God makes us whole

Friday, February 1


Devotions: Ps 40, 51, 54; Isa 50:1-11; Gal 3:15-22; Mk 6:47-56

I waited patiently for YHWH, and He heard me, and drew me up out of the mire and put me on solid rock. He put a new song in my mouth, praising our God. Any who witness this will surely take note, fear, and put their trust in YHWH. Lord, You have multiplied your wonders to us and have given me an open ear, an eye to see, a heart to love, a mind to perceive and ponder. Lord, I delight to obey Your will; etch Your law on my heart, and let me speak forth Your truth. Let Your steadfast love and faithfulness preserve me forever. May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in finding You My God takes thought for me, and I praise Him with all my strength. Show me Your mercy, YHWH, and cleanse me from the sins that stain my testimony. I know my sins; I feel guilty for them constantly, Lord; I am steeped in sin. So cleanse and purge me; fill me with Your joy and gladness; heal my brokenness. Create in me a clean heart and sustain an upright spirit within me. Cast me not from Your presence; restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and prompt me to sing Your praise. You want a broken and contrite heart, a true testimony, and I long to render it to You! God is my Helper, and I give thanks to His holy name. I look in triumph on all my enemies.

God confronts His wanton people: you were divorced and sold for your iniquity. But God can redeem; He has given me a voice, the tongue of one taught by the Master. I submit to God's discipline and to the world's hostility. Let all who will heed what I would communicate; listen, all you who know righteousness: don't fear mortals; fear holy God alone. He is our Judge and our Comforter; kneel to Him alone. He has taken the cup of staggering and the bowl of His wrath away. Let us stand in our God and His holy love!

Once a will is enacted, it is not modified. God's promises were made to Abraham and his offspring (singular!). That is the Messiah, Jesus. The inheritance is ours by God's promise. The law was given later, to help us until the Offspring should come. It does not give life; He gives life. Before faith came by His faithfulness, we were confined under the law, restrained for our protection, so that we might be justified by faith. We are no longer under a custodian, then. In our baptism, we have put on Christ, all alike: Jew and Gentile, young and old, slave and free, male and female. We are heirs of God's covenant, because we belong to the Messiah!

After the day He fed the 5000, Jesus was alone on the mountain. He had dismissed His disciples and the multitudes. He could see that the disciples were struggling, making painful headway against strong winds. About the fourth watch of the night, just before dawn, Jesus came to them, walking on the water. He meant to pass them by, but they spied Him walking on the sea and thought He was a ghost, and cried out in fear. He said, 'Take heart! I Am; have no fear!' And He got into the boat with them; the winds ceased and they were utterly astounded; they still didn't comprehend the feeding miracle, for their hearts were hardened. They crossed the lake and moored at Gennesaret. Immediately people recognized Jesus and hurried to bring to Him all the sick on their pallets. Wherever Jesus came, they laid the sick near Him, that they might at least touch the fringe of His garment—and all who did this were made well.