Victory through enduring faith and humble service

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Friday, December 12, 2008
Devotions: Ps 31, 35; Isa 7:10-25; 2 Thess 2:13-3:5; Lk 22:14-30

God, You are my Rock of refuge; for Your name’s sake, lead and guide me away from the snares I cannot perceive. Into Your hand I commit my spirit, YHWH my Redeemer and faithful God. I will trust in God alone, and I will rejoice for Your steadfast love; You have regarded my afflictions and heeded my adversities. You have placed me in a safe, open space. I am weakened and in pain, the scorn of my enemies, and avoided by acquaintances. There is murmuring on every side against me. In this challenging situation, I trust in You, O YHWH; let Your face shine on me and keep me from shame. Your being protects Your people. Blessed be the Lord, Who hears and cares and helps His own. Be strong and courageous of heart, all you who wait for the Lord!

Speaking for God, Isaiah invited King Ahaz of Judah to request a sign from YHWH assuring deliverance of his kingdom from its enemies. Ahaz declined in a show of modesty, so the prophet announced this sign: ‘A young woman shall conceive and bear a son named Immanuel [‘God with us’]. Before this child grows to the age of understanding how to refuse evil and choose good, the lands of these two kings you dread will be deserted. And the king of Assyria will come upon you and your people—the tormentors from Egypt and Assyria will descend on this land. YHWH will shave His people with His hired razor, Assyria’s king, and strip this country bare. Those who survive, the remnant left here, will have plenty to eat, but the wealth of this land will wither; farms will become wilderness and grazing lands.'

Paul continued to the Thessalonians: ‘We are bound always to give thanks to God for you; He chose you from the beginning to be saved, through sanctification by the Holy Spirit and belief in the truth; you are summoned through our gospel to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus the Messiah. So stand firm; hold to the traditions you have learned from us. God has given us eternal comfort and hope through grace, because God loves us—so may God comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word. Pray for us, too: that God’s word may be advanced and triumph, and we may be delivered from wicked, evil men, for not all have godly faith. But God Is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from evil; and you will continue in obedience. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of the Messiah.’

At the hour for Passover, Jesus and His apostles reclined at table in the upper room. Jesus addressed them: ‘I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. And I tell you I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.’ He took a cup of wine, gave thanks, and gave it to His disciples, saying ‘Take this and divide it among you; from now on, I will not drink of the vine’s fruit until the Kingdom of God comes.’ He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them, saying ‘This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.’ And He did these things again with the cup of wine after supper: ‘This cup poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Take note: the hand of My betrayer is with mine on this table. The Son of man goes as God has directed; but woe to My betrayer!’ The apostles asked among themselves which of them would do this—but soon their discussion turned to which among them would be regarded as the greatest. Jesus spoke: ‘Gentile kings exercise lordship, and those in authority are considered benefactors. But not so with you! Let the greatest among you become as the youngest [and lowest-ranked]. The true leader is the one who serves. In human culture, the greater sits and the lesser serves. But I Am among you as One Who serves. You have borne trials with Me, and I assign a kingdom to you, as my Father assigned a kingdom to Me. You will have the honor of eating and drinking at My table in My kingdom; you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’