God's final, perfect Word

Monday, March 7, 2011
Devotions: Ps 9, 15, 25; Deut 6:4-15; Heb 1:1-14; Jn 1:1-18

I will thank God with my whole heart and tell of His wonderful deeds. Lord, You have sustained me in the face of my enemies' taunts and schemes. You are enthroned forever, YHWH, a stronghold for the oppressed. God will not forget the needy or let the hope of the poor perish. Throw the fear of God into the wicked, Lord; let them know they are mere mortals. They can live in God's precincts who walk blamelessly, speak truth, avoid slander and speak no evil to their friends. They despise reprobates, but honor all who fear YHWH. They tell the truth and keep their promises, even when there is superficial cost to do so. They refuse to take advantage of the needy and turn away from bribes. They who live this way will never be moved! Lord, I lift my soul up to You; preserve me and make me to know Your paths; lead me in Your truth, for I attend You all day long. Set aside the sins of my past and uphold our mercy, steadfast love and faithfulness. God leads the humble in what is right, and leads all who keep His covenants into abiding love and faithfulness. I keep my eyes focused on the Lord, and He delivers me. Lord, relieve the troubles of my heart and bring me out of all distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, Lord, and forgive my sins. Redeem us, Lord, from all our troubles.

God shows steadfast love across thousands of generations to those who love Him and keep His commands. Moses told the Israelites: Hear, Israel: YHWH your God is one YHWH; and you shall love YHWH your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. The words I command you today shall remain on your hearts; teach them diligently to your children and grandchildren. Talk about them sitting in your house, and walking along the way, when you lie down and when you arise again. Bind them on your hands and foreheads. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates. And when YHWH your God brings you into the land He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob your ancestors—filled with great, good cities you didn't build, houses full of good things you didn't assemble, furnished with cisterns you didn't dig, with fruitful vineyards and groves you didn't plant—and when you eat and are full, then take heed that you do not forget YHWH, Who brought you out of Egypt and your bondage there. Fear YHWH your God and serve Him diligently; swear by His name alone. You must not go after other gods, those of the peoples of the land around you. For YHWH your God is in your midst, and He is a jealous God. Otherwise, YHWH's anger will be kindled against you and He will destroy you from the face of the earth!

God spoke to our ancestors in many and diverse ways through His prophets; but in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, Whom God appointed the heir of all things and through Whom God created the cosmos. Jesus reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of His nature, upohold the universe by His word of power. When Jesus had made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the Name He has attained is more excellent than theirs. Think: to what angel did God ever say, 'You Are My Son, today I have begotten You'? Or 'I will be to Him a Father and He shall be to Me a Son". Of whom else has God said, 'Let all God's angels worship Him.' Now concerning angels, God is the One 'Who makes His angels winds and His servants flames of fire.' But concerning the Son, He has said, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the righteous scepter is that of Your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness beyond Your companions.' And this: 'You, Lord, did found the earth in the beginning; and the heavens are Your handiwork; they will perish, but You remain; they will all grow old like a garment and like a mantle You will roll them up and they will be transformed. But You are the same, and Your years will never end.' To what angel has God ever said, 'Sit at My right hand, until I make Your enemies a stool for Your feet'? Angels, after all, are ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation.

And John provides this summative introduction to Jesus: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made. Without Him, nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of mortals. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John. He came as a witness, to testify concerning the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light; rather, he came as a witness to the light. The true Light that enlightens every mortal was coming into the world. He Was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not recognize Him. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, full of grace and truth. We have beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten Who came from the Father. John testified concerning Him; He cried out, 'This Is He of Whom I said, "He Who comes after me has surpassed me because He Was before me." From the fullness of His grace we all have received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus the Messiah. No one has ever seen God; but God the Only Begotten, who is in the Father's bosom, has made Him known!