Week 13 Monday
Moses' face shines after time with God, Psalm 58 cries out for justice against wicked rulers, and the apostles are freed from prison to keep proclaiming the exalted Name of Jesus.
Exodus 34
📖 What are we reading?: Moses meets with God again on the mountain and comes down with a face radiant from His presence, as God renews His covenant with Israel.
✞ What does this passage say about God? Notice verses 6-7 - He is compassionate and gracious. Yet He is also a jealous God (verse 14), who won't share His people's worship with false gods.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? Moses' first response to meeting with God is worship and intercession for the people - is that ours too? And if time in God's presence changed Moses' face, shouldn't ours be changing as we walk closely with Him? We're called to complete devotion to the true God, with no room left for other gods or religions.
Looking for some extra info?
➡️ The bigger picture: Exodus, meaning "departure", was written by Moses around 1400 BC. It tells the thrilling story of Israel's miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt - a picture of Christ setting us free from the prison of sin.
Psalm 58
📖 What are we reading?: A startling protest against unjust judges and rulers.
✞ What does this passage say about God? He is a Judge - and that hasn't changed in the New Testament. But now we also have a Saviour in Jesus.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? Godly people are rewarded by God, and we can be glad to see the wicked judged. But we should be even gladder to see them saved, if they'd only turn to Him in true repentance.
Looking for some extra info?
➡️ The bigger picture: The Psalms is a collection of 150 poems and songs, written by David and others, expressing the full range of human emotion in response to God and to life.
Acts 5:12-42
📖 What are we reading?: The apostles perform many signs and wonders and are arrested for it, only to be freed from prison by an angel. Hauled before the Sanhedrin, they're flogged and released with orders to stop preaching in Jesus' name.
✞ What does this passage say about God? Peter's words about Jesus are worth meditating on today - He is the "Prince and Saviour" whom God has exalted, and it's through Him that repentance and forgiveness come.
🛐 How does this passage teach us to live? Freed from prison, the apostles are given a mandate: go back and tell people about this new life! We have the same mandate today. We're called to obey God rather than people, and even to rejoice when we suffer for the name of Jesus.
Looking for some extra info?
📝 A devotion exploring a modern example of angels opening prison doors.
📝 A devotion on the disciples' gladness in their suffering for Jesus.
➡️ The bigger picture: Luke's second book outlines the ministry of the early church - though it could just as well be called the Acts of the Holy Spirit, as He guides and grows Jesus' small movement into something that changes the world.
A Prayer for the Day
🙏 Lord, let time in Your presence change our faces as it changed Moses', keep us wholly devoted to You alone, and give us the courage of the apostles to obey You above all else and rejoice even in suffering for Jesus' Name. Amen.
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