned up the branches and cut the remaining trunk to the ground.
A few weeks later I noticed a green shoot coming from the stump. Before fall arrived, the shoot was more than three feet tall. Today the tree has beautifully formed branches and is at least 18 feet tall.
At times our lives may seem broken beyond repair. Troubles may leave us devastated and hopeless. But we have a God who loves us through our brokenness. God’s grace can remove the debris in our lives and help us grow into something even better than before. It may take time, but we can trust that God will help us transform our lives into something strong and beautiful.
TODAY'S PRAYER:
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Ephesians 2:1 You used to be dead because of your sins and acts of disobedience. 2 You walked in the ways of the ‘olam hazeh and obeyed the Ruler of the Powers of the Air, who is still at work among the disobedient. 3 Indeed, we all once lived this way — we followed the passions of our old nature and obeyed the wishes of our old nature and our own thoughts. In our natural condition we were headed for God’s wrath, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy and loves us with such intense love 5 that, even when we were dead because of our acts of disobedience, he brought us to life along with the Messiah — it is by grace that you have been delivered. 6 That is, God raised us up with the Messiah Yeshua and seated us with him in heaven, 7 in order to exhibit in the ages to come how infinitely rich is his grace, how great is his kindness toward us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. 8 For you have been delivered by grace through trusting, and even this is not your accomplishment but God’s gift. 9 You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast. 10 For we are of God’s making, created in union with the Messiah Yeshua for a life of good actions already prepared by God for us to do.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
When all seems lost, God can help me rebuild my life.
PRAYER FOCUS:
Someone feeling broken
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4 But God is so rich in mercy and loves us with such intense love 5 that, even when we were dead because of our acts of disobedience, he brought us to life along with the Messiah — it is by grace that you have been delivered. 6 That is, God raised us up with the Messiah Yeshua and seated us with him in heaven, 7 in order to exhibit in the ages to come how infinitely rich is his grace, how great is his kindness toward us who are united with the Messiah Yeshua. 8 For you have been delivered by grace through trusting, and even this is not your accomplishment but God’s gift. 9 You were not delivered by your own actions; therefore no one should boast. 10 For we are of God’s making, created in union with the Messiah Yeshua for a life of good actions already prepared by God for us to do.
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When all seems lost, God can help me rebuild my life.
Someone feeling broken
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Header Photo Credit: "Harvested Land," Beth Shumate. August 15, 2014. (link)
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