Return To Your People

MY DAILY COVENANT WITH GOD DEVOTIONAL

Devotion for Sunday January 15, 2017

Topic: Return To Your People

Text: Ruth 1:6 – 10  

There was almost nothing worse than being a widow in the ancient world even in our present day society. They are still not recognised. They are to be seen and not heard. Widows were taken advantage of or ignored as in the days of Naomi. They were almost always poverty stricken. Some were denied of assess to their late husband’s wealth.

It was for the above reason, God’s law, therefore, provided that the nearest relative of the dead husband should care for the widow; but Naomi had no relatives in Moab, and she did not know if any of her relatives were alive in Israel. However, she decided to go back to Israel.

As she set to go, the daughters’ inlaw, Orpah and Ruth decided to go with her. Though she had right over Orpah and Ruth as daughters in law, she didn’t want to stick to that right. That is a challenge for us in the action of Naomi. Most times, we stick to our right as Christians and that doesn’t work well in most cases. She encouraged them to return to their people to start live anew. This is a selfless attitude that is required to live well as a Christian. Even in her desperate situation, Naomi had a selfless attitude. She would have stood on her right at least to have someone live with her. As she had decided to return to Israel, she encouraged Ruth and Orpah to stay in Moab and start their lives anew, even though that would mean hardship for her.

Like Naomi, we (Christians) must consider the needs of others and not just our own. As Naomi discovered, when you act selflessly, others are encouraged to follow your example. This led to the reaction of Ruth as we shall see tomorrow in our devotion. We should note that service to others is the justification for our existence and self-sacrifice is our highest moral duty, virtue and value which we should show to people we meet on daily basis.

Food for Thought: Selfless acts are always good examples for people especially the goodly, to follow.

Memory verse: Ruth 1 verse 8 - And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother's house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me.

Prayer: Grant me the grace, O Lord, to consider the needs of others as I take decisions concerning my welfare in Jesus name. Amen.

AWAKE FROM YOUR SLUMBER: Devotion for Saturday October 8, 2016

AWAKE FROM YOUR SLUMBER: Devotion for Saturday October 8, 2016

Text: Romans 13:11 – 14     Memory verse: Romans 13 v 11

Ability to read time and understand is very important not only in the Christian race but also in all our endeavours in this life. Romans 13:11 states, “And do this, knowing the time ...” There, Paul was speaking about love and in this verse he wants believers to realize their constant need to show love, especially considering the time that Christ’s return is near.

Most passages that teach or warn us about Christ’s return centre on our responsibility to be morally prepared, spiritually alert, and diligently serving God and humanity (1 Pet. 4:11; Jas. 5:8; 1 Jn. 2:18). The warnings found in these passages are essentially necessary for our growth and development as Christians. Believers must be vigilant, alert, and not caught unaware and unprepared when Christ returns. Jesus Christ gave us similar warning when He warned us in these passages; Matthew 24:14, 25:13; Mark 13:33 and Luke 12:40.

The reason for this moral preparation and spiritual alertness giving to us by Paul in our text is because the old sinful nature (Romans 13:13) will still cause problems from time to time, but he (Paul) requires believers to wake up from slumber. Clothing ourselves with Christ means we should put on His character; allowing Him to take control of us in all ramifications (Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 3:10), and taking over our thought from where our actions originate. Sinful actions and attitudes all start with a single thought. This is the reason behind the admonition in Proverbs 4:23.

Beloved, are you asleep in negligence, works of darkness, revelry and drunkenness, lewdness and lust, strife and envy? Many things are pointers to the fact that we are sleeping. Some of them are seen in us when we find it hard to pray; when we can’t open our mouths to preach the gospel, when our love and commitments to the things of God has waxed cool, etc. Paul is warning you to wake up and put on the armour of light (Isaiah 60:1; Ephesians 5:14) and to righteousness (1 Corinthians 15:34). Remember the return of Christ is certain and inevitable. It is now closer than when we first believed. Be prepared!

Food for Thought: Are you awake or still sleeping?

Prayer: God, help me to be alert and watchful as I await the return of Jesus.

YOU WILL RETURN: Devotion for Wednesday June 22, 2016

YOU WILL RETURN: Devotion for Wednesday June 22, 2016

Text: Isaiah 10:20 – 23        Memory verse: v 21

God keeps to His words. He fulfilled all His promises except when we fail to keep our own part of the covenant. When He told the Israelis, at the bank of Red Sea that the Egyptians they are seeing they will see no more. It was as if it is something very impossible to happen. But God was true to His word. 

Here is the assurance that the remnant will return to their Promised Land. Those who remained faithful to God despite the horrors of the invasion are called the remnant. Once Assyria’s army was destroyed, a small group of God’s people would stop relying on Assyria and start trusting God (10:20). This remnant would be but a fraction of Israel’s former population (Ezra 2:64-65). Have your life been battered by evil, sickness, sin, etc? God is promising you that you will return to the position of good health, prosperity, progress, knowledge of God, etc.   

In spiritual terms, the key to being a part of the remnant was faith in Christ Jesus. These remnants are those that will be raptured to be with the Lord. Being a descendant of Abraham, living in the Promised Land, having trusted God at one time, none of these were good enough. Are you relying on your Christian heritage, the rituals of worship, or past experience to qualify you for belonging to God’s family? The key to being a true Christian is faith in God.

Food for Thought: Will you be among those that will return to God when the rapture takes place?

Prayer: Lord God, keep me rapturable till the day of rapture or my death