DEVOTIONS

Monday, May 2 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) You will never understand everything that happens in your life.  Faith is all about possibility.  The possibility of certainty, in the midst of uncertainty.  The possibility of God working, even in the midst of things that don’t seem to be “good”.  You don’t know much, but you do know that “in all things God works for the good of those who love him.”  And that may be all you will ever need to know. 

Tuesday, May 3 – “But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” (Genesis 45:7) Have you ever thought that what’s happening to you today is paving the way for something so much bigger, more profound and more powerful to happen tomorrow?  Have you ever thought that this bigger, more profound and more powerful tomorrow will never happen without what is happening to you today?  That’s the possibility of faith in Jesus.  It won’t wipe away today.  But it will plant a seed in you of great expectation for tomorrow.    

Wednesday, May 4 – “I remain confident in this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13) Faith in Jesus isn’t simply an insurance policy that will pay for your trip to heaven after you die.  It’s also the possibility of living a full life right here, right now.  Notice that King David, the author of this Psalm, “remains confident”.  This means that he is living by faith.  For life will kick you around a bit.  It’s in the midst of this kicking around that you are called to “remain confident” in the goodness of God.  Even if you can’t smell it or touch it or taste it or see it or hear it in this present moment.

Thursday, May 5 – “But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are.” (Deuteronomy 4:20) God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  God has always been in the business of possibility.  Why do you think Abraham believed he would have children in his old age?  Possibility.  Why do you think Noah built the arc?  Possibility.  Why did Moses’ mother put him in a basket and float him down the Nile?  Possibility.  That’s how it has always been with God and that’s how it will always be with God.  Why do you think you can make it another day?  Possibility. 

Friday, May 6 – “What, then, shall we say in response to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) What are “these things”?  Life itself.  Your imperfect, sometimes wonderfully frustrating and all too many times glorious life.  As a follower of Jesus, what are you to say in “response to these things”?  Whether your life is good or bad or somewhere in between – If God is for you, who or what can be against you?  You will lose some fights in this life.  But through your faith in Jesus, you have already won the war.

Saturday, May 7 – “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37) In the movie This is Spinal Tap, guitar player Nigel Tufnel invented amplifiers that had a volume setting of eleven.  Giving them the possibility of sounding louder than a regular amplifier that only had a volume setting that goes to ten.  It’s the same with your life, as a follower of Jesus.  You are not only a conqueror (a volume setting of ten).  You are more than a conqueror (a volume setting of eleven).  When asked why he didn’t simply make an amplifier with a louder volume setting of ten, Nigel simply answered, “These go to eleven.” Enough said!